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  Metallica - ...and Justice for All

  Metallica - ...and Justice for All "...And Justice for All" is the second track on Metallica's 1988 album ...And Justice for All. The lyrics depict a bleak and corrupt legal system in which "Lady Justice" is "raped", the "halls of justice" are "painted green", and "seeking no truth, winning is all." The opening "clean" sound represents a false truth that everything is going fine and that the system is free of any problems then the heavy sounds that appear represent the truth leaking out or building up; that in-fact the system is terribly corrupt and defiled. This continues on at the beginning of the song, until the heavy sound overpowers the "clean" sound, representing the truth of what is going on. Then, around half way through the song the "clean" sound comes back and plays alongside the heavy sound. This is meant to show the corrupt people trying to convince others that the system is actually fine and that everything is okay, but the heavy sound in the background is meant to show that the false truth and cold reality are competing together and that it can't work that way (one must win). Then the heavy sound prevails again and it continues like that for the rest of the song. It is Metallica's fourth longest song, clocking in at 9:44 minutes. Only the instrumental song "To Live Is to Die" at 9:48 , the song "The Outlaw Torn" at 9:52, and "Mercyful Fate" (a cover medley of songs by the band Mercyful Fate) at 11:11 are longer. Easily also one of the group's most complex songs, "...And Justice for All" runs the gamut from clean, melodic guitars to distorted thrash rhythms, and boasts many tempo and mood changes. Ironically, it is the slow, mid-section of the track that actually features predominant bass guitar, a stark contradiction to the rest of the album. Due to its complexity, the song was (at least until Sick of the Studio '07) only performed live by the band during their 1988 Damaged Justice world tour in support of the album. As lead guitarist Kirk Hammett would later say in SoWhat! magazine, "'Justice' was a bit much for me. I couldn't stand watching the front row start to yawn by the eight or ninth minute." During the Madly In Anger With The World and Escape from the Studio '06 tours, Metallica would often tease the fans by playing parts of the song, with James usually saying nobody wants to hear the song. It remained to be seen whether Metallica would ever play the song in its entirety, or play it on a medley, which was the case during the Wherever We May Roam/Nowhere Else To Roam Tours in 1991-1993. Then on June 28, 2007, Metallica played "...And Justice For All" for the first time since October 1989, nearly 18 years ago, in Lisbon, Portugal on the first show of the Sick of the Studio '07 Tour. It was also played on their headlining set at the new Wembley Stadium on July 8, on July 10 on Valle Hovin in Norway, at Stockholms Stadion on July 12 and at the Helsinki Olympic Stadium on July 15. ...AND JUSTICE FOR ALL Halls of justice painted green Money talking Power wolves beset your door Hear them stalking Soon you'll please their appetite They devour Hammer of justice crushes you Overpower The ultimate in vanity Exploiting their supremacy I can't believe the things you say I can't believe, I can't believe the price you pay Nothing can save you Justice is lost Justice is raped Justice is gone Pulling your strings Justice is done Seeking no truth Winning is all Find it so grim, so true, so real Apathy their stepping stone So unfeeling Hidden deep animosity So deceiving Through your eyes their light burns Hoping to find Inquisition sinking you With prying minds The ultimate in vanity Exploiting their supremacy I can't believe the things you say I can't believe, I can't believe the price you pay Nothing can save you Justice is lost Justice is raped Justice is gone Pulling your strings Justice is done Seeking no truth Winning is all Find it so grim, so true, so real Lady Justice has been raped Truth assassin Rolls of red tape seal your lips Now you're done in Their money tips her scales again Make your deal Just what is truth, I cannot tell Cannot feel The ultimate in vanity Exploiting their supremacy I can't believe the things you say I can't believe, I can't believe the price we pay Nothing can save us Justice is lost Justice is raped Justice is gone Pulling your strings Justice is done Seeking no truth Winning is all Find it so grim, so true, so real Seeking no truth Winning is all Find it so grim, so true, so real Words and Music by James Hetfield, Lars Ulrich and Kirk Hammett Copyright © 1988 Creeping Death Music (ASCAP) International Copyright Secured All Rights Reserved