Angel and the Badman
Redemption's Ride: Johnny Cash's Tale of Transformation in 'Angel and the Badman'
Lyrics
There was a man whose deeds were dark as night
Introducing a man with a dark past and questionable actions.
And quite by chance he rode into the light
By chance, he is exposed to a different, brighter environment.
A man, wild as a dust devil with, no place to run
Describing the man as wild, with no fixed place to go.
Livin' by his wits and by his gun
Living a life relying on cunning and firearms.
He met a girl like none he'd ever known
Encountering a unique girl who accepts him despite his troubled past.
She cared not for the wild oats he had sewn
She disregards his previous indiscretions.
And, so, he laid his gun down and set his spirit free
He decides to abandon his violent ways and embrace a more respectable life.
Began livin' in respectability
Embarking on a journey of living with honor.
But his old ways of thinkin' wouldn't die
Struggling with ingrained thoughts and beliefs from his past.
Could not forget the old creed he lived by
Unable to forget the old code he used to live by.
And the good and bad and the right and wrong kept fightin' for his soul
A constant internal battle between good and bad, right and wrong.
Till his heart and mind both went out of control
His internal conflict leads to a loss of control over his heart and mind.
But now the old saloon had lost its spell
The old allure of the saloon loses its appeal.
What once was laughter now was livin' hell
What was once enjoyable becomes a painful existence.
And the hookers, guns and drinkin' in his life were out of place
Undesirable elements like prostitution, guns, and drinking become out of place.
And in his mind he saw an Angel's face
He envisions an angelic figure, perhaps representing purity and goodness.
So, he burned all his bridges in a day
Deciding to sever all connections with his past in a decisive manner.
And the Devil deeds were done and laid away
Putting his dark deeds behind him and leaving them in the past.
And he rode out a better man than when he first rode in
Leaving as a transformed and improved person compared to his initial arrival.
And the Angel got the Badman in the end
Suggesting a resolution where the angelic force triumphs over the man's darker side.
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