Mandatory Suicide

Album: South Of Heaven (1988)
Play Video
  • Murder at your every foot step
    A child's toy sudden death
    Sniper blazes you through your knees
    Falling down, can you feel the heat burn?

    Ambushed by the spray of lead
    Count the bullet holes in your head
    Screaming skull sent out to die
    Living mandatory suicide

    Suicide, suicide, suicide, suicide

    Holes burn deep in your chest
    Raked by machine gun fire
    Screaming skull sent out to die
    Living mandatory suicide

    Suicide, suicide, suicide, suicide

    Lying, dying, screaming in pain
    Begging, pleading, bullets drop like rain
    Minds explode, pain sheers to your brain
    Radical amputation, this is insane

    Fly swatter stakes, drive through your chest
    Spikes impale you as you're forced off the crest
    Soldier of misfortune
    Hunting with bated breath

    A vile smell, like tasting death
    Dead bodies, dying and wounded
    Litter the city streets
    Shattered glass and bits of clothing and human deceit
    Dying terror
    Bloods cheap, it's everywhere
    Mandatory suicide, massacre on the front line, aah Writer/s: Jeffery John Hanneman, Kerry King, Tomas Enrique Araya
    Publisher: Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Universal Music Publishing Group
    Lyrics licensed and provided by LyricFind

Comments: 11

  • Stoney The Reaper Cardin from South Of Heaven In The UsaDon't compare Slayer to metallicA, they sold out long ago , they went pop after And justice for all.......Slayer is Speed metal at its finest Metallica are no better than a trumped up version of Beyonce or Taylor Swift smdh
  • Stoney The Reaper Cardin from South Of Heaven In The UsaI'm not sure but my take on this masterpiece best song ever written is the possibilty WW2 south Pacific cause the Japanese were brutal ass hell. Whether WW 1, 2 or prophetic about number 3 it will be the only song I ever listen to for the rest of my life, thanks for waking me from my sleep .....you charlatan preacher begging me to tide 1000 bucks guess your god cant help me unless I pay him too........here I lie lost in agony begging your God to save me but I can't afford, so the evil one turns out is free. Too lay waste to everyone I can or just blow my brains on a wall it's tough to do but hearing suicide over and over again turns a coward into a man.......Thanks a bunch thanks to the whores who destroyed me
  • Eric from Long Beach, CaI think Buster called it correct, the song is more about Viet Nam than WWII. The 'child's toy sudden death bit' is even a reference to a part in the Viet Nam war movie Full Metal Jacket.
  • 1994 Mazda Miata from Topeka Honestly, this song describes WW1 in my opinion, due to it being called “mandatory suicide” since going over the top usually meant certain death to the soldiers
  • Conejo from EverywhereI was 14 when I started listening to Slayer now I'm 50 and I'm still jamming mandatory suicide it's sounds just as good as it did 36 years ago Slayer rules.
  • Luke from Manchester, United KingdomSlayer sound nothing like Metallica apart from they play metal...
  • Josh from Bowie, MdAlot of their songs sound like Metallica.
  • Matt from Cleveland, Tnyea me to devon
  • Buster from Houston, TxThis song is about the Vietnam War not WWII. References to "a child's toy sudden death!" means the enemy making bombs out of childrens' toys that soldiers may pick up with dire consequences. There is also a mention of "flyswater stakes impaling you." Again this was a popular booby trap from the enemy that is unique to the vietnam war.
  • Devon from Westerville, OhSlayer rocks. part of it reminds me of For whom the bell tolls from Metallica.
  • Slayer Rules from Somewhere In AlbertaThis song kicks ass
see more comments

Editor's Picks

Colbie Caillat

Colbie CaillatSongwriter Interviews

Since emerging from MySpace with her hit "Bubbly," Colbie has become a top songwriter, even crafting a hit with Taylor Swift.

Timothy B. Schmit of the Eagles

Timothy B. Schmit of the EaglesSongwriter Interviews

Did this Eagle come up with the term "Parrothead"? And what is it like playing "Hotel California" for the gazillionth time?

Emilio Castillo from Tower of Power

Emilio Castillo from Tower of PowerSongwriter Interviews

Emilio talks about what it's like to write and perform with the Tower of Power horns, and why every struggling band should have a friend like Huey Lewis.

Trucking Songs That Were #1 Hits

Trucking Songs That Were #1 HitsSong Writing

The stories behind the biggest hit songs about trucking.

"Private Eyes" - The Story Behind the Song

"Private Eyes" - The Story Behind the SongSong Writing

How a goofy detective movie, a disenchanted director and an unlikely songwriter led to one of the biggest hits in pop history.

Name the Character in the Song

Name the Character in the SongMusic Quiz

With a few clues (Works at a diner, dreams of running away), can you name the character in the song?