Johnny Cash-The_Man_Comes Around

About the song

“The Man Comes Around” stands as a poignant testament to Johnny Cash’s musical and spiritual depth, serving as the title track of his 2002 album *American IV: The Man Comes Around*. Written shortly before his passing, Cash infused the song with profound Biblical imagery and references, making it a profound reflection on mortality, judgment, and redemption.

The lyrics of “The Man Comes Around” are rich with allusions to the Book of Revelation, emphasizing themes of apocalypse and divine reckoning. The song opens with Cash reciting a passage from Revelation 6:1-2, setting the tone with the arrival of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. This biblical motif continues throughout, invoking visions of trumpets sounding, angels singing, and the righteous preparing for the Second Coming of Christ.

One of the song’s striking references is to the Parable of the Ten Virgins from Matthew 25:1-13, symbolizing readiness and preparation for the ultimate judgment. Another notable allusion is the phrase “It’s hard for thee to kick against the pricks,” drawing from Acts 26:14, where Paul the Apostle recounts his encounter with Jesus, highlighting the futility of resisting divine will.

Musically, “The Man Comes Around” features a sparse arrangement typical of Cash’s later works, with two guitars, piano played in the bass register, and an electric organ. This minimalistic backdrop allows Cash’s weathered voice and the weighty lyrics to take center stage, evoking a sense of solemnity and introspection.

The genesis of the song was sparked by a dream Cash had involving Queen Elizabeth II, who compared him to “a thorn tree in a whirlwind.” This haunting imagery led Cash on a quest to explore its biblical roots, ultimately discovering parallels in the Book of Job, which shaped the song’s narrative.

Released as a single and part of the acclaimed album *American IV: The Man Comes Around*, the song resonated deeply with audiences and critics alike. It stands as one of the few compositions entirely written by Cash for the album, capturing his contemplative spirit and unwavering faith in the face of mortality.

An early take of “The Man Comes Around” appears on the *Unearthed* box set and *The Legend of Johnny Cash*, offering variations that omit the spoken word intro and outro but retain the song’s haunting essence. Through its timeless themes and Cash’s evocative delivery, “The Man Comes Around” remains a powerful reflection on life, death, and the eternal promise of divine justice.

Video

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 going around taking 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 reaching 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 singing
Multitudes are marching to the big kettledrum
Voices calling, voices crying
Some are born and some are dying
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 singing
Multitudes are marching to the big kettledrum
Voices calling and voices crying
Some are born and some are dying
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

In measured hundred weight and penney pound
When the Man comes around.

Close (Spoken part)
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.