10.16.06
Posted in revolutionaries at 5:46 pm by Brandon
I’m a fan of this one…a big fan. This guy brought revolutionary to a new level.
You can run on for a long time
Run on for a long time
Run on for a long time
Sooner or later God’ll cut you down
Sooner or later God’ll cut you down
Go tell that long tongue liar
Go and tell that midnight rider
Tell the rambler,
The gambler,
The back biter
Tell ‘em that God’s gonna cut ‘em down
Tell ‘em that God’s gonna cut ‘em down
Well my goodness gracious let me tell you the news
My head’s been wet with the midnight dew
I’ve been down on bended knee talkin’ to the man from Galilee
He spoke to me in the voice so sweet
I thought I heard the shuffle of the angel’s feet
He called my name and my heart stood still
When he said, “John go do My will!”
Go tell that long tongue liar
Go and tell that midnight rider
Tell the rambler,
The gambler,
The back biter
Tell ‘em that God’s gonna cut ‘em down
Tell ‘em that God’s gonna cut ‘em down
You can run on for a long time
Run on for a long time
Run on for a long time
Sooner or later God’ll cut you down
Sooner or later God’ll cut you down
Well you may throw your rock and hide your hand
Workin’ in the dark against your fellow man
But as sure as God made black and white
What’s done in the dark will be brought to the light
You can run on for a long time
Run on for a long time
Run on for a long time
Sooner or later God’ll cut you down
Sooner or later God’ll cut you down
Go tell that long tongue liar
Go and tell that midnight rider
Tell the rambler,
The gambler,
The back biter
Tell ‘em that God’s gonna cut you down
Tell ‘em that God’s gonna cut you down
Tell ‘em that God’s gonna cut you down
5 points to the first person who can correctly identify this revolutionary (without googling the lyrics, you cheating bastards.)
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Posted in revolutionaries at 5:46 pm by Brandon
I’m a fan of this one…a big fan. This guy brought revolutionary to a new level.
You can run on for a long time
Run on for a long time
Run on for a long time
Sooner or later God’ll cut you down
Sooner or later God’ll cut you down
Go tell that long tongue liar
Go and tell that midnight rider
Tell the rambler,
The gambler,
The back biter
Tell ‘em that God’s gonna cut ‘em down
Tell ‘em that God’s gonna cut ‘em down
Well my goodness gracious let me tell you the news
My head’s been wet with the midnight dew
I’ve been down on bended knee talkin’ to the man from Galilee
He spoke to me in the voice so sweet
I thought I heard the shuffle of the angel’s feet
He called my name and my heart stood still
When he said, “John go do My will!”
Go tell that long tongue liar
Go and tell that midnight rider
Tell the rambler,
The gambler,
The back biter
Tell ‘em that God’s gonna cut ‘em down
Tell ‘em that God’s gonna cut ‘em down
You can run on for a long time
Run on for a long time
Run on for a long time
Sooner or later God’ll cut you down
Sooner or later God’ll cut you down
Well you may throw your rock and hide your hand
Workin’ in the dark against your fellow man
But as sure as God made black and white
What’s done in the dark will be brought to the light
You can run on for a long time
Run on for a long time
Run on for a long time
Sooner or later God’ll cut you down
Sooner or later God’ll cut you down
Go tell that long tongue liar
Go and tell that midnight rider
Tell the rambler,
The gambler,
The back biter
Tell ‘em that God’s gonna cut you down
Tell ‘em that God’s gonna cut you down
Tell ‘em that God’s gonna cut you down
5 points to the first person who can correctly identify this revolutionary (without googling the lyrics, you cheating bastards.)
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Trackback URL »
http://www.badchristian.com/2006/10/16/revolutionaries-vol-ii/trackback/
Bridgier said,
October 16, 2006 at 6:13 pm
I believe (though I’m probably wrong) that it’s the Man In Black….
dorsey said,
October 16, 2006 at 6:15 pm
Yes, indeed. And revolutionary he was.
Good one.
christolles! said,
October 16, 2006 at 6:53 pm
now, i dont want to insult the man in black here, but im having trouble finding an official writing credit for this song.
what i find a little suspicious is that this same lyric (from “god’s gonna cut you down”, off american V, released 2006) is found in moby’s (much better) song “run on” off his album play, released 1999.
help anybody?
zalm said,
October 16, 2006 at 7:08 pm
Great song. But it’s not original to JC, though. It’s generally attributed to that revolutionary known as “Trad.” See also: Moby, Blind Boys of Alabama, Odetta, Sweet Honey and the Rock, and… um… how do I put this?
Elvis.
axegrinder said,
October 16, 2006 at 10:49 pm
The vast majority of the songs on American Recordings I-V are written by other people. One spoil sport critic called it Johnny Cash Karaoke. IMO, he took songs by groups like U2 (”One”) and Tom Petty (”I Won’t Back Down”) and made them his own.
