The Metallica Report 76: James Hetfield on Words & Lyrics

The week of January 8, 2025 on The Metallica Report…

We speak with James Hetfield about his perennial and peerless lyrics. Our songwriter shares what he loves about the architecture of words, whether he sees himself as a storyteller, and his appreciation of Tom Waits. Then, we take a trip back through the So What! archives to revisit his approach to songs such as “Harvester Of Sorrow,” “Moth Into Flame,” and “ManUNkind.” Finally, he discusses the soul searching behind 72 Seasons and explains—what he has determined to be—the three phases of “Fuck it!” 

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