The Baytown Bulletin Board

My last song was pretty tame, so I thought I'd crank it up a notch tonight.

In 1990, Metallica won a "Best Metal Performace" for a song titled "One". Based on Dalton Trumbo's 1939 novel "Johnny Got His Gun", the song tells the story of a World War I soldier that loses his arms, legs, sight, and hearing during a grenade blast, cutting him off from the outside world since he cannot hear, see, or communicate with anyone. He is a prisoner in his own mind until he figures out how to communicate through Morse Code by tapping his head against his pillow.

"One" was Metallica's first music video and features scenes from the movie adaptation of "Johnny Got His Gun."



Lyrics

I can't remember anything
Can't tell if this is true or dream
Deep down inside I feel to 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

Landmines has taken my sight
Taken my speech
Taken my hearing
Taken my heart
Taken my soul
Taken my life
Left me with life in hell

Never was much of a fan of Metallica, although I will give the lead guitarist credit for his capabilities. However, the story line does strike a deep nerve. I remember seeing this when I was kid, not sure... but perhaps the Twilight Zone or something similar. It certainly is one of those things that make you wonder about some of our societal concepts on the right to die and whether or not it may have some credibility for the sake of inhumane suffering.

Exelente'...great choice....Hard guiters and harmony...love it....