10 Songs That End On Cliffhangers
9. One - Metallica
Throughout all of Metallica's catalog, "One" has got to be one of the heaviest tunes they have ever put to tape. While the song starts off as a soft ballad, the subject matter of a man being trapped inside his thoughts is painfully realistic as well as bone-chilling.
The song's inspiration comes from the film Johnny Got His Gun, with a protagonist who is being treated for his war wounds. After being the victim of a landmine explosion, the man is left without arms or legs, along with being unable to speak, hear, or see anything around him.
The song shows James Hetfield giving a voice to this soldier, with the first section being dominated by the man's sad lament at his current state. As the song continues, the melancholy feeling quickly turns a corner into outright panic, with the guitars echoing the frantic thoughts of the man.
As opposed to letting the listener off the hook, the song ends with the man stuck in this state. On one side, he could be euthanized by the end of the song, but he could also just be left to tear himself apart mentally until he is left as just another military casualty. By keeping it open, Metallica made this masterstroke even more menacing, letting the listener create their own horrors.