Metallica: 10 Awesome Lyric Meanings You Totally Missed
7. Murder One
By the time many fans got to the end of Hardwired to Self Destruct, most of the album was a pretty respectable undertaking from one of the titans of thrash metal. Though the lyrics were typical forays into darker subject matters, the second-to-last cut "Murder One" hit so much closer to home.
Being lifelong metal fans, each of the band members were absolutely gutted by the death of Motorhead frontman Lemmy Kilmister in 2015. As the band were finishing up tracks for their new record, the band decided to structure one of their new songs around their fallen hero. Any astute Motorhead fan will pick up on multiple references to the band's classics in the lyrics from "Ace of Spades" to "Born to Lose" to "Iron Horse."
Aside from the title being badass as hell, the actual meaning behind the phrase "Murder One" refers to the specific brand of amplifiers that Motorhead were known to get their deafening sound from. Lemmy lived the true rebellious lifestyle, and this tribute is the proper send-off for someone who shaped the world of heavy music. We can't know for sure, but for all the love and care put into it, Lemmy probably would have been proud.