Hit The Lights

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For the Lima, Ohio pop punk band whose name is derived from this song, see Hit the Lights (band).

"Hit The Lights"

Song by Metallica
from the album Kill 'Em All
Released	July 1983
Recorded	May 1983
Genre	Thrash metal
Length	4:17
Label	Megaforce Records
Writer(s)	James Hetfield Lars Ulrich
Producer(s)	Paul Curcio Jon Zazula
Kill 'Em All track listing
"Hit The Lights" "The Four Horsemen" "Motorbreath" "Jump in the Fire" "(Anesthesia) Pulling Teeth" "Whiplash" "Phantom Lord" "No Remorse" "Seek & Destroy" "Metal Militia"

"Hit the Lights" is the first track on Metallica's 1983 album Kill 'Em All. It was the first song that James Hetfield and Lars Ulrich worked on when forming Metallica. Early versions of the song can be heard on 1982's "Metal Massacre" compilation of emerging thrash metal bands, as well as its subsequent re-issue, and the group's first demo, "No Life 'Till Leather". Hetfield had brought the majority of the song to Ulrich from his old band, Leather Charm, and the two worked out different arrangements. This was one of only a handful songs that were performed live with Dave Mustaine as the lead guitarist.

The lyrical theme of the song is about performing live.