Jason Kranzusch
denise said,
October 17, 2006 at 8:01 am
I love how this song sounds, but the very thing I love about it is the very thing that worries me: the truth-telling with a vicious bite. (I’m a huge Dylan fan, so I’m already asking myself why I enjoy that wicked-mean streak of “you’re gonna get yours,” as well as why I love such tragically damaged people. Earthen vessels, showing such a bright gleam of the spirit… )
My first thought, hearing it, was that the hook is so catchy that I definitely wouldn’t want my children to hear it, to picture a God who would cut you down, and to repeat it to their friends. You will laugh, Bad Christian, but I teach church school to that age of kid looking for ways to claim moral superiority over others, and my curriculum steers clear of even the Ten Commandments until kids are developmentally ready to understand how it fits into our understanding of Jesus. (Stinkin’ Liberals! And all too happy about it, too scarred from my own sunday school experiences, and mine were pretty mild…)
My second thought is that there are some folks poised at the ready to take this song as a “moral behavior” song in the cheapest sense, ie behave good or God will get you, vote my way or God will get you, etc. What was the t-shirt logo on the pre-goths in the 1980’s, something like “Kill ‘em all and let God sort ‘em out.” I’d hate to see it become a banner song for those wacky right-leaning folk looking to claim judgement and hellfire over others. And I love the idea that the truly heartless, the truly wicked, will not always prosper. And it’s a damn fine vicious bite, there, too.
I don’t know– don’t want to put a damper on the joy of that gorgeous wrecked voice singing a great old idiom, but I love it and it worries me, at the same time. But I do love it. But it does worry me.
You?
Scott said,
October 17, 2006 at 8:11 am
Apart from the writing of the lyrics, I have a problem with the theology. The message of the song is that God is going to cut you down. Now, I have my moods where I like to sulk in the judgment of God just like everybody else. However, I have to ask the Man in Black, where is the love?
Brandon said,
October 17, 2006 at 8:21 am
I understand where you’re coming from, Scott. However, I think it’s best to take this piece in the context of Cash’s (although, as correctly asserted by others, it’s not a Cash original) greater work.
That’s why I think it matters that the Man In Black is the person who sang this version…because it’s also on a disc that’s got plenty of love.
Also, I think Christians hear way too much about love these days, dammit. Sometimes we all just need to know that we can only disobey for so long. In a way, this was Johnny’s way of saying, “Love wins,” I think. Just in a less cheesy more real and gritty way.
Additionally, if you think about Cash’s life. He could well be speaking of himself in terms of the rambler, the gambler, and the back-biter. Speaking out of experience, Johnny’s telling us that the ride only lasts so long and that we’d be best to heed the call of the Lord.
I suppose you could say that Cash is telling us with this work that “everything goes away in the end” (in the words of another fantastic cover.)
Kevin said,
October 17, 2006 at 8:49 am
In other news, God’s will fuck you up.
Brandon said,
October 17, 2006 at 11:54 am
Wow, Kevin, I haven’t laughed that hard in a while. Thanks.
Recovering said,
October 17, 2006 at 12:40 pm
I agree with Brandon that in the context of his other work, these lyrics are pretty damn cool. Thanks for sharing.
wildwest said,
October 17, 2006 at 5:08 pm
Had to be Johnny Cash. No one else.
wildwest said,
October 17, 2006 at 5:20 pm
The one Brandon quoted, that is, not the Kevin-sent one.
Brandon said,
October 17, 2006 at 9:10 pm
Denise,
Nicely said. Unfortunately, very little worries me anymore. Probably, more things should worry me. I like your thoughts though…they’re…well…thoughtful.
James said,
October 20, 2006 at 6:11 am
True, it is a great song. And true, in the last ten years of his life, Cash did countless covers and wrote only a small portion of his own music. However, who can argue that the song “Hurt” in any way was more representative of Trent Reznor than of Johnny Cash? Not I.
P.S. I think the best song on American V is either “Help Me” (By Larry Gatlin) or “Like the 309″ (by J.R. Cash).
Kevin said,
October 20, 2006 at 10:02 am
No problem, Brandon.
Kelsey said,
October 25, 2006 at 12:57 pm
I was going to say Moby….but I guess I’m a bit late. Oh well.
denise said,
October 31, 2006 at 9:02 pm
Dear Kevin, you may be on my favorite human beings of all time list for that gift of a song snippet. I really needed that. Where is it from?
Kevin said,
November 1, 2006 at 9:17 am
Denise,
The guy who did the song is John R. Butler. He has a CD for sale here. I found the song featured on a blog. I’m not even sure which one at this point.
zalm said,
November 9, 2006 at 2:05 pm
He may be gone, but he still makes some damn fine videos.
bob said,
January 11, 2007 at 6:12 pm
so the compsoer is johny cash?