Metallica: The Shortest Straw Meaning

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The Shortest Straw Lyrics

Suspicion Is Your Name
Your Honesty to Blame
Put Dignity to Shame
Dishonor
Witchhunt Modern Day
Determining Decay
The Blatant Disarray
Disfigure
The Public Eyes' Disgrace
Defying Common Place
Unending Paper...

1.  

   anonymous

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   Dec 12th 2012, 11:05 report

   
   

   The song, in my mind, is either based on the 1600s witch trials where people were constantly accused and often found convicted and hanged or austrosized (that spelled right) from their communities, or the communist red scare where people caught doing un- "American" practices would be considered an act of communism (which is the most likely meaning).

   
   
   
   

2.  

   anonymous

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   Apr 11th 2012, 18:25 report

   
   

   ok "Coalertak77", Cliff did not get the "shortest straw" He got the Ace of Spades And got Kirks bunk on the bus!>:(

   
   
   
   

3.  

   anonymous

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   Apr 1st 2012, 11:23 report

   
   

   I can't help but think that this song relates to Satanic Ritual Abuse conspiracy of the 1980's and 1990's. For those who don't know what I'm talking about, it was a form of moral panic. In short it was a modern day "witch hunt" centered around children being abused, allegedly during satanic cult rituals. The problem is that there was little if any physical evidence to back up these claims and people were falsely accused and convicted (look up the West Memphis 3). Just seemed to fit in perfectly as this song was written right in the middle of when this was going on. The choice of words in the song (Witch hunt modern day, A mass hysteria, etc...) also help me lean towards this conclusion.

   
   
   
   

4.  

   anonymous

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   Jun 28th 2011, 03:48 report

   
   

   This song in my mind is depicting the modern 'witch hunts' conducted by McCarthy during the Cold War. Many people in the film industry etc were 'blacklisted', or banned from employment in the US. Also the Rosenbergs were executed for selling classified documents about nuclear weapons to our enemies. The song is about classic anti-Communist feelings.

   
   
   
   

5.  

   anonymous

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   Apr 24th 2011, 23:34 report

   
   

   I feel it's about being someone who is picked out for being tourmented, persecuted, and or to die. It's a reference to modern day human sacrifice, A child (usually) of the family is chosen by lottery to be set-up for failure through-out their life for a macob sort of entertainment. The shortest straw was drawn for you, "get it!" it's a warning to the ones out there whos families and cultures participate in this sick practice. Not everyone is aware of this very real happening and if your not listen closely you'll find warnings and explainations in many lyrics, texts, stories, just about everywhere. IF THIS IS NEW TO YOU THEN YOU MIGHT BE THE ONE! "someone pulled that shortstaw for you! I am one of these ones! not very many of us make it far enough in life to catch on to it" political explainations and cliff burtons death are to good explainations but to obvious and benign. These a Metal Bands and Metal lyrics, it's a very real and common theme. I still dont fully understand to process, rules, reason, ect. just give my interpretaion a thought and you'll start seeing it everywhere. Thanx for letting me post this:/

   
   
   
   

6.  

   anonymous

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   Mar 15th 2011, 21:30 report

   
   

   Its not about cliff, he died when he and kirk played the aces game

   
   
   
   

7.  

   anonymous

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   Dec 16th 2010, 20:56 report

   
   

   I think it could be about Cliff, but it also has strong political references in my opinion.

   
   
   
   

8.  

   Coalertak77

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   Jun 26th 2010, 11:19 report

   
   

   It's just about their bassist that died, they were on their way to the next tour site, they pulled straws to see who could sleep in the one bed they had on the bus, Cliff Burton pulled the shortest straw. Their tour bus flipped over and cliff died... That's basically it..