Don't Tread On Me

Liberty or death, what we so proudly hail. “Give me liberty or give me death.” - Patrick Henry Once you provoke her, rattling of her tail “The use of the eastern diamondback rattlesnake as a symbol of the American colonies can be traced back to the publications of Benjamin Franklin. In 1751, he made the first reference to the rattlesnake in a satirical commentary published in his Pennsylvania Gazette. It had been the policy of Britain to send convicted criminals to America, and Franklin suggested that they thank the British by sending rattlesnakes to England.” Never begins it, never, but once engaged... Never surrenders, showing the fangs of rage -Benjamin Franklin's "Join or Die" propaganda (“to encourage American colonists to unite against British rule.”)

Dont tread on me “The first Marines that enlisted were from Philadelphia and they carried drums painted yellow, depicting a coiled rattlesnake with thirteen rattles, and the motto "Don't Tread On Me." This was the first mention of the Gadsden flag's symbolism.”

“Col. Gadsden presented to the Congress an elegant standard, such as is to be used by the commander in chief of the American navy; being a yellow field, with a lively representation of a rattle-snake in the middle, in the attitude of going to strike, and these words underneath, "Don't Tread on Me!"” (The cover of the album features the snake used)

So be it Threaten no more To secure peace is to prepare for war So be it Settle the score Touch me again for the words that you'll hear evermore...

Dont tread on me

Love it or live it, she with the deadly bite “...even when those weapons are shewn and extended for her defence, they appear weak and contemptible; but their wounds however small, are decisive and fatal...” - Benjamin Franklin Quick is the blue tongue, forked as lighting strike Shining with brightness, always on surveillance The eyes, they never close, emblem of vigilance “I recollected that her eye excelled in brightness, that of any other animal, and that she has no eye-lids–She may therefore be esteemed an emblem of vigilance.” - Benjamin Franklin

Dont tread on me

So be it Threaten no more To secure peace is to prepare for war “To be prepared for war is one of the most effective means of preserving peace.” - George Washington

So be it Settle the score Touch me again for the words that you'll hear evermore...

Dont tread on me

So be it Threaten no more To secure peace is to prepare for war

Liberty or death, what we so proudly hail Once you provoke her, rattling on her tail

So be it Threaten no more To secure peace is to prepare for war So be it Settle the score Touch me again for the words that you'll hear evermore...

Dont tread on me

Metallica is showing its patriotic signs witht his song referring to the Revolutionary War's Minutemen who beared a white flag with a snake the ha dthe words "Don't Tread On Me" on it. When I hear this song I think about a one man army preparing to go into battle with a victory being seemingly impossible but the man beats the odds, and comes out on top

Back a long ass time ago when our Country was still being made into a working country and we were being botherd by the Brits. Ben Franklin thought that our country anamil should be the rattlesnake, like that on the flag that the songs based on, the gadsen flag. he said this for a number of reasons, The rattlesnake is only found in north america, a rattlesnake that he found once had 13 rattlers on his tail, when he shook one it made no sound, when he shook them all it was a sound that could make anyone stray away. the rattlesnake will not attack you unless it is threatend and has a good cause for it. but once it does fight you it will never surrender and show you who is boss, we wont start it but we will sure put up one hell of a fight and finish it. Most people with rattlesnakes eaither hate them or love them. I like them around becuase they kill all the mice. We fast and deadly in our attacks like the song says with all the tounge stuff. we shine great ness because we are a great people. A rattlesnakes eyes will never close because they cant see and they dont use them anymore(ben didnt know this at the time)but this shows that we never stop waching others so that we can be prepared for a war if it comes, an emblem of viglence. theres a few other reasons that he and others thought that it should be on the flag wich was comosed of a coild up rattlesnake that some what resembled the thirteen colonys and at the time(the head being new englanda and the tail Flordia or something like that) That made the rattlesnake a good national anmail being that were fine with you but if you walk or tread on us we will kick your ass. alot of the stuff in the song is quoted and quote modified from founding fathers like ben franklin, gorge washington and patrick henery. personaly i love the song in that i am very patriotic and willing to die in combat if my country needs it. and it is a very kickass song

American Nationalism is unique in the way that there is a reason behind it. American nationalism, referring to America "back in the days", when you had founding fathers, rebellion against the british, not America anno 2007 when you're sliding into a welfare state with a scary foreign policy.

