One began as a song written by James Hetfield, centered on the concept of "simply having a brain and nothing else," before Cliff Burnstein suggested he read Dalton Trumbo's novel, Johnny Got His Gun, published in 1939. The story of Joe Bonham, a good-looking, all-American boy encouraged to fight in World War I by his patriotic father, Bonham loses his legs, eyes, ears, mouth and nose to a German shell. Bonham uses the one part of his physical existence he still has control over - his mind – to tap out a message in Morse code:
'Please murder me' after coming to terms with his horrible situation in hospital while surrounded by frightened physicians and nurses. Lars Ulrich, drummer and co-writer, noted, "James received a lot of input from that."
Lyrics
I can't remember anything
Can't tell if this is true or dream
Deep down inside I feel the scream
This terrible silence stops me
Now that the war is through with me
I'm waking up, I cannot see
That there's not much left of me
Nothing is real but pain now
Hold my breath as I wish for death
Oh please, God, wake me
Back in the womb it's much too real
In pumps life that I must feel
But can't look forward to reveal
Look to the time when I'll live
Fed through the tube that sticks in me
Just like a wartime novelty
Tied to machines that make me be
Cut this life off from me
Hold my breath as I wish for death
Oh please, God, wake me
Now the world is gone, I'm just one
Oh God, help me
Hold my breath as I wish for death
Oh please, God, help me
Darkness
Imprisoning me
All that I see
Absolute horror
I cannot live
I cannot die
Trapped in myself
Body my holding cell
Landmine
Has taken my sight
Taken my speech
Taken my hearing
Taken my arms
Taken my legs
Taken my soul
Left me with life in hell
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