Hailing from New Hampshire in the northeastern United States, singer-songwriter Bill Morrissey wrote about everyday life on the fringes, both geographical--e.g., fading mill towns, railyards, prisons--and interpersonal--e.g., instant infatuation with an unknown woman at a bar. He sometimes didn't so much sing as croak, but his understated, weathered voice blended well with the unsentimental, toughened characters in many of his songs. It just fits. His songs ranged from slow and contemplative ("Off-White," "Man From Out of Town," "Hang Me, Oh Hang Me") to midtempo and keenly observant ("Barstow," "Long Gone,") and occasionally whimsical ("Live Free or Die," "Party at the U.N."). His songs' characters and lyrics favor hard-won realism over sentimentality, casting a wary eye on the past as they negotiate a mostly uncertain present. Recommended for fans of keenly observational, almost literary contemporary "folk" music.
Judgment Day
Bill Morrissey Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I never could get in
So I turned to traveling ′round
Where the nights fade and the days begin
They called me a hobo
But I never took that name
And they called me a pilgrim
But I was not to blame
Trying to put a hurry-up on Judgment Day
They jailed me in St. Louis
'Cause I was easy prey
And everyone was happy
To go home early that day
Till it was just me and my cellmate
Staring eye to eye
And then he started laughing, saying,
"Let me guess, you′re not the guy."
He offered me a cigarette
As I reached he pulled away
Saying, "You never get a last request
Until it's Judgment Day."
Her eyes they were flawed diamonds
She said, "That's the price of fame
Where all the girls are beautiful
All the women look the same
And all the men come courting me
Because I′m the final one
And they give their names so quietly
Just like you might′ve done
And names are just the final thing
A man must give away
And you'll pass yours on so willingly
When it comes Judgment Day"
Well, I heard her sing a melody
From a window in the jail
And I knew the day I broke out
She′d cover up my trail
Expecting nothing more
Than the name I tried to toss
Staring into my heart with the eyes
Of St. John of the Cross
Wondering if I'd return again
But it don′t work out that way
Once you've turned your back and the rope goes slack
Around Judgment Day
It was long out on the Great Plains
With nowhere left to go
The road was full of nothing
And the sky was full of snow
I′ve seen this road before
In the sun and rain and wind
But I don't need it anymore
Let that be my only sin
For whatever the next motel costs
I'll be glad to pay
And I′ll hide out till I hear that song
That calls me Judgment Day
Bill Morrissey's "Judgment Day" is a contemplative song about the singer's journey through life and his eventual encounter with the final reckoning. The lyrics describe the singer as a wanderer, who was never able to fit in anywhere he went. He spent his life traveling around searching for a place to call home. Throughout his journey, he was labelled as many things, including a hobo and a pilgrim, but he never took on those identities, and he was not to blame for his nomadic lifestyle.
The song takes us through different moments of the singer's life, including his time spent in jail in St. Louis, where he met a cellmate who was amused by the singer's predicament. The singer expressed his desire to have a cigarette, but his cellmate refused, telling him that he would never get anything until Judgment Day. In another scene, the singer reflects on a flawed diamond-eyed woman who sings a melody from her jail window. The woman speaks of the price of fame and how everyone courts her, but she lost everything because of it.
The song ultimately ends with the singer on the Great Plains, realizing that he no longer needs to travel. He is willing to pay whatever it takes to stay put and wait for the final judgment to call him. The message of the song is about accepting one's fate, living life as best as possible, and ultimately waiting for the final reckoning.
Line by Line Meaning
I was born just out of town
I was born on the outskirts of civilization
And I never could get in
Still, I always felt like an outsider
So I turned to traveling 'round
I decided to wander the world
Where the nights fade and the days begin
Where the line between day and night is blurred
They called me a hobo
People called me a homeless wanderer
But I never took that name
But I didn't accept that label
And they called me a pilgrim
They also referred to me as a spiritual wanderer
But I was not to blame
Even though they labeled me, it wasn't my fault
As I wandered through the tall pines and the clay
I roamed through forests and desolate places
Trying to put a hurry-up on Judgment Day
I was hoping to hasten the end of the world
They jailed me in St. Louis
I got imprisoned in St. Louis
'Cause I was easy prey
It happened because I was an easy target
And everyone was happy
People were pleased with this outcome
To go home early that day
They got to leave work early because of this
Till it was just me and my cellmate
Eventually, it was only me and another inmate left
Staring eye to eye
We locked gazes with each other
And then he started laughing, saying
He began laughing and spoke
"Let me guess, you're not the guy."
He sarcastically insinuated that I was not the criminal I had been charged with
He offered me a cigarette
He extended a cigarette to me
As I reached he pulled away
But he jerked it back before I could take it
Saying, "You never get a last request
He pointed out that prisoners only get a final wish
Until it's Judgment Day."
And that's only granted when the time of their execution arrives
Her eyes they were flawed diamonds
Her eyes were imperfect stones
She said, "That's the price of fame
But she explained how that was the cost of being famous
Where all the girls are beautiful
Where every woman is attractive
All the women look the same
They all conform to a standard look
And all the men come courting me
All the men are vying for her attention
Because I'm the final one
Since she's the woman they all desire
And they give their names so quietly
They reveal their identities to her discreetly
Just like you might've done
Just as I too might have done
And names are just the final thing
But in the end, names don't carry much weight
A man must give away
They're just labels that one must relinquish
And you'll pass yours on so willingly
And one must abandon them willingly
When it comes Judgment Day"
When their time comes to face God's judgment
Well, I heard her sing a melody
I listened to her singing a tune
From a window in the jail
From a cell window
And I knew the day I broke out
I was confident I'd escape
She'd cover up my trail
I knew she'd keep my escape secret
Expecting nothing more
All I hoped for
Than the name I tried to toss
Was to forget about the name I was given
Staring into my heart with the eyes
She searched my soul with her gaze
Of St. John of the Cross
Like the saint who sought divine knowledge
Wondering if I'd return again
She was curious if I'd come back eventually
But it don't work out that way
But it never happens like that
Once you've turned your back and the rope goes slack
