Metallica - Master of Puppets

The "Master" of puppets is a reference to drugs. Throughout the song the "Master" controls you and your life. This is evident in lyrics like, "chop your breakfast on a mirror," "The Master Of Puppets is pulling your strings, twisting your mind and smashing your dreams." Drugs is the Master while the drug user is the puppet.

This is one of the most famous and enduring songs of 1986, but it wasn't released as a single, except in France. Metal was still seen as a niche, and few radio stations would touch it. Putting it out as a single would have been pointless because it wouldn't have gotten airplay and Metallica's fans were far more likely to buy the whole album (and with a running time of 8:36, it wouldn't have fit on one side of a 45). But the album went Gold almost immediately (500,000 copies in America), and two years later went Platinum (one million), which changed perceptions. Rock radio found room for Metallica amongst offerings from Guns N' Roses and Mötley Crüe. MTV even got on board, launching Headbangers Ball in 1987. When Metallica released their next album, ...And Justice for All (1988), they were commercial enough for a single and video, which they delivered with "One." That song got them on the Hot 100 for the first time, landing at #35.

Lyrics

End of passion play, crumbling away I'm your source of self-destruction Veins that pump with fear, sucking darkest clear Leading on your death's construction Taste me you will see More is all you need You're dedicated to How I'm killing you Come crawling faster Obey your master Your life burns faster Obey your master Master Master of puppets I'm pulling your strings Twisting your mind and smashing your dreams Blinded by me, you can't see a thing Just call my name, 'cause I'll hear you scream Master Master Just call my name, 'cause I'll hear you scream Master Master Needlework the way, never you betray Life of death becoming clearer Pain monopoly, ritual misery Chop your breakfast on a mirror Taste me you will see More is all you need You're dedicated to How I'm killing you Come crawling faster Obey your master Your life burns faster Obey your master Master Master of puppets I'm pulling your strings Twisting your mind and smashing your dreams Blinded by me, you can't see a thing Just call my name, 'cause I'll hear you scream Master Master Just call my name, 'cause I'll hear you scream Master Master Master, master Where's the dreams that I've been after? Master, master You promised only lies Laughter, laughter All I hear or see is laughter Laughter, laughter Laughing at my cries Fix me Hell is worth all that, natural habitat Just a rhyme without a reason Never-ending maze, drift on numbered days Now your life is out of season I will occupy I will help you die I will run through you Now I rule you too Come crawling faster Obey your master Your life burns faster Obey your master Master Master of puppets I'm pulling your strings Twisting your mind and smashing your dreams Blinded by me, you can't see a thing Just call my name, 'cause I'll hear you scream Master Master Just call my name, 'cause I'll hear you scream Master Master