Johnny Cash: The man comes around again | TahoeDailyTribune.com

About the song

In the pantheon of American music, few figures stand as tall and iconic as Johnny Cash. The Man in Black, as he was known, possessed a voice that was as weathered and worn as the landscapes he sang about, a voice that carried the weight of a thousand lived experiences. His music, a potent blend of country, gospel, and rock and roll, spoke to the struggles and triumphs of the common man, offering solace and companionship to those who felt lost and alone.

“The Man Comes Around” stands as one of Cash’s most poignant and unforgettable recordings. Released in 2002 as the title track of his American IV: The Man Comes Around album, the song was written and recorded in the twilight of Cash’s life, as he grappled with his own mortality. It is a song imbued with a sense of foreboding and finality, a reflection on life, death, and the ultimate judgment that awaits us all.

The song opens with a haunting spoken-word passage, setting the stage for the dark and apocalyptic imagery that follows. Cash’s voice, deep and gravelly, carries an otherworldly quality, as if he is channeling the voice of some ancient prophet. He speaks of a “man” who is “going ’round taking names” and “deciding who to free and who to blame.” This “man” is a figure of both power and terror, a representation of the divine judgment that awaits us all.

The music that follows is as stark and spare as the lyrics, with a simple acoustic guitar providing the only accompaniment to Cash’s voice. The song builds in intensity as Cash’s vocals grow increasingly impassioned, culminating in a powerful crescendo that leaves the listener shaken and awestruck.

“The Man Comes Around” is a profound and moving meditation on the themes of life, death, and faith. It is a song that speaks to the deepest fears and anxieties of the human condition, but it also offers a glimmer of hope. In the face of our own mortality, Cash reminds us that we are not alone, that there is a “man” who will ultimately “set it right.”

The song is a fitting capstone to Cash’s remarkable career. It is a testament to his power as a songwriter and performer, and it is a reminder of the enduring legacy he left behind. “The Man Comes Around” is a song that will stay with you long after you have heard it, a song that will challenge you and inspire you. It is a masterpiece from one of the greatest American artists of all time.

Key takeaways:

  • “The Man Comes Around” is a haunting and beautiful song that reflects on life, death, and the ultimate judgment that awaits us all.
  • The song is imbued with a sense of foreboding and finality, as Cash grapples with his own mortality.
  • The stark and spare music provides a powerful backdrop to Cash’s impassioned vocals.
  • “The Man Comes Around” is a profound and moving meditation on the themes of life, death, and faith.
  • The song is a fitting capstone to Cash’s remarkable career and a reminder of his enduring legacy.

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Lyrics

“And I heard, as it were, the noise of thunderOne of the four beasts saying,‘Come and see.’ and I saw, and behold a white horse”
There’s a man goin’ ’round takin’ namesAnd he decides who to free and who to blameEverybody won’t be treated all the sameThere’ll be a golden ladder reachin’ downWhen the man comes around
The hairs on your arm will stand upAt the terror in each sip and in each supWill you partake of that last offered cupOr disappear into the potter’s ground?When the man comes around
Hear the trumpets hear the pipersOne hundred million angels singin’Multitudes are marchin’ to the big kettledrumVoices callin’, voices cryin’Some are born and some are dyin’It’s alpha and omega’s kingdom comeAnd the whirlwind is in the thorn treeThe virgins are all trimming their wicksThe whirlwind is in the thorn treeIt’s hard for thee to kick against the pricks
Till armageddon no shalam, no shalomThen the father hen will call his chickens homeThe wise man will bow down before the throneAnd at his feet they’ll cast their golden crownsWhen the man comes around
Whoever is unjust let him be unjust stillWhoever is righteous let him be righteous stillWhoever is filthy let him be filthy stillListen to the words long written downWhen the man comes around
Hear the trumpets hear the pipersOne hundred million angels singin’Multitudes are marchin’ to the big kettledrumVoices callin’, voices cryin’Some are born and some are dyin’It’s alpha and omega’s kingdom comeAnd the whirlwind is in the thorn treeThe virgins are all trimming their wicksThe whirlwind is in the thorn treesIt’s hard for thee to kick against the prickIn measured hundredweight and penny poundWhen the man comes around
“And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beastsAnd I looked, and behold a pale horseAnd his name that sat on him was death, and hell followed with him”