Enter Sandman – English Lyrics

• By: Metallica
• Album: Metallica

Lyrics & Translation

Dive into the world of English through "Enter Sandman" by Metallica! This iconic heavy metal track is a masterclass in conveying raw emotion and storytelling through its powerful lyrics about childhood fears and unsettling dreams. You'll learn vivid vocabulary related to anxiety and dark imagery, while its clear, impactful phrasing makes it excellent for grasping colloquial expressions and understanding how language can create a strong atmosphere. Its universal themes and memorable structure make it a compelling way to connect with the nuances of English rock vocabulary and expression.

[English]

Say your prayers, little one

Don't forget, my son

To include everyone

I tuck you in, warm within

Keep you free from sin

'Til the sandman, he comes

Sleep with one eye open

Gripping your pillow tight

Exit light

Enter night

Take my hand

We're off to never-never land

...

Something's wrong, shut the light

Heavy thoughts tonight

And they aren't of Snow White

Dreams of war, dreams of liars

Dreams of dragon's fire

And of things that will bite, yeah

Sleep with one eye open

Gripping your pillow tight

Exit light

Enter night

Take my hand

We're off to never-never land, yeah

...

Now I lay me down to sleep (now I lay me down to sleep)

Pray the Lord, my soul to keep (pray the Lord, my soul to keep)

If I die before I wake (if I die before I wake)

Pray the Lord, my soul to take (pray the Lord, my soul to take)

Hush, little baby, don't say a word

And never mind that noise you heard

It's just the beasts under your bed

In your closet, in your head

Exit light

Enter night

Grain of sand

Exit light

Enter night

Take my hand

We're off to never-never land, yeah

...

Boo!

Yeah-yeah

...

Yo, whoa

We're off to never-never land

Take my hand

...

We're off to never-never land

Take my hand

We're off to never-never land

...

We're off to never-never land

We're off to never-never land

...

We're off to never-never land

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
prayers /ˈprɛərz/ A2	noun - a set of words that are said to God or a deity as a request or expression of thanks
sins /sɪnz/ B1	noun - acts that are considered wrong or immoral according to religious or moral rules
tuck /tʌk/ B2	verb - to put or fold something in a comfortable or neat position
within /wɪˈðɪn/ A2	preposition - inside the limits or boundaries of something
keep /kiːp/ A1	verb - to have or retain possession of something
sin /sɪn/ A2	noun - an act that is considered morally wrong or against divine law
light /laɪt/ A2	noun - natural brightness and illumination from the Sun or other sources verb - to make something visible or brighter
night /naɪt/ A1	noun - the period of darkness in each twenty-four hours; the time from sunset to sunrise
take /teɪk/ A1	verb - to grasp or hold something with the hands
land /lænd/ A2	noun - the solid surface of the Earth verb - to come down to the ground after flying or falling
land /lænd/ A2	noun - the material of the soil and rock on the Earth's surface

Key Grammar Structures

• Say your prayers, little one

  ➔ Imperative sentence used for giving commands or advice.

  ➔ The **imperative** form is used to give direct commands or instructions.

• Don't forget, my son

  ➔ Negative imperative with contraction, instructing not to omit something.

  ➔ The **negative imperative** **Don't** is a contraction of **Do not**, used to tell someone not to do something.

• Keep you free from sin

  ➔ Simple present tense expressing a habitual or ongoing state.

  ➔ The **simple present** tense is used to express repeated, habitual actions or states.

• Sleep with one eye open

  ➔ Imperative phrase emphasizing alertness, using preposition and noun.

  ➔ The phrase **Sleep with one eye open** is an idiomatic expression using **with** as a preposition, emphasizing vigilance.

• Exit light, Enter night

  ➔ Imperative phrases with a poetic or figurative tone, parallel structure.

  ➔ The **imperative phrases** **Exit light, Enter night** are poetic commands using parallel structure to evoke imagery.

• Take my hand

  ➔ Imperative sentence used to make a request or offer assistance.

  ➔ The **imperative** **Take my hand** is used to make a gentle request or offer support.