...And Justice For All

I was only 3 years old when this album was released. I was only 15 when I discovered it, much too young to fully appreciate it. Now it is 7 years later, where I finally get what the album is saying. This album and these words are more relevant, powerful and truthful than they were 20 years ago!!! My question is, if not even Metallica can make people believe that our system is corrupt, our freedoms are removed, our entire society is controlled, is there any hope for the majority of the people in this country, or our country in general?

I do not see Metallica as some kind of answer or savior for the record. These guys are now pop-culture icons. One of the greatest bands ever...They are about as popular as you can get while still keeping an edge. When this album came out, it was just before the peak of their career, although they were already pretty popular when this album came out. If not even Metallica can get people to recognize the hypocrisy of our justice system, our laws, our beliefs, who can?

What else is left, who else has a voice far-reaching that can tell people to rise up and fight back in large numbers? It is exactly what we need now more than ever...

And Justice For All

Halls of Justice Painted Green
Money Talking
Power Wolves Beset Your Door
Hear Them Stalking
Soon You'll Please Their Appetite
They Devour
Hammer of Justice Crushes You
Overpower

The Ultimate in Vanity
Exploiting Their Supremacy
I Can't Believe the Things You Say
I Can't Believe
I Can't Believe the Price You Pay
Nothing Can Save You

Justice Is Lost
Justice Is Raped
Justice Is Gone
Pulling Your Strings
Justice Is Done
Seeking No Truth
Winning Is All
Find it So Grim
So True
So Real

Apathy Their Stepping Stone
So Unfeeling
Hidden Deep Animosity
So Deceiving
Through Your Eyes Their Light Burns
Hoping to Find
Inquisition Sinking You
With Prying Minds

The Ultimate in Vanity
Exploiting Their Supremacy
I Can't Believe the Things You Say
I Can't Believe
I Can't Believe the Price You Pay
Nothing Can Save You

Justice Is Lost
Justice Is Raped
Justice Is Gone
Pulling Your Strings
Justice Is Done
Seeking No Truth
Winning Is All
Find it So Grim
So True
So Real

Lady Justice Has Been Raped
Truth Assassin
Rolls of Red Tape Seal Your Lips
Now You're Done in
Their Money Tips Her Scales Again
Make Your Deal
Just What Is Truth? I Cannot Tell
Cannot Feel

The Ultimate in Vanity
Exploiting Their Supremacy
I Can't Believe the Things You Say
I Can't Believe
I Can't Believe the Price We Pay
Nothing Can Save Us

Justice Is Lost
Justice Is Raped
Justice Is Gone
Pulling Your Strings
Justice Is Done
Seeking No Truth
Winning Is All
Find it So Grim
So True
So Real
Seeking No Truth
Winning Is All
Find it So Grim
So True
So Real

Eye Of The Beholder

Do You See What I See?
Truth Is an Offense
You Silence for Your Confidence
Do You Hear What I Hear?
Doors Are Slamming Shut
Limit Your Imagination, Keep You Where They must
Do You Feel What I Feel?
Bittering Distress
Who Decides What You Express
Do You Take What I Take?
Endurance Is the Word
Moving Back Instead of Forward Seems to Me Absurd

Doesn't Matter What You See
Or into it What You Read
You Can Do it Your Own Way
If It's Done Just How I Say

Independence Limited
Freedom of Choice
Choice Is Made for You My Friend
Freedom of Speech
Speech Is Words That They Will Bend
Freedom with Their Exception

Do You Fear What I Fear?
Living Properly
Truths to You Are Lies to Me
Do You Choose What I Choose?
More Alternatives
Energy Derives from Both the plus and Negative
Do You Need What I Need?
Boundaries Overthrown
Look Inside to Each His Own
Do You Trust What I Trust?
Me, Myself and I
Penetrate the Smoke Screen I See Through the Selfish Lie

Doesn't Matter What You See
Or into it What You Read
You Can Do it Your Own Way
If It's Done Just How I Say

Independence Limited
Freedom of Choice
Choice Is Made for You My Friend
Freedom of Speech
Speech Is Words That They Will Bend
Freedom with Their Exception

Do You Know What I Know?
Your Money And Your Wealth
Your Silence Just to Hear Your Self
Do You Want What I Want?
Desire Not a Thing
I Hunger after Independence Lengthen Freedom's Ring

Doesn't Matter What You See
Or into it What You Read
You Can Do it Your Own Way
If It's Done Just How I Say

Independence Limited
Freedom of Choice
Choice Is Made for You My Friend
Freedom of Speech
Speech Is Words That They Will Bend
Freedom no longer frees you

Doesn't Matter What You See
Or into it What You Read
You Can Do it Your Own Way
If It's Done Just How I Say

Urgh...look it's a selloutica fan attempting once again to rile up ATS folks into what????

I don't really understand what possible idea of political issues this represents? I understand the concept of the song, it does make sense, but I could use another 200 to say the same thing.

How can you say that they have an edge? The new album sucked. The only good albums were the ones leading up the Black and Master of Puppets, the rest is alll SELLLLLLL OUTTTT.

They are POP culture icons, not music icons, the only reason people know them is because of Napster and the fit they pulled 10 years ago.

The lyrics may be powerful, but don't give a band credit if they don't really deserve it.

Now Tool...there's a band you can respect.

~Keeper

[edit on 2/20/2009 by tothetenthpower]

Im ´tallica fan since I was 9... Iv seen them many times alive...also talked to Jaymz...and ye...I have to say that ...And Justice for All can be taken as explanation to modern system problems...

Most of Metallica songs have power inside lyrics but songs from this album are about moder society...
(sorry for bad english)

\m/ Sammael \m/

Every generation feels the world is a giant ball of oppression. Thank you for going back to BEFORE metallica was a "sellout". The Black album was the sellout, by the way.
Tool, lol. Awesome band, far different to old school metallica, by comparison. But not better, depending on prefered genres.
Either way, the words can fit most generations, as history always seems to repeat itself.
Every generation of older people have said.."kids were never this bad, when we grew up..."
And every generation of kids, in an attempt to further themselves faces this attitude and decides it is oppression. Sure the bad has gotten worse, but that just seems to be the nature of the beast, as we continue to evolve.

IN all, its just pennies, and we are here for a very short time, in the grand scheme of things. Don't look too deeply, or you might forget to live.

reply to post by tothetenthpower


I actually like the new album, specially The Unforgiven 3. Metallica most definitely made an impact into the metal scene, but they are not the best or the most outspoken bands when it comes to social injustices. It is funny that you call sell outs, when in reality, they really are and that is the goal of all musicians, to get into the business and sell out. How else would they make money?

This band is a lot like other bands in the same category, such as Sepultura or Slayer. They all started with a specific style that suited the crowd at the time. High pitch arena rock type yells, the whole tight pants, long hair thing going on too. Times change, people change, band styles change, specially if you have been in the business 10+ years.

Metallica rocked and still does. The style now is totally different then from "Kill Em All" but some "fundamentalist metalheads" still don't understand that. I can appreciate both older and newer styles, even Tool, as they are in a whole other style of art and music.

The OP makes a good point, but you have to understand that most people never bother to understand the music they are listening too. I have to be honest, lyrics such as those opened my eyes to a lot of information. \m/

"Poor Lars Ulrich... He couldn't afford his gold plated bar beside his swimming pool.... BECAUSE OF US.. We downloaded too much of his crappy music and now he will have to wait another month until the royalty checks come in from the 90% of the population that are shmucks and pay for this repetitive tripe."

Paraphrase of South Park.

--------------------------

Bottom Line - Screw the industry and steal from it until it's dead!! All that's left standing will be the real artists that weren't in it for the money.


Peace

Metal makes my head hurt , If you looking for songs depicting the ole USA , check out the Boss

reply to post by souls


You see, thats my problem, people should think about the music they're listening to, where it came from and what it means. And no the point is not to sell-out, the point is to make music that transcends time, to create something unique.

Metallica sucks IMO because they've ended up sounding like a bad cover of themselves. There is no evolution, no transformation of their style or lyrics.

Making music wasn't about money, isn't ammount money and never will be, as long as "good" music exists anyway.

I do understand that those lyrics are meaningful and mean something to somebody, but it's all the same rhetoric heard from countless other bands over the years who faded out of context for a lack of artistic imagination and progression.

~Keeper

reply to post by souls


A lot of times, fame and fortune come into play for sure. But the reason people get into music is usually because its something they love.

"As an old fundamentalist metalhead", I went to the store, acquired the black album when it came out, and me and my headbanger buddies IMMEDIATELY went into WTF mode. "They soldout". Which, of course I understand. They contributed to the metal world, unforgettable music and lyrics already. Now it was time to actually make some money.

I write metal music. I keep to the genre I love. There isn't much money for ameteurs, haha. I have no dreams or aspirations to become rich and famous, (as my career is very rewarding) So I give my metal away for free. Its a hobby, and I love to do it.

When I write lyrics to a song, its all metaphors in relation to a decaying society, or alcohol or drug abuse. It doesn't mean much, its just life through metaphors. I don't claim to write stuff as deep as metallica or any other band, but some of my lyrics are very eerie. I don't put much thought into what poeple will get from them, as its the music I want them to like.

I'm sure lyrically, a lot of songs can fit somewhere...in life.

For those that like a little old shool thrash, here's a link to my stuff. Its free, and ameteur. But It's still Metal. :

My Music

Shameless plug (but its not for money or power) haha.