Po' Lazarus
James Carter & The Prisoners Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He told his deputy
"Want you go out and bring me Lazarus"
Well, the high sheriff
Told his deputy
"I want you go out and bring me Lazarus
Bring him dead or alive"
Lawd, lawd
"Bring him dead or alive"
Well the deputy he told the high sheriff
"I ain't gonna mess with Lazarus"
Well the deputy he told the high sheriff
Says "I ain't gonna mess with Lazarus
Well he's a dangerous man"
Lawd, lawd
"He's a dangerous man"
Well then the high sheriff, he found Lazarus
He was hidin' in the chill of a mountain
Well the high sheriff, found Lazarus
He was hidin' in the chill of the mountain
With his head hung down
Lawd, lawd
With his head hung down
Well then the high sheriff, he told Lazarus
He says "Lazarus, I come to arrest you"
Well the high sheriff, told Lazarus
Says "Lazarus I come to arrest you
And bring you dead or alive"
Lawd, lawd
"Bring you dead or alive"
Well then Lazarus, he told the high sheriff
Says "I never been arrested"
Well Lazarus, told the high sheriff
Says "I never been arrested
By no one man"
Lawd, lawd
"By no one man"
And then the high sheriff, he shot Lazarus
Well, he shot him with a mighty big number
Well the high sheriff, shot Lazarus
Well he shot him with a mighty big number
With a .45
Lawd, lawd
With a .45
Well then they take dead old Lazarus
Yes they laid him on the commissary gallery
Well they taken poor Lazarus
And the laid him on the commissary gallery
He said "my wounded side"
Lawd, lawd
"My wounded side"
The song "Po Lazarus" by James Carter & The Prisoners tells the story of a man named Lazarus who is wanted by the high sheriff, dead or alive. The high sheriff commands his deputy to bring Lazarus to him, but the deputy is afraid of him, claiming he is a dangerous man. Ultimately, the high sheriff finds Lazarus hiding in the mountains and tries to arrest him, but Lazarus claims he's never been arrested before. The high sheriff ultimately shoots him with a .45 and lays him out on the commissary gallery, where Lazarus laments his wounded side.
Overall, this song is about power and the oppression of the law against the vulnerable. The high sheriff represents the government and its unjust use of its power to intimidate the weak. In contrast to the sheriff, Lazarus represents the oppressed, the powerless, and the marginalized people. The song portrays the power of the government and its brutality against the oppressed through the story of Lazarus.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, the high sheriff
The highest-ranking law enforcement official
He told his deputy
He instructed his subordinate
"Want you go out and bring me Lazarus"
"Go and get me Lazarus"
Bring him dead or alive
Either way, bring him back to me
Well the deputy he told the high sheriff
The subordinate responded to the instruction of the high sheriff
"I ain't gonna mess with Lazarus"
"I don't want to deal with Lazarus"
Well he's a dangerous man
He poses a great risk to us
Well then the high sheriff, he found Lazarus
The high sheriff located Lazarus
He was hidin' in the chill of the mountain
He was concealed in the cold mountain
With his head hung down
In a sad, defeated manner
Well then the high sheriff, he told Lazarus
The high sheriff made an announcement to Lazarus
"Lazarus, I come to arrest you"
"I came to arrest you, Lazarus"
And bring you dead or alive
I want you to come back with me
Well then Lazarus, he told the high sheriff
Lazarus responded to the high sheriff
"I never been arrested"
"I have never been arrested before"
By no one man
No single person has ever arrested me
Well, he shot him with a mighty big number
The high sheriff fired a powerful weapon
With a .45
Using a .45 caliber gun
Well they taken poor Lazarus
They removed the body of Lazarus
And the laid him on the commissary gallery
The body was placed on display
"My wounded side"
"I am wounded"
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: James Carter
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@omerrudnick8195
Lyrics:
Well, the high sheriff
He told his deputy
Want you go out and bring me Lazarus
Well, the high sheriff
Told his deputy
I want you go out and bring me Lazarus
Bring him dead or alive,
Lawd, Lawd
Bring him dead or alive
Well the deputy he told the high sheriff
I ain't gonna mess with Lazarus
Well the deputy he told the high sheriff
Says I ain't gonna mess with Lazarus
Well he's a dangerous man
Lawd, Lawd
He's a dangerous man
Well then the high sheriff, he found Lazarus
He was hidin' in the chill of a mountain
Well the high sheriff, found Lazarus
He was hidin' in the chill of the mountain
With his head hung down
Lawd, Lawd
With his head hung down
Well then the high sheriff, he told Lazarus
He says Lazarus I come to arrest you
Well the high sheriff, told Lazarus
Says Lazarus I come to arrest you
And bring ya dead or alive
Lawd, Lawd
Bring you dead or alive
Well then Lazarus, he told the high sheriff
Says I never been arrested
Well Lazarus, told the high sheriff
Says I never been arrested
By no one man
Lawd, Lawd
By no one man
And then the high sheriff, he shot Lazarus
Well, he shot him mighty big number
Well the high sheriff, shot Lazarus
Well he shot him with a mighty big number
With a forty five
Lawd, Lawd
With a forty five
Well then they take old Lazarus
Yes they laid him on the commissary gallery
Well they taken poor Lazarus
And the laid him on the commissary gallery
He said my wounded side
Lawd, Lawd
My wounded side
@omerrudnick8195
Lyrics:
Well, the high sheriff
He told his deputy
Want you go out and bring me Lazarus
Well, the high sheriff
Told his deputy
I want you go out and bring me Lazarus
Bring him dead or alive,
Lawd, Lawd
Bring him dead or alive
Well the deputy he told the high sheriff
I ain't gonna mess with Lazarus
Well the deputy he told the high sheriff
Says I ain't gonna mess with Lazarus
Well he's a dangerous man
Lawd, Lawd
He's a dangerous man
Well then the high sheriff, he found Lazarus
He was hidin' in the chill of a mountain
Well the high sheriff, found Lazarus
He was hidin' in the chill of the mountain
With his head hung down
Lawd, Lawd
With his head hung down
Well then the high sheriff, he told Lazarus
He says Lazarus I come to arrest you
Well the high sheriff, told Lazarus
Says Lazarus I come to arrest you
And bring ya dead or alive
Lawd, Lawd
Bring you dead or alive
Well then Lazarus, he told the high sheriff
Says I never been arrested
Well Lazarus, told the high sheriff
Says I never been arrested
By no one man
Lawd, Lawd
By no one man
And then the high sheriff, he shot Lazarus
Well, he shot him mighty big number
Well the high sheriff, shot Lazarus
Well he shot him with a mighty big number
With a forty five
Lawd, Lawd
With a forty five
Well then they take old Lazarus
Yes they laid him on the commissary gallery
Well they taken poor Lazarus
And the laid him on the commissary gallery
He said my wounded side
Lawd, Lawd
My wounded side
@vicorochavidal535
genial gracias
@mareks1261
Dzięki!
@hectorpaezescamez5817
La letra es acojonante!!!! ✌🏼
@rstone3353
Ain't much changed for Black folk, really!
Same thing now just a different day!
@miltonfelix6030
Thanks a lot.
@ThaMadvonnie84
This song actually made me watch the movie to be honest. This song grips my soul.
@rickybrewerii572
I can dig it
@MrDark097
Chico Green which movie dude?
@bgodssoldier1
Danniel collado " o'brother where art thou"