What does Master of Puppets mean?

Metallica: Master of Puppets Meaning

Tagged: Drugs [suggest]
Album cover for Master of Puppets album cover

Song Released: 1986


Master of Puppets Lyrics

End of passion play, crumbling away
I'm your source of self-destruction
Veins that pump with fear, sucking darkest clear
Leading on your death's construction

Taste me, you will see
More is all you need
Dedicated to
How I'm killing...

  1. YourFan
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    Jul 19th 2007 !⃝

    Wtf?! What's this about a vien in his penis...u people don't get it!

    This song is about drug addictions, especially heroin and cocaine.
    "chop your breakfeast down a mirror" Duh! cocaine.
    The "master" is the drug, and the addict are it's "puppets"

    however there are other potential meanings to the song, like a government controlling it's people.
    "Master of puppets, pulling your strings"
    "master" being the government and the "puppets" being citizens.
    "I will occupy, I will help you die"
    can be of a government using its citizens as pawns.
    "Master, Master/You promised only lies"
    can be seen as a corrupt government.

    This song is about drugs, and I LOVE Metallica.

  2. x_lily_x
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    Jun 15th 2007 !⃝

    A vein in a penis? Bullsh*t! This song is clearly about drugs, and how they control your life: The drugs are the master, and we are merely the puppets.

  3. anonymous
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    Jun 12th 2007 !⃝

    I'm simply curious, is "Hell is worth all that, natural habitat, just a rhyme without a reason" really just that? a rhyme without a reason?

  4. anonymous
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    May 16th 2007 !⃝

    You all talking about his penis are morons, the song is about drugs, Metallica has stated that. and you call yourself Metallica fans -.-

  5. anonymous
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    Apr 6th 2007 !⃝

    It's about masters that pull their Puppets Strings and the puppets don't like it

  6. anonymous
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    Feb 18th 2007 !⃝

    What do you mean by god being a true failure? Im not getting mad, I really don't understand.

  7. metalevil
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    Feb 15th 2007 !⃝

    this song is all about addiction that a man can suffer... but more specifically, drug addiction.. If you were able to watch some live performances of Metallica, you will see james hetfield doing some "ritual" gestures just like imagining that there is a drug needle hiiting him in his body (specially during the part where he shout "fix me!, right before the fast guitar solo by kirk hammett" . But the word "Master" can be adapted to any addictions such as alcohol, cigarrettes and other materials..

    other people thought that "Master" in the song pertains to God, but for me as a lyricist it can also be true since God is a true failure!!

  8. anonymous
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    Jan 15th 2007 !⃝

    Nah, it's not about drugs I concur with the other guy, it's because he doesn't have a penis vein look on Wikipedia.

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
  9. anonymous
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    Jan 10th 2007 !⃝

    This song is about control in life and how many things are under influence and control of other things.

  10. anonymous
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    Dec 15th 2006 !⃝

    James Hetfield has a child. Testicles, that is all.

    "Chop your breakfast on a mirror"

    Another one of the obvious lines that lead this song towards drug abuse.

    A little twist from Maynard here. If you are a big Tool fan, you know that Maynard always wants you to think deep as possibly as your mind can in life? Well, Master of Puppets...US Government...???...After all, there is a cemetary with hands in the clouds that has strings attached to the graves...the draft...Vietnam...HAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

  11. anonymous
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    Aug 11th 2006 !⃝

    Yeah, it's drugs, man...Not his penis.
    (not creating an account, care to talk about it, mail me on myspace myspace.com/soda69)

  12. Gerry
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    Apr 23rd 2006 !⃝

    This song is about dugs, how they can mess you up and control your life

  13. 2cool4u
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    Dec 29th 2005 !⃝

    I think he is taliking about a demon taking him over. Like he is the puppet, and the "master" is the demon, he laughs at my cries is an ex. and the demon is making him do things he dosent want to. Probably wroung.

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
  14. RamitallicA
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    Dec 15th 2005 !⃝

    Well guys, it's so easy. The master is the drugs dealer, and puppets is the addict... The last laughs of hetfield in the song describe the master laughing the addict... check out my metallica song info site : www.LyricallicA.4t.com enjoy.

    Rami
    Lebanon

  15. anonymous
    click a star to vote
    Dec 14th 2005 !⃝

    Well, I think it is about cute little bunny rabbits!

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