Hit the Lights (song)

Song

Hit the Lights is the first track off of both No Life 'til Leather and Kill 'Em All.

About[]

The first Metallica song ever written, James Hetfield originally wrote the song with his old band Leather Charm, and later, when he formed Metallica with Lars Ulrich, the two worked on the song and arranged it into what eventually became the album version of the song. The song, rather than the darker lyrics of later Metallica songs, has a more positive edge to it. It is about life on the road and living "metal".

Lloyd Grant[]

Lloyd Grant was a Jamaican guitarist that played the second lead on the demo version of "Hit the Lights".

Live[]

"Hit the Lights" has been performed live 200 times.
The song was first played live on March 14, 1982, in Anaheim, CA, United States.
This song was part of their '83 Kill Em' All For One Tour. It was part of their Kill/Ride Medley in '95-'97. It was played on their '02-'03 tour. It has been played on their World Magnetic Tour.
It was last performed on May 26th 2024, in Munich, Germany on their 72 Seasons tour.
It is the only song that has been played by each member who has been to Metallica. Apart from James and Lars, it has been played by guitarists Lloyd Grant, Dave Mustaine, and Kirk Hammett and bassists Ron McGovney, Cliff Burton, Jason Newsted, and Robert Trujillo.

Trivia[]

TBA

Lyrics[]

    No life 'til leather
    We're gonna kick some ass tonight
    We got the metal madness
    When our fans start screaming 
    It's right, well alright
    When we start to rock 
    We never want to stop again
    
         Hit the lights
         Hit the lights
         Hit the lights
    
    We know our fans are insane
    We're gonna blow this place away
    With volume higher
    Than anything today, the only way
    When we start to rock 
    We never want to stop again
    
         Hit the lights
         Hit the lights
         Hit the lights
    
    With all out screaming
    We're gonna rip right through your brain
    We got the lethal power
    It's causing you sweet pain, oh sweet pain
    When we start to rock 
    We never want to stop again
    
         Hit the lights
         Hit the lights
         Hit the lights

References[]

	Kill 'Em All
Songs	Hit the Lights • The Four Horsemen • Motorbreath • Jump in the Fire • (Anesthesia) Pulling Teeth • Whiplash • Phantom Lord • No Remorse • Seek & Destroy • Metal Militia
Bonus Tracks	Am I Evil? • Blitzkrieg
Members	James Hetfield • Lars Ulrich • Kirk Hammett • Cliff Burton

Guitar Hero Metallica

Songs

For Whom the Bell Tolls • The Unforgiven • Nothing Else Matters • Enter Sandman • King Nothing • Sad But True • No Leaf Clover • Orion • Fade to Black • The Memory Remains • Wherever I May Roam • Welcome Home (Sanitarium) • Fuel • Frantic • One • All Nightmare Long • Hit the Lights • Mercyful Fate • Seek & Destroy • Creeping Death • Master of Puppets • Battery • The Shortest Straw • Whiplash • Dyers Eve • Disposable Heroes • Fight Fire with Fire • The Thing That Should Not Be • Broken, Beat & Scarred • Cyanide • My Apocalypse

Featured Band Songs

Turn the Page • Tuesday's Gone • Am I Evil? • Stone Cold Crazy