The Day That Never Comes Lyrics

Lyric discussion by tjwojo 

Cover art for The Day That Never Comes lyrics by Metallica

I like all of the interpretations I've seen. I've been listening to this song a lot likely and for me, it takes a more general perspective on everything I've seen. When I coupled the lyrics with the instruments, it came together for me.

Born to push you around You better just stay down You pull away He hits the flesh You hit the ground Mouths so full of lies Tend to black your eyes Just keep them closed Keep praying Just keep waiting

The idea of "just stay[ing] down" when in the eyes of some kind of adversity (someone "born to push you around") is of course suppose to be the opposing voice of the songs message. The person goes to hit the ground i.e. having some sort of struggle such as being bullied or maybe failing at what someone aspires to be great at. The "mouth so full of lies" could be akin to naysayers surrounding this individuals or even to those trying to console the person saying "things will get better" which tends to black your eyes because it doesn't get any better or because the negative things said only hurt you. Classically, this individual is weak and meager and just hopes whatever they are going through will end.

Waiting for the one The day that never comes When you stand up and feel the warmth but the sunshine never comes No the sunshine never comes

This individual sits around waiting for the day he will be free of whatever problems he has- the day that never comes, the sunshine that he won't feel because the sun won't come.

Push you cross that line Just stay down this time Hide in yourself Crawl in yourself You'll have your time God I'll make them pay Take it back one day I'll end this day I'll splatter color on this gray

This individual has been pushed by whatever problem he has so much that he crawls inside of himself and hides, hoping that one day he can make whoever caused the pain pay for what they did. But again, this is all "wishful thinking". He speaks in the future but it has never happened. We see that "the day that never comes"- the day of redemption- doesn't come because these individuals are sitting back and taking it and not standing up. In a way its about making that day come, not waiting for it.

The music goes from sad, depressed and painful to full of angst, passion and energy as the lyrics come to with

Love is a four letter word And never spoken here Love is a four letter word Here in this prison I suffer this no longer I put it into This I swear! This I swear! The sun will shine This I swear!

There is no love because the problem has been overthrown by "the prison" (the problem entrapping the individual). He must deal with his problem head on, fully facing it and create his own sunshine because it won't simply come to him. And this individual swears he will break free from his problem and feel that sunshine.

After this, the music becomes immensely powerful and full of passion, the same passion we see during the chorus, but that passion ends and becomes a sad melody again because the individual simply gave up and waited. Now, the power is in full force because the individual had sworn to make change and to take all of the empty promises they had made in the second verse and make them happy.

I believe this song is about standing up and fighting, not sitting back and waiting for the good times to come. You have to make your good times and fight hard and energetically for them- The sun will shine, this I swear.

This song is so powerfully emotional and raw. The lyrics fit the music and the song is a masterpiece and my favorite of the whole album.

My Interpretation

@tjwojo ....So you\'re stupid?

@tjwojo The browser replied to the wring comment and there\'s no delete button.