Seek & Destroy

"Seek & Destroy" is the ninth track on the album "Kill 'Em All". The song has been frequently played in concerts over the years since its live debut in 1982 and has been Metallica's closing song since the Madly in Anger with the World Tour. Seek & Destroy has become a fan favorite and has been played at virtually every Metallica concert since the band's inception. It is sometimes played as a closing number for their live performances, with Hetfield often asking the audience to sing along with him; he shouts "Searching," and they shout "Seek and destroy!" The song has been covered by Chuck Billy, Jake E. Lee, Jimmy Bain, and Aynsley Dunbar for the album Metallic Assault: A Tribute to Metallica. The song has also been covered by thrash metal band Testament, Bludvera and Acid Drinkers and instrumentally by Freaklabel as part of a tribute medley. Malaysian death metal band, Sil Khannaz also cover this song on their tribute album, The Best Of Sil Khannaz. Apocalyptica, and previously Pantera, covered it live. Seek & Destroy is a perfect example of Metallica's influence in the Thrash scene. This song's theme was based by James Hetfield on a Diamond Head's song "Dead Reckoning". He wrote it during his spare time from work at a sticker factory in Los Angeles. The first mini solos were inspired by the song "Princess of the Night" (Saxon). "Seek & Destroy" was the first song Metallica recorded in the studio. The song was included in their demo "No Life 'til Leather" (1982). It is the second most-performed song in the band's history after "Master of Puppets". This song reflects anger and misunderstanding which the band felt during their early days, when they played in clubs in Los Angeles, and the crowd didn't get their music.

Metallica Lyrics "Seek & Destroy" [Verse 1] Where are we? What the hell is going on? The dust has only just begun to fall Crop circles in the carpet, sinking, feeling Spin me 'round again and rub my eyes This can't be happening When busy streets amass with people Would stop to hold their heads heavy [Chorus] Hide and seek Trains and sewing machines All those years They were here first [Verse 2] Oily marks appear on walls Where pleasure moments hung before The takeover, the sweeping insensitivity Of this still life [Chorus] Hide and seek Trains and sewing machines Oh, you won't catch me around here Blood and tears They were here first [Bridge] Mmm, whatcha say? Mmm, that you only meant well? Well, of course you did Mmm, whatcha say? Mmm, that it's all for the best? Of course it is Mmm, whatcha say? Mmm, that it's just what we need And you decided this? Mmm, whatcha say? Mmm, what did she say? [Outro] Ransom notes keep falling out your mouth Mid-sweet talk, newspaper word cut-outs Speak no feeling, no, I don't believe you You don't care a bit, you don't care a bit Ransom notes keep falling out your mouth (Hide and seek) Mid-sweet talk, newspaper word cut-outs Speak, no feeling, no, I don't believe you (Hide and seek) You don't care a bit, you don't care a, you don't care a bit (Hide and seek) You don't care a bit, you don't care a bit (Hide and seek) You don't care a bit, you don't care a bit, you don't care a bit Writer(s): Jochen Flach