The string in my case was the lyric from Enter Sandman "gripping your pillow tight". It seemed an extreme, as well as an odd thing to say in a song. I realize that "shocking" people sells records, but this seemed like there was genuine fright involved.

I just stopped listening to the Black CD when I heard "The road becomes my bride." I thought to myself while feeling very satisfied, "Yeah, this guy and I have that in common. It is nice to know that there is someone out there like me."

Several months later, I saw the "One" video on MTV and saw Johnny literally throwing his head from side to side and thought, "Mommy!". My mentally ill Mother would do this when she had an "episode". I literally grabbed my purse and drove out to buy the AJFA album, convinced that perhaps I could figure out how to "Cure" my mother…

I listened to the album, hated the sticky sweet emotion it oozed, and put it in a drawer.

At the time I was very bitter about the GNR break-up and all that had happened with them - especially the Izzy situation. I just did not want to commit myself to another rock band, I guess I needed time to heal. (LOL)

About 5 years later I saw the Marianne Faithful video and liked the song. I thought, I have to go out and buy that CD.

I guess 2 years went by until I went into a local record store to buy the Metallica CD with the "Marianne Faithful song" on it and the record clerk is like "Duh, I don't know which CD it's on Load or Reload." I was like "Oh, they put out two CDs? O.K. give me both."

When I got home, the first thing I noticed was the lack of lyrics in both albums. Having AJFA and the Black album, I knew that these guys (musicians in general) wanted to get their "message" to you so badly that they would ALWAYS print the lyrics inside the sleeve. Suddenly, no lyrics? "How strange!" I thought, "I guess these lyrics aren't "marketable". I thought, "What are they hiding?"

As I was searching for the Marianne Faithful song I heard "Mama Said". I nearly fell off my chair.

I had thought this and felt this way before…EXACTLY!

That had never happened to me before, usually only part of the song would apply to me…. Suddenly, I had to have the lyrics. I had to find out what was being said…

So the lyrics you see before you are the actual lyrics from the lyric books . Also, you'll notice the original lyrics to the songs as printed in the So What Magazine…

When I heard "Cure" I knew exactly what James was saying…I started buying everything I could in order to figure out what he knew about the Cure that I didn't…Hey, I figured the guy can afford $500.00 hour phsychiatrists so he is probably way ahead of me in terms of finding the "Cure".

By this point in time, I had given up on curing my mother and realized that I was the one who needed the "cure".

I even purchased old SO WHAT magazine, which is where I read the original lyrics to the song "Unforgiven II" originally, entitled "Widower of One".

The lyric said, "murder yourself before someone else does". I nearly started crying since I had been having an intense dream with just that theme for 2 years and had not been able to formulate that IDEA. Yet, he had. So now I was even more into finding out everything about Metallica.

I bought "Binge and Purge" and heard James sing on the first CD (a line from Enter Sandman) "____ you in warm within…" which is when it HIT ME!

I was right 10 years ago, "gripping your pillow tight" was a bit too extreme of a lyric.

All theories expressed regarding the following songs are just (my) personal theories. I have never met the band and have no affiliation with them or their company. I am however a fan of their music.

Given the mature subject matter of my theories, you MUST be 18 years or older to read my interpretation.

I'd like to say that I know that my theories are not 100% accurate. Personally, I'd be happy if they were 50% accurate. I'd appreciate any and all input from readers since I think that together we can piece together what James is trying to communicate to us. I do not want to do this alone; in fact, I need everyone's help if we are to ever get an accurate interpretation. I believe that each one of us holds a piece of the puzzle to add to the accurate interpretation of James' songs; and we are only going to accomplish this task together.

I hope that you will join me in my quest…

Verily,

Widow_of_ONE

Please note the following:

1) Italicized words - the songbook does not list the sentence/word in the song but that's what it sounds like on the CD that I have.

Example from "AIN'T MY BITCH",

you arrived but now it's time to kiss
your ass good-bye.

2. CAPITAL WORDS in bold print - the book lists them but dam if I hear them, maybe I don't want to hear them! I put them in because they are in the book. I am unsure if it is my ears OR at the last minute they were taken out of the song? Don't know.

For example, "2 X 4",

YEAH, I'M TWO BY FOUR, HEY, HEY.
Yeah, talk to two by four.
It don't take no more.
Come on, yeah.
Come on.

Come on, come on.
Talk to two by four.

Talk to two by four.

I have listened to this, re-listened to this and re-re-re-listened to this given that: "YEAH, I'M TWO BY FOUR, HEY." - gives an entirely clearer picture of what the meaning of the song is. Damn if I can hear it; my speakers aren't the best.

3. Underline - Anything that is underlined was confirmed by consulting the book to make absolutely positively sure. In some cases, the word was unique to the song OR I used it as a marker to figure out where I was in the song OR I was surprised by the actual lyric so I went back to the book to make sure of what was sung. Whatever the case, it's been checked and re checked.

Example: "2 X 4",

I can't hear ya, time to meet my lord.
I can't hear ya, talk to talk to, talk to two by 4.
She don't take no more.
Yeah, yeah.

If you doubt a lyric/word please feel free to ask me to check the book it's not a problem. It means a great deal to me that James' words are accurately translated, so don't be afraid or embarrassed to ask.

4. (Sentence/Lyrics in brackets is sung in the background while the main lyrics are sung. The bracketed lyrics aren't the primary vocals. I tried to get as many as I could but since they are in the background it's tough to hear so when in doubt I just went with the book.)
((Double brackets mean that the lyrics are layered background lyrics so they are overlapped. So the first starts and in the middle the second starts, then the third…etc.))

For Example, "Ain't My Bitch",

you arrived but now it's time to kiss
your ass good-bye.