Lyrics The Man Comes Around (Early Take) - Johnny Cash

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 will 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' and voices cryin'
Some are born and some are dyin'

Alpha and Omega's kingdom come
And the whirlwind is in the thorn tree
The virgins are all trimmin' their wicks
The whirlwind is in the thorn tree

It's hard for thee to kick against the pricks
'Til 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 the 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 trimmin' their wicks
The whirlwind is in the thorn tree
It's very hard to kick against the pricks
In measured thinning weight and hundred pound
When the man comes around