The Man Comes Around

"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" 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'll 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', 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 trimming their wicks The whirlwind is in the thorn tree It's hard for thee to kick against the pricks Till 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 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 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 trimming their wicks The whirlwind is in the thorn trees It's hard for thee to kick against the prick In measured hundredweight and penny pound When the man comes around "And I heard a voice in the midst of the four beasts And I looked, and behold a pale horse And his name that sat on him was death, and hell followed with him"