3,093,493 plays (419,705 listeners)
“One” was written in November 1987 by Metallica’s principal composers — rhythm guitarist/vocalist James Hetfield and drummer Lars Ulrich. This song details the life of a soldier after he becomes a decerebrated paraplegic. During his time in the hospital, he reflects on his life and things his father told him. The doctors become worried because he does not die. The soldier finally uses Morse Code in an attempt to communicate. During a visit to the hospital, another soldier recognizes the code and tells the visiting general that the Morse Code is saying “Kill me.”
The lyrics are based on the novel “Johnny Got His Gun” by Dalton Trumbo, an anti-war novel about World War I. A specific passage that inspired the song is: “How could a man lose as much of himself as I have and still live? When a man buys a lottery ticket you never expect him to win because it’s a million to one shot. But if he does win, you’ll believe it because one in a million still leaves one. If I’d read about a guy like me in the paper I wouldn’t believe it, cos it’s a million to one. But a million to ONE always leaves one. I’d never expect it to happen to me because the odds of it happening are a million to one. But a million to one always leaves one. One.”
In 1971, “Johnny Got His Gun” was made into a film which was directed by Trumbo. Metallica bought the rights to movie after attempts to use images from the movie in the music video, the first in Metallica’s career. The video uses images and monologues from the movie.
The lyrics are based on the novel “Johnny Got His Gun” by Dalton Trumbo, an anti-war novel about World War I. A specific passage that inspired the song is: “How could a man lose as much of himself as I have and still live? When a man buys a lottery ticket you never expect him to win because it’s a million to one shot. But if he does win, you’ll believe it because one in a million still leaves one. If I’d read about a guy like me in the paper I wouldn’t believe it, cos it’s a million to one. But a million to ONE always leaves one. I’d never expect it to happen to me because the odds of it happening are a million to one. But a million to one always leaves one. One.”
In 1971, “Johnny Got His Gun” was made into a film which was directed by Trumbo. Metallica bought the rights to movie after attempts to use images from the movie in the music video, the first in Metallica’s career. The video uses images and monologues from the movie.
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Metallica live at reading festival 97
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Albums featuring this track
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...And Justice for All
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Live Shit: Binge And Purge (Disc 3)
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One (German Single)
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S & M (Disc Ii)
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Shouts
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jo1612 wrote:
their best one^^
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Sebat0330 wrote:
One, forever!! [2]
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itguy2 wrote:
Hell yeah!
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acmilan1 wrote:
From time to time people should watch the film which the song is kinda based on + footage for the video clip. Awesome film, awesome song. epic.
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Jesakah_Punkah wrote:
classic [2]
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kirczek wrote:
Too good. :D
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Repo111 wrote:
only Metallica can be this pro
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Carolynne74 wrote:
Adorooo
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omarulz999 wrote:
the song is just great, the solo even better.
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radio-tractore wrote:
the story behind it makes it even better. so sad, so cruel and yet so poetic
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sionborg wrote:
epic song 2
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camP1989 wrote:
epic song!
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Gfunk- wrote:
ooh yeah do i love this song. Last 3 minutes are amazing
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blackfloods wrote:
\/ AEIUHAIEUHAEUHAEIAUAEUHAEIUHEAUHAEUHAEIAAEUHAEUHAEIUHAIEUHAEIUAEHIUAEHAEUHAEIUHUH o.õ
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edneoson wrote:
txurma vamos pular, vamo pirar, chapando o coco huahua one ftw!
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Scirocco_Scala wrote:
Great!
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David_J1973 wrote:
If you like fast thrash, this is it. For me, it's a bit over-rated. I like slower, crunchier thrash.
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wreckages wrote:
this song is amazing, the S&M version is so much better, too
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Wademi wrote:
Best Metallica song
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Neshinea wrote:
One, forever!!
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Recent Activity
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thenyewnt, Smurfula, titatonneke and 6 other people loved Metallica – One. 49 minutes ago
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leapsandbounds tagged One with ‘narrative lyrics’. 4 hours ago
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SushiWolff, Najivc, wwro and 8 other people loved Metallica – One. 4 hours ago
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levy28 added One to the playlist thrashin thrash shit. 13 hours ago
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