Metallica: Battery Meaning

Song Released: 1986

Battery Lyrics

Lashing out the action, returning the reaction
Weak are ripped and torn away
Hypnotizing power, crushing all that cower
Battery is here to stay

Smashing through the boundaries
Lunacy has found me
Cannot stop the battery
Pounding out...

1. 1TOP RATED

   #1 top rated interpretation:
   anonymous

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   Jan 27th 2020 !⃝

   The theme of the song revolves around the San Francisco thrash scene of the 1980s. The most prominent club played by Metallica was the Old Waldorf located at 444 Battery Street in downtown San Francsico. The tone of the song is one of familial ties and the positive release of energy through the common interest of metal. The lyric "Cannot kill the family, Battery is found in me" is a statement that while society at large doesn't understand the scene, those within it (i.e. "the family") will fiercely defend it as a show of solidarity against the glam scene that was popular in the Los Angeles area.

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   #2 top rated interpretation:
   anonymous

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   Jun 4th 2007 !⃝

   I just think it's simply about a powerful, nearly unstoppable force of any kind. Such as a military battery, which is a unit of artillery, or perhaps battery as in assault and battery. Maybe even a vengeful force of someone who has been wronged by "deceivers" or "non-believers" ("Crushing all deceivers, mashing non-believers"). One could interpret it as any sort of dramatic, devastating force, be it artillery, physical violence, vengeance, or anything in that nature.

3. 3TOP RATED

   #3 top rated interpretation:
   anonymous

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   Apr 8th 2018 !⃝

   Wow! I actually spoke to Kirk Hammet before a show I went to. Really cool dude and a very small guy. He just walked up to the back entrance and no one else noticed him. We talked for 10 minutes. Battery was playing inside the arena and I asked about it. He stated that it was the mentality of a guy going into a hardcore mosh pit. He likes everyone there hence the family and the phony’s that get away from the pit are the weak that are torn away. I’m not getting this across the same way he did but later during the show I got into a pit and left with a black eye and bruised ribs. Even stoned and drunk I realized what he meant about the song. Losing your control and diving into the fury of the pits
4. anonymous

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   Jul 31st 2022 !⃝

   honestly I think its about OCD. The understanding that OCD comes from deep and savage inner rage. Also the fine line to where OCD can turn into more serious mental issues like psychopathy if it isn't helped properly
5. anonymous

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   May 23rd 2020 !⃝

   Chris Watts listened to this song it gave him energy from a dark force in which he killed his wife Shanan & unborn son Nicco & daughters CeCe aka Celest & Bella .
   If it wasn't for most trying to figure out why this song we for the most would of never listened to it let alone knew of it! Maybe, the person who wrote this song could give his thoughts when writing as well as its meaning after all it does staye - Cannot kill the family yet, Chris Watts did kill them all... Blessings to those souls and to Shanans family her mother & father and loving brothers Chris Watts I await daily for that news that we interrupt this session to tell you a report cane in Chris Watts has died at such & such prison til then we wait .
   

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6. anonymous

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   May 8th 2020 !⃝

   The ww2 maisie battery and hitler being yet another master of puppets German heavy artillery 95 pound shells firing down on soldiers that stormed the beaches of Normandy from a very long distance and the family being the ss and nazi Germany the third reich nazi skinheads still keep the family going they are here to stay.
7. anonymous

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   Dec 5th 2019 !⃝

   Yea it probably is about a moshpit ... but if we look deeper it is also about the inner energy, and the fight that is a mans life.
   
8. anonymous

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   Mar 29th 2019 !⃝

   Phones? Bikes ?no clue get out my head lol love Metallica. Thank you to my brother. He had awesome music I would "borrow" and listen to and rock out and return when I was a young angry girl ! Lol
9. anonymous

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   Nov 21st 2018 !⃝

   Battery: A frontal military assault designed to weaken or destroy the enemy by means of constant heavy attack. Usually carried out by blunt force, heavily armored artillery ground attack.
   A most unpleasant and grim prospect as Metallica so adeptly conveys in this musical piece.
10. anonymous

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    Oct 6th 2018 !⃝

    Well I know battery is a crime, another name for assault and I always thought it was the type of person that is violent and high strung.
    
    I read the post at the and take the posters word for it, guess I was a little off but o'well it's obviously a great song about violance which is the easiest way to put it in a sense...
11. anonymous

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    Oct 28th 2016 !⃝

    Sounds like anyone amped about something. Boston tea party to......dare I say....ISIS

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
12. anonymous

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    Sep 4th 2014 !⃝

    Its only about his fame. Battery = Metalica.

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13. anonymous

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    Oct 29th 2013 !⃝

    Metallica is talking about domestic violence...........And some other stuff asa well--it doesn't have just one meaning but if you listen "cannot kill the family" you will understand. But like I said it means domestic violence and everything above.

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
14. anonymous

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    Aug 4th 2013 !⃝

    I think the song is a play on the different meanings of the word 'battery' and how they're linked to Metallica's music.

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
15. anonymous

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    Jan 20th 2013 !⃝

    No need for all that thinking guys. Just replace the word "battery" with "religion" and you will start to understande the meaning.

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
16. anonymous

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    Apr 18th 2011 !⃝

    The song is about the power and energy at the live shows and how the fans would electrify the place with their energy.
17. Lowden6

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    Aug 21st 2010 !⃝

    The First Place Metallica Played was in a place called Batery. The song might be a tribute to tht first concert the played, even though they were only paid Four Bucks each.
    Unlikley.
18. anonymous

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    Jul 6th 2010 !⃝

    Anonymous #2 is close with "Battery can mean an act of violence. I think that this song is about fighting in general. "Lashing out the action, returning the reaction" Person A punches Person B, B punches back. Ta-Da! We have a brawl breaking out."
    
    To take it one step further, I've always seen this song as being about child abuse and how the child learns this behavior. that is why "battery is found in me" "battery is here to stay".
    
    "Cannot kill the family" tells me that he won't (or can't) hurt the people responsible for his abuse as he sees it as acceptable behavior.
    
    "Cannot kill the battery" tells of the abuse living on in the child, presumably to dish it out to his children. A bleak song, really; except for the awesome riffs and fitting lyrics, shown by the anger expressed as would befit one who physically abused children and the child himself unable to deal with it.
    
    Just my $.02.

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