The Man Comes Around; A Johnny Cash Music Review.
Johnny Cash is to music, what an organ and choir is to a church; both providing a deep bass and religious solemnity as to be noticeable when missing. Cash is famous for songs about love (I Walk The Line, Teenage Queen, and Ring of Fire), crime (Folsom Prison Blues, Johnny Yuma, and Don’t Take Your Guns to Town), and a wealth of popular cover songs (Personal Jesus, Rusty Cage, and most popularly, Hurt).
However, he also has a reputation for religious music. These aren't superficial ‘Jesus is my boyfriend’ songs either, but songs with deep theological symbolism. One of among many songs that demonstrates such symbolism contained in Cash’s writing capabilities is The Man Comes Around.
Filled with a fortune of eschatological references, The Man Comes Around is a song that can fill you with hope and dread all at the same time. The guitar strums as Cash’s deep voice narrates the final judgement. The chorus relieves the tension of the verses as it celebrates the second coming.
Hear the trumpets, hear the pipers. One hundred million angels singin’. Multitudes are marching to the big kettle drum. Voices callin’, voices cryin’. Some are born an’ some are dyin’. It’s Alpha’s and Omega’s Kingdom come. And the whirlwind is in the thorn tree.
The tension between fear and hope can also be found in the Book of Revelation.
Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death. — Revelation 2:10–11 KJV
The Apostle John grants hope unto the church and calms their fears, warning them that those who really ought to be afraid are those who will face God’s wrath during the second death. Johnny Cash captures this tension of hope and fear in not only the tone of the song, but also in verses like,
The hairs on your arm will stand up. At the terror in each sip and in each sup. For you partake of that last offered cup, Or disappear into the potter’s ground. When the man comes around.
This tension however is not the main focus, but rather it is their to put emphasis on the main figure of Jesus; the man who comes around with things of gold, a kingdom, Angels singing and people marching with him. These are the images of the Messiah as king. However, he is also a man of law who decides who to free and who’s to blame. Cash uses one of the verses to construct a warning,
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.
Jesus will call out people as they are and decide their final fate. Jesus is made not only into a king, but a law man, looking to bring in order. Given the musical style, Jesus Christ does not only comes off as a Messiah, but a cowboy. However, this cowboy is someone we have both fear and hope in at the same times because the evils he fights are in our very hearts.
