The cultural issues that plague this country have been on my mind a lot lately. Of course it’s because of the recent SCOTUS decision regarding same-sex marriage. As I was thinking about this issue, Johnny Cash’s song, Man In Black, came on. For a long time I’ve resonated with this song’s theme, as I imagine other clerical-wearing pastors do, but this time the last verse, as it mentions wearing a rainbow, prompted me to take some liberties with the rest of the lyrics and, well, this is what I came up with…
For those who may be interested, here are the lyrics to this new version:
Well you wonder why I always dress in black,
Why you never see bright colors on my back,
And why does my appearance seem to have a somber tone?
Well, there’s a reason for these things that I have on.
I wear the black for Christians beaten down
Living in the hopeless hungry side of town.
I wear it for the prisoner who has long paid for his crime
But is there because he’s a victim of the times.
I wear the black for those who’ve never read
Or listened to the words that Jesus said
About the road to happiness through love and charity,
Why you’d think he’s talking straight to you and me.
Well we’re doing mighty fine I do suppose
With our eco-friendly cars and fancy phones,
But just so we’re reminded of the ones who are held back
Up front there oughta be a man in black.
I wear it for the sick and lonely old,
For the euthanized whose family stole their gold.
I wear the black in mourning for the lives that could’ve been.
Each week we lose thousands to abortion.
And I wear it for these babies who have died
Believing that the Lord is on their side.
I wear it for the other millions who have died
Believing that we all were on their side.
Well, there’s things that never will be right I know
And things need changing everywhere you go,
But till we start to make a move to make a few things right
You’ll never see me where a suit that’s bright.
Oh, I’d love to wear a rainbow and celebrate
And tell the world that everything’s OK,
But I’m called to carry off a little darkness on my back
Till things are brighter, I’m the man in black.