When The Man Comes Around

And I heard as it were the noise of thunderOne of the four beasts saying 'Come and see', and I sawAnd behold a white horse SongThere's a man going around taking names The hairs on your arm will stand upAt the terror in each sip and in each supWill you partake of that last offered

When The Man Comes Around
Johnny Cash Lyrics


Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴  Line by Line Meaning ↴Opening Introduction (Spoken part)

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

Song
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

[Chorus]
Hear the trumpets hear the pipers
One hundred million angels singing
Multitudes are marching to the big kettle drum
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
'Til Armageddon no shalom, no shalom
Then the father hen will call his chickens home
The wise men 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

[Chorus]
Hear the trumpets, hear the pipers
One hundred million angels singing
Multitudes are marching to the big kettle drum
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
In measured hundred weight and penny 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 it's name it said on him was Death
And Hell followed with him.


Overall Meaning

The song "When The Man Comes Around" by Johnny Cash is a haunting depiction of the end times. The song begins with a spoken introduction, describing a vision of the four horsemen of the apocalypse, with the first one riding on a white horse. The lyrics then focus on a man who is taking names and deciding who to free and who to blame. The song suggests that not everyone will be treated equally and there will be a hierarchy when the man comes around. The idea of a golden ladder represents the concept of reaching heaven or eternal life after death while the potter's ground is symbolic of being lost or forgotten.


Cash's lyrics are filled with biblical references such as Alpha and Omega's kingdom come and Armageddon. The suggestion is that the end times are near and that the final judgment is coming. There is a sense of impending doom and terror in the lyrics, as the trumpets and pipers play and multitudes march to the big kettle drum. The whirlwind in the thorn tree is symbolic of chaos and uncertainty, while the virgins trimming their wicks and the crowns being cast at the feet of the wise men suggest the end of life on earth.


The song is a powerful allegory that forces listeners to confront their own mortality and consider the consequences of their actions. It is a warning that the end is near and that judgment is coming. The chorus is a call to action, urging listeners to listen to the words long written down when the man comes around.


Line by Line Meaning

And I heard as it were the noise of thunder
I heard a loud, powerful sound like that of thunder


One of the four beasts saying 'Come and see', and I saw
One of the four beasts invited me to observe, and I accepted


And behold a white horse
I saw a white horse


There's a man going around taking names
There is an individual who is collecting people's names


And he decides who to free and who to blame
He determines who deserves forgiveness and who deserves punishment


Everybody won't be treated all the same
Different people will receive different treatment


There'll be a golden ladder reaching down
There will be a path to reach a higher level of existence


When the man comes around
When the aforementioned individual arrives


The hairs on your arm will stand up
You will experience fear or unease


At the terror in each sip and in each sup
You will find fear in every aspect of life, even the most routine or mundane


Will you partake of that last offered cup
Will you take the opportunity to repent and seek forgiveness


Or disappear into the potter's ground
Or will you face eternal damnation


Hear the trumpets hear the pipers
Listen to the sounds of trumpets and pipes


One hundred million angels singing
Hear the voices of a great multitude of holy beings


Multitudes are marching to the big kettle drum
A crowd is traveling together to a great event


Voices calling, voices crying
Hear the sound of people calling out or weeping


Some are born and some are dying
Some people are being born while others are dying, representing the cycle of life and death


It's Alpha and Omega's kingdom come
This marks the arrival of the beginning and the end of time


And the whirlwind is in the thorn tree
A great storm is approaching, and even the most sheltered places will be impacted


The virgins are all trimming their wicks
Young, pure individuals are preparing for the arrival of the promised savior


It's hard for thee to kick against the pricks
It is difficult to resist the inevitable


'Til Armageddon no shalom, no shalom
Until the end of the world, there can be no peace


Then the father hen will call his chickens home
After the apocalypse, the God of the Bible will reclaim his faithful followers


The wise men will bow down before the throne
Wise and knowledgeable leaders will show deference to the divine ruler


And at his feet they'll cast their golden crowns
They will humbly give up their earthly power and authority to serve the divine ruler


Whoever is unjust, let him be unjust still
Those who have acted unjustly will not be granted forgiveness


Whoever is righteous, let him be righteous still
Those who have lived virtuously will continue to do so


Whoever is filthy, let him be filthy still
Those who have acted immorally will remain so


Listen to the words long written down
Read and heed the wisdom of texts that have existed for centuries


In measured hundred weight and penny pound
In exacting and precise amounts


And I looked and behold, a pale horse
I saw a pale horse


And it's name it said on him was Death
This horse was called Death


And Hell followed with him.
After Death comes Hell, the place of eternal punishment


Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS

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