“Until It Sleeps” is a heavy metal song released by the band Metallica on 20th May 1996. It is considered one of the best rock compositions of the 19th century. Since its debut on 20th May 1996, the song has collected coveted accolades topping some prominent charts like the Billboards. 

Fun Facts:

• Metallica formed when drummer Lars Ulrich put out a newspaper ad for other musicians. 
• Ulrich is the world’s richest drummer. The band’s first three albums kickstarted his wealth, leaving him with $12 million. 
• “Until It Sleeps” was the group’s first release of the album Load. 
• In its debut year, the song topped the Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks in Finland, Denmark, Sweden, Australia, and Hungary.
• “Until It Sleeps” is inspired by the famous Dutch painter Hieronymus Bosch, a notable painter from the Netherlands painting school.
• The lyrics were written by Hetfield and were a dedication to his mother’s fight against cancer.
• The music video is also inspired by the works of Hieronymus Bosch; it accompanies surreal imagery of the ‘fall of man. In 1996, it won the MTV Music Video Award for Best Rock Video.
• During its peak, “Until It Sleeps” topped the Billboard Hot Mainstream Rock Tracks in five European countries and was fifth in the United Kingdom chart.

Lyrics 

Where do I take this pain of mine

I run but it stays right by my side

So tear me open and pour me out

There’s things inside that scream and shout

And the pain still hates me

So hold me until it sleeps

Just like the curse, just like the stray

You feed it once and now it stays

Now, it stays

So tear me open but beware

There’s things inside without a care

And the dirt still stains me

So wash me until I’m clean

It grips you so hold me

It stains you so hold me (yeah)

It hates you so hold me (yeah)

It holds you so hold me

Until it sleeps (Until it sleeps)

Until it sleeps

So tell me why you’ve chosen me

Don’t want your grip, don’t want your greed

Don’t want it

I’ll tear me open, make you gone

No more can you hurt anyone

And the fear still shakes me

So hold me, until it sleeps

It grips you so hold me

It stains you so hold me

It hates you so hold me (yeah)

It holds you

Holds you, holds you

Until it sleeps (Until it sleeps)

Until it sleeps (Until it sleeps, until it sleeps)

I don’t want it, I don’t want it

Want it, want it, want it, want it, no, woah-woah

So tear me open but beware

There’s things inside without a care

And the dirt still stains me

So wash me ’til I’m clean

I’ll tear me open, make you gone

No longer will you hurt anyone

And the hate still shapes me

So hold me until it sleeps

[Outro]

Until it sleeps, until it sleeps

Until it sleeps, until it sleeps