Disposable Heroes

Song Details

Written by

  • James Hetfield
  • Lars Ulrich
  • Kirk Hammett

Total Performances

First Performed Live

September 14, 1985

Most Recent Performance

Lyrics

                        Bodies fill the fields I see, hungry heroes end
No one to play soldier now, no one to pretend
Running blind through killing fields, bred to kill them all
Victim of what said should be
A servant ’til I fall

Soldier boy, made of clay
Now an empty shell
Twenty-one, only son
But he served us well
Bred to kill, not to care
Do just as we say
Finished here
Greetings, Death
He’s yours to take away

Back to the front
You will do what I say, when I say
Back to the front
You will die when I say, you must die
Back to the front
You coward
You servant
You blind man

Barking of machinegun fire does nothing to me now
Sounding of the clock that ticks, get used to it somehow
More a man, more stripes you bare, glory-seeker trends
Bodies fill the fields I see
The slaughter never ends

Soldier boy, made of clay
Now an empty shell
Twenty-one, only son
But he served us well
Bred to kill, not to care
Do just as we say
Finished here
Greetings, Death
He’s yours to take away

Back to the front
You will do what I say, when I say
Back to the front
You will die when I say, you must die
Back to the front
You coward
You servant
You blind man

Why, am I dying?
Kill, have no fear
Lie, live off lying
Hell, hell is here

I was born for dying

Life planned out before my birth, nothing could I say
Had no chance to see myself, molded day by day
Looking back I realize, nothing have I done
Left to die with only friend
Alone I clench my gun

Soldier boy, made of clay
Now an empty shell
Twenty-one, only son
But he served us well
Bred to kill, not to care
Do just as we say
Finished here
Greetings, Death
He’s yours to take away

Back to the front
You will do what I say, when I say
Back to the front
You will die when I say, you must die
Back to the front
You coward
You servant
You blind man

Back to the front

© 1986 Creeping Death Music (Global Music Rights)

Live Performances

November 14, 2020

San Rafael, CA, United States

The All Within My Hands Helping Hands Concert & Auction @ HQ

July 16, 2019

Hämeenlinna, Finland

Kantolan Tapahtumapuisto

June 18, 2019

Manchester, England

Etihad Stadium

June 16, 2019

Brussels, Belgium

Koning Boudewijnstadion

May 10, 2019

Zurich, Switzerland

Letzigrund Stadion

May 3, 2019

Madrid, Spain

IFEMA

May 1, 2019

Lisbon, Portugal

Estádio do Restelo

November 3, 2018

San Francisco, CA, United States

The All Within My Hands Helping Hands Concert & Auction @ The Masonic

September 14, 2015

Quebec City, QC, Canada

Colisée Pepsi

August 25, 2015

Saint Petersburg, Russia

SKK Arena

August 22, 2015

Gothenburg, Sweden

Ullevi Stadium

August 20, 2015

Bergen, Norway

Koengen