Metallica: The Shortest Straw Meaning

The Shortest Straw Lyrics

Suspicion Is Your Name
Your Honesty to Blame
Put Dignity to Shame
Dishonor
Witchhunt Modern Day
Determining Decay
The Blatant Disarray
Disfigure
The Public Eyes' Disgrace
Defying Common Place
Unending Paper...

1. anonymous

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   Aug 7th 2021 !⃝

   This song is about our oppressive government. Remember Tipper Gore and her railroad against heavy metal? I mean they (metal artists) had to sit before the Senate and congress to defend their rights to free expression.the justice system has failed us. The government has failed us.these lyrics are written by Lars and James. James being a conservative almost libertarian. It sums up the shape of our country in 88' and now more than ever.
2. anonymous

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   Nov 30th 2018 !⃝

   The song is about social injustice. The shortest straw has been drawn for you. Inequality surrounds us. Always has. This song envelops those that were given the shortest straw. They did not choose it. It was drawn for them
   Satyriclly most of us have been given the same straw.
3. anonymous

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   Oct 21st 2018 !⃝

   Aren't these lyrics so damn well written? Classic.You have to be aware of what is and has really been happening in the world at large to relate with the meanings. Many people have lived through this in one form or another, even little nobodies like me. It correlates with the title track and Eye of the Beholder for one thing. There has been a silent, covert changing of the guard over the last half century and up to now as well.As it grew in power and influence, those who opposed it were railroaded out of the picture. Witch hunted. Dogged out. Their loved ones threatened. Blacklisted. Blackmailed. Ostracized. It happens everyday in the system down to mafia style assassinations we don't hear about. The Shortest Straw gets pulled and you're the next to get targeted. The lyrics are so excellently written, you could write a damn book about this song and what the lyrics mean. Silent Weapons for Quiet Wars. Organized Stalking. Zersetzung.
4. anonymous

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   Jul 19th 2018 !⃝

   It's about the corrupt justice system and the caging of human beings, and the eternal torment that comes along with it.
5. anonymous

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   May 2nd 2017 !⃝

   You all are a bunch of RETARTED ! The song is a out illegal mexicans..

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

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   Dec 12th 2012 !⃝

   The song, in my mind, is either based on the 1600s witch trials where people were constantly accused and often found convicted and hanged or austrosized (that spelled right) from their communities, or the communist red scare where people caught doing un- "American" practices would be considered an act of communism (which is the most likely meaning).
7. anonymous

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   Apr 11th 2012 !⃝

   ok "Coalertak77", Cliff did not get the "shortest straw" He got the Ace of Spades And got Kirks bunk on the bus!>:(
8. anonymous

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   Apr 1st 2012 !⃝

   I can't help but think that this song relates to Satanic Ritual Abuse conspiracy of the 1980's and 1990's. For those who don't know what I'm talking about, it was a form of moral panic. In short it was a modern day "witch hunt" centered around children being abused, allegedly during satanic cult rituals. The problem is that there was little if any physical evidence to back up these claims and people were falsely accused and convicted (look up the West Memphis 3). Just seemed to fit in perfectly as this song was written right in the middle of when this was going on. The choice of words in the song (Witch hunt modern day, A mass hysteria, etc...) also help me lean towards this conclusion.
9. anonymous

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   Jun 28th 2011 !⃝

   This song in my mind is depicting the modern 'witch hunts' conducted by McCarthy during the Cold War. Many people in the film industry etc were 'blacklisted', or banned from employment in the US. Also the Rosenbergs were executed for selling classified documents about nuclear weapons to our enemies. The song is about classic anti-Communist feelings.
10. anonymous

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    Apr 24th 2011 !⃝

    I feel it's about being someone who is picked out for being tourmented, persecuted, and or to die. It's a reference to modern day human sacrifice, A child (usually) of the family is chosen by lottery to be set-up for failure through-out their life for a macob sort of entertainment. The shortest straw was drawn for you, "get it!" it's a warning to the ones out there whos families and cultures participate in this sick practice. Not everyone is aware of this very real happening and if your not listen closely you'll find warnings and explainations in many lyrics, texts, stories, just about everywhere. IF THIS IS NEW TO YOU THEN YOU MIGHT BE THE ONE! "someone pulled that shortstaw for you! I am one of these ones! not very many of us make it far enough in life to catch on to it" political explainations and cliff burtons death are to good explainations but to obvious and benign. These a Metal Bands and Metal lyrics, it's a very real and common theme. I still dont fully understand to process, rules, reason, ect. just give my interpretaion a thought and you'll start seeing it everywhere. Thanx for letting me post this:/
11. anonymous

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    Mar 15th 2011 !⃝

    Its not about cliff, he died when he and kirk played the aces game
12. anonymous

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    Dec 16th 2010 !⃝

    I think it could be about Cliff, but it also has strong political references in my opinion.
13. Coalertak77

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    Jun 26th 2010 !⃝

    It's just about their bassist that died, they were on their way to the next tour site, they pulled straws to see who could sleep in the one bed they had on the bus, Cliff Burton pulled the shortest straw. Their tour bus flipped over and cliff died... That's basically it..

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