“Enter Sandman” is a hit single recorded and released in 1991 by America’s favorite heavy metal band, Metallica.

This single sold over 30 million copies and led Metallica to global fame. The single is part of the band’s fifth album titled Metallica. 

Song Facts: 

• “Enter Sandman” was written by Lars Ulrich, James Hatfield, and Kirk Hammett, and the song acquired the Producer of the Year Award, named after Juno Jack Richardson.
• The song by Metallica was the first written single for the “Black Album,” but it was the last one to get complete lyrics among the album’s songs because of modifications.
• The song’s first thematic proposal featured the theme of SIDS, when babies die unexpectedly in their sleep. However, the producers found the subject too grim. After modifications by the rest of the writers, a theme featuring childhood nightmares got incorporated.
• “Enter Sandman” acquired Platinum Certification after selling approximately 30 million copies.
• The single reached the 16th position on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100.
• “Enter Sandman” was Metallica’s first song to get a video copy.
• NASA’s Alvin Drew used the single on the STS-123 Space Shuttle to wake up astronauts on a mission.
• According to a 2022 study done by Wordfiner, the most commonly misheard lyric is “Exit light, enter night.” Study participants believed the lyrics to be “Eggs and light, end all nights.” 

Lyrics 

Say your prayers, little one, don’t forget, my son

To include everyone

I tuck you in, warm within, keep you free from sin

‘Til the Sandman, he comes

Sleep with one eye open

Gripping your pillow tight

Exit light

Enter night

Take my hand

We’re off to never-never land

Something’s wrong, shut the light, heavy thoughts tonight

And they aren’t of Snow White

Dreams of war, dreams of liars, dreams of dragons’ fire

And of things that will bite, yeah

Sleep with one eye open

Gripping your pillow tight

Exit light

Enter night

Take my hand

We’re off to never-never land

Yeah-yeah

Now, I lay me down to sleep (now, I lay me down to sleep)

Pray the Lord my soul to keep (pray the Lord my soul to keep)

If I die before I wake (if I die before I wake)

Pray the Lord my soul to take (pray the Lord my soul to take)

Hush, little baby, don’t say a word

And never mind that noise you heard

It’s just the beast under your bed

In your closet, in your head

Exit light

Enter night

Grain of sand

Exit light

Enter night

Take my hand

We’re off to never-never land (yeah)

Oh! Yeah-yeah, no

We’re off to never-never land

Take my hand

We’re off to never-never land

Take my hand

We’re off to never-never land

We’re off to never-never land

We’re off to never-never land

We’re off to never-never land