Johnny Cash: The Man Comes Around (2002)

And at his feet they’ll cast their golden crowns

Johnny Cash’s deep, gravelly voice adds a sense of gravitas to the song, enhancing its emotional impact and conveying a sense of urgency. The song’s sparse instrumentation, featuring primarily acoustic guitar and piano, further emphasizes the raw emotion and sincerity of Cash’s performance.

“The Man Comes Around” has been praised for its timeless message and profound lyrics, which resonate with listeners of all ages and backgrounds. The song’s themes of reflection and repentance are universal, making it a poignant and thought-provoking piece of music that continues to captivate audiences around the world.

In a world where uncertainty and chaos often reign, “The Man Comes Around” stands as a poignant reminder of the importance of self-reflection and living with integrity. Its message is as relevant today as it was when it was first released, serving as a timeless meditation on the human experience and the inevitability of facing one’s own mortality.

• Provided to YouTube by Universal Music Group
• The Man Comes Around · Johnny Cash
• American IV: The Man Comes Around
• ℗ 2002 American Recordings, LLC, under exclusive license to Universal Music Enterprises, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.
• Released on: 2002-01-01

Producer: Rick Rubin
Producer, Associate Producer, Studio Personnel, Asst. Recording Engineer: John Carter Cash
Studio Personnel, Recording Engineer, Mixer: David Ferguson
Studio Personnel, Asst. Recording Engineer: Thom Russo
Studio Personnel, Asst. Recording Engineer: Andrew Scheps
Studio Personnel, Asst. Recording Engineer: Chuck Turner
Associated Performer, Acoustic Guitar: Randy Scruggs
Associated Performer, Acoustic Guitar: Smokey Hormel
Associated Performer, Piano, Organ: Benmont Tench
Composer Lyricist: Johnny Cash

Lyrics

“And I heard, as it were, the noise of thunder
One of the four beasts saying,
‘Come and see.’ and I saw, and behold a white horse”

There’s a man goin’ ’round takin’ names
And he decides who to free and who to blame
Everybody won’t be treated all the same
There’ll be a golden ladder reachin’ down
When the man comes around

The hairs on your arm will stand up
At the terror in each sip and in each sup
Will you partake of that last offered cup
Or disappear into the potter’s ground?
When the man comes around

Hear the trumpets hear the pipers
One hundred million angels singin’
Multitudes are marchin’ to the big kettledrum
Voices callin’, voices cryin’
Some are born and some are dyin’
It’s alpha and omega’s kingdom come
And the whirlwind is in the thorn tree
The virgins are all trimming their wicks
The whirlwind is in the thorn tree
It’s hard for thee to kick against the pricks

Till armageddon no shalam, no shalom
Then the father hen will call his chickens home
The wise man will bow down before the throne
And at his feet they’ll cast their golden crowns
When the man comes around

Whoever is unjust let him be unjust still
Whoever is righteous let him be righteous still
Whoever is filthy let him be filthy still
Listen to the words long written down
When the man comes around

Hear the trumpets hear the pipers
One hundred million angels singin’
Multitudes are marchin’ to the big kettledrum
Voices callin’, voices cryin’
Some are born and some are dyin’
It’s alpha and omega’s kingdom come
And the whirlwind is in the thorn tree
The virgins are all trimming their wicks
The whirlwind is in the thorn trees
It’s hard for thee to kick against the prick
In measured hundredweight and penny pound
When the man comes around

“And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts
And I looked, and behold a pale horse
And his name that sat on him was death, and hell followed with him”

• Source: LyricFind
• Songwriters: John Cash
• The Man Comes Around lyrics © BMG Rights Management

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