As someone just said: A rattlesnake never starts up a fight, but it doesn't tolerate any offences. The "rights" of a rattlesnake may never be violated - or else.

This song can both mock neocon american nationalism(the bombing kind of nationalism) and support old school american nationalism (the 2nd amendment and gigantic beards kind of nationalism) without being contradictory. The lyrics speaks of what American pride is really about, which is both a satirical mock of what many american "patriots" (or should I say p.a.t.r.i.o.t.) of today think of themselves, AS WELL as a proud song about standing up for liberty.

What I do like about it is how the rattle-snake is a perfect allegory of the perfect individual: I won't hurt you unless you hurt me; DONT TREAD ON ME.

While on a similar subject matter, it's not really about nationalism, or the revolution directly. It's more focused on the symbol of the snake than anything else.

Ben Franklin wrote an essay describing how the snake was perfect as the symbol of the American colonies; much of the song is in almost direct reference to that essay.

"Shining with brightness, always on surveillance. (The eyes, they never close) Emblem of Vigilance."

"eye excelled in brightness, that of any other animal, and that she has no eye-lids—She may therefore be esteemed an emblem of vigilance."

"Never Begins it, never, but once engaged. Never surremders, showing the fangs of rage"

"She never begins an attack, nor, when once engaged, ever surrenders"

"Love it or leave it, She with the deadly bite. Quick is the blue tongue, forked as the lightning strike"

"She strongly resembles America in this, that she is beautiful in youth and her beauty increaseth with her age, “her tongue also is blue and forked as the lightning, and her abode is among impenetrable rocks.”"

http://www.americanheritage.com/articles/magazine/ah/1988/2/1988_2_74.shtml

It may be, as some have suggested, questioning the symbol the rattlesnake provides, but to me it seems more like they're describing the snake - paraphrasing Ben's essay.

That's my opinion, of course.

Wow, nice find there Seewa, I didn't know that. Thx Zinger!

this song is about the gadsen flag and an essay benjamin franklin published in the "Pennsylvania Journal under the pseudonym American Guesser in which he suggested that the rattlesnake was a good symbol for the American spirit:

'I recollected that her eye excelled in brightness, that of any other animal, and that she has no eye-lids–She may therefore be esteemed an emblem of vigilance.–She never begins an attack, nor, when once engaged, ever surrenders: She is therefore an emblem of magnanimity and true courage.–As if anxious to prevent all pretensions of quarreling with her, the weapons with which nature has furnished her, she conceals in the roof of her mouth, so that, to those who are unacquainted with her, she appears to be a most defenseless animal; and even when those weapons are shewn and extended for her defense, they appear weak and contemptible; but their wounds however small, are decisive and fatal:–Conscious of this, she never wounds till she has generously given notice, even to her enemy, and cautioned him against the danger of treading on her.–Was I wrong, Sir, in thinking this a strong picture of the temper and conduct of America?' "

wikipedia

for more check out Seewa's and Adeori's comments i will not add anymore then the quoted essay because the got it right first, why take away from them?

Well this song totally contradicts to the whole basic idea of the "...And Justic For All" album, but it's not a bad song. It's about how the Minute Men battled for freedom. They were represented by a flag similar to the design on the cover of the Black Album. It was actually the first American flag. I found myself listening to this song a lot in the first few months after the incident on 9/11.

this song does not contradict ...and justice for all in any way. That cd is about curroption of politicians and the judicial system. The is a song honoring the soliders who died for the country. In one he criticizes the bad and in the other he remembers the good

this song does not contradict ...and justice for all in any way. That cd is about curroption of politicians and the judicial system. The is a song honoring the soliders who died for the country. In one he criticizes the bad and in the other he remembers the good