One

Apocalyptica's song "One" delves into the harrowing experience of a soldier who has been severely injured in war. The lyrics paint a vivid picture of a person who is grappling with the aftermath of a traumatic event, unable to distinguish between reality and a nightmare. The opening lines, "I can't remember anything / Can't tell if this is true or dream," set the tone for the song, highlighting the confusion and disorientation that often accompany severe trauma.

As the song progresses, the soldier's physical and emotional pain becomes more apparent. The lines "Nothing is real but pain now / Hold my breath as I wish for death" convey a deep sense of despair and hopelessness. The soldier is trapped in a body that no longer functions, described as a "wartime novelty" and "tied to machines that make me be." This imagery underscores the dehumanizing effects of war, reducing the individual to a mere object kept alive by medical technology.

The chorus, with its repeated plea, "Oh please God, wake me," serves as a desperate cry for relief from the unbearable suffering. The soldier's sense of entrapment is further emphasized in the lines, "I cannot live / I cannot die / Trapped in myself / Body my holding cell." The final verses list the soldier's losses—sight, speech, hearing, limbs, and soul—culminating in the haunting declaration, "Left me with life in hell." This powerful ending leaves the listener with a profound sense of the devastating impact of war on the human spirit.