Metallica: Leper Messiah Meaning

Leper Messiah Lyrics

Spineless from the start, sucked into the part
circus comes to town, you play the lead clown
Please, please
spreading his disease, living by his story
Knees, knees
falling to your knees, suffer for his glory
You will You will You will You...

1. 1TOP RATED

   #1 top rated interpretation:
   anonymous

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   Jul 20th 2006 !⃝

   It's about different religions (although the song implies christianity) that ask for money and the money that you give only helps the leaders of the church. They get you to givve money by making you believe that you will be rewarded in heaven.

2. 2TOP RATED

   #2 top rated interpretation:
   Kwizzel90210

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   Feb 8th 2009 !⃝

   The song is loosely based upon a real occurrence in the 80's. It's about the willingness to give money to a religion that you believe in, believing that this will give you some sort of extra salvation. Leper Messiah is referring to the people who ask for money for their church and imply that by giving money, you look better in the eyes of the lord. Spreading their "disease" to the public, if that makes any sense.

3. 3TOP RATED

   #3 top rated interpretation:
   anonymous

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   Dec 13th 2006 !⃝

   this song is about something that happened in the eighties. a few guys were t.v. evangalists (did I spell that right?) and they asked for money to help with their church but they took it for themselves. metallica puts that into a new perspective by making the song about all people that will give money blindly for their religion beleiving that this will make them look good in God's eyes. charity is encouraged for Christians so the song is about how christians will give money to "the cause," and the cause that metallica is talking about is the t.v. evangalists but put into context of all churches. Slayer has a song about the same thing. It came out a year or two later.
4. anonymous

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   Jan 13th 2022 !⃝

   Some people already know but James' mom was a christian scientist, he emphasizes throughout this song that his mom was sucked in the part because the selling point was a better seat in heaven, Bow down to Leper Messiah is a reference to the old days when the Salesman would go round selling stuff, but the salesman is selling "a better seat" to the idiot, or spineless clown who gives into this "Leper Messiah"
5. anonymous

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   Apr 29th 2019 !⃝

   It's about the corruption of the Catholic Church in the reformation days. You could "buy plots of land" in heaven and your sins would be forgiven in a sense. Along with the meaning if the album, this is yet another corrupt thing that still goes in today.
6. anonymous

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   Mar 5th 2019 !⃝

   True Christianity is fully surrendering your life, your soul, to the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It is not “religion,” which is a human creation. Salvation is spiritual. Jesus warned of a future where anti Christ’s spirit would deceive nations. Leper Mesiah is a diseased, false Christ. An Anti Christ.
7. anonymous

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   Sep 3rd 2017 !⃝

   I never thought it was about religion. It goes along with "Back to the Front". It's about people that are spineless that become soldiers and lead clowns in someone else's war for money. It's saying that people who are weak and prone to listening to others for fame and glory become pawns in the governments chess game for the persuit of money for the powerful.
8. anonymous

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   Jan 7th 2017 !⃝

   Indulgences.
   
   'Nuff said.
9. anonymous

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   Aug 20th 2012 !⃝

   I'm not sure I understand who the messiah is. It might be being used ironically. I think the messiah is the head of the church. He tells people to donate money so that you'll get a better place in heaven: "the better seat". You can compare the people who donate to lepers because they have sinned. Thats why they're donating money ... i guess. Anyway the people "suffer for his glory" because they pay their money and for nothing. Its a lie.
10. anonymous

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    Nov 19th 2011 !⃝

    The popularity of television and how people are intrugued by it..

    This interpretation has been marked as poor. view anyway
11. anonymous

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    May 7th 2011 !⃝

    This song is about how people get sucked into believing false prophets and messiahs by there own stupidity. The phrase "Send me money, send me green, Heaven you will meet" is referring to how people will give money in hopes that they can be raptured, if you will.
12. anonymous

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    Apr 17th 2011 !⃝

    The song is about the TV evangelists and how they are corrupt.
13. anonymous

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    Feb 24th 2011 !⃝

    One word the reformation
14. anonymous

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    Jan 11th 2011 !⃝

    its about the church demanding money for your sins etc.
    
    and it is mostly about christianity, as christians have always been the worst (no offence, but it is true) fx. the popes during the 1500-1700 where really bad
15. Tyler77

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    Jul 20th 2010 !⃝

    The phrase 'Leper Messiah' is taken from the David Bowie song 'Ziggy Stardust' which is about Jimi Hendrix, although this song is about religions that ask you to pay money for salvation.
16. anonymous

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    Jul 19th 2010 !⃝

    If you look at the film clip on You Tube, this song refers to Adolf Hitler and his "Messiah-like" influence over the German people, hypnotising them with much flattering words and many many lies. I agree that this may be used as an interpretation for all the false Kristian movements out there too, that aren't true "Christian" at all...
17. Leper_Messiah

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    Oct 22nd 2009 !⃝

    The song is about TV evangelists constantly asking for money and promising that it will help them to heaven.
18. anonymous

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    Feb 26th 2008 !⃝

    I believe this song to say that religion is a hoax and reveal it as the cult-like organization that it is in saying that you will be rewarded after death by giving in life.

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