Released: March 3, 1986

Songwriter: Lars Ulrich Kirk Hammett James Hetfield

Producer: Flemming Rasmussen Metallica

[Verse 1]
Bodies fill the fields I see, hungry heroes end
No one to play soldier now, no one to pretend
Running blind through killing fields, bred to kill them all
Victim of what said should be, a servant 'til I fall

[Pre-Chorus]
Soldier boy, made of clay, now an empty shell
Twenty-one, only son, but he served us well
Bred to kill, not to care, do just as we say
Finished here, greeting death, he's yours to take away

[Chorus]
Back to the front
You will do what I say when I say
Back to the front
You will die when I say you must die
Back to the front
You coward, you servant, you blind man

[Verse 2]
Barking of machine-gun fire does nothing to me now
Sounding of the clock that ticks, get used to it somehow
More a man, more stripes you wear, glory seeker trends
Bodies fill the fields I see, the slaughter never ends

[Pre-Chorus]
Soldier boy, made of clay, now an empty shell
Twenty-one, only son, but he served us well
Bred to kill, not to care, do just as we say
Finished here, greeting death, he's yours to take away

[Chorus]
Back to the front
You will do what I say when I say
Back to the front
You will die when I say you must die
Back to the front
You coward, you servant, you blind man

[Bridge]
Why am I dying?
Kill, have no fear
Lie, live off lying
Hell, hell is here

[Guitar Solo]

[Bridge]
Why am I dying?
Kill, have no fear
Lie, live off lying
Hell, hell is here
I was born for dying

[Verse 3]
Life planned out before my birth, nothing could I say
Had no chance to see myself, molded day by day
Looking back I realize, nothing have I done
Left to die with only friend, alone, I clench my gun

[Pre-Chorus]
Soldier boy, made of clay, now an empty shell
Twenty-one, only son, but he served us well
Bred to kill, not to care, do just as we say
Finished here, greeting death, he's yours to take away

[Chorus]
Back to the front
You will do what I say when I say
Back to the front
You will die when I say you must die
Back to the front
You coward, you servant, you blind man
Back to the front

[Outro]
Back to the front
Back to the front
Back to the front
Back to the front

Metallica

Like Black Sabbath and Iron Maiden before, Metallica has managed to transcend the genre from which it was originated. To their metal fanbase they are considered one of the Big Four bands of thrash metal, alongside Megadeth, Anthrax and Slayer; however Metallica is also one of the most commercially successful bands in all of rock music, having sold 110 million records including the 16x platinum Metallica, which stands as both the highest selling metal album of all time and most successful album of the past 25 years.

Metallica was formed in 1981 in Los Angeles after drummer Lars Ulrich placed an advert in the classifieds newspaper The Recycler, which was answered by singer/rhythm guitarist James Hetfield. They were soon joined by lead guitarist Dave Mustaine, who later formed Megadeth after being kicked out of the band because of his substance and alchohol abuse, and bassist Ron McGovney, a childhood friend of Hetfield. These two early members were replaced with Cliff Burton (who relocated the band to San Francisco) and ex-Exodus lead guitarist, Kirk Hammett to form the band’s classic line-up.

The band released three albums, 1983’s Kill ‘Em All, 1984’s Ride The Lightning and 1986’s Master of Puppets before the tragic and untimely death of Cliff Burton on September 27th, 1986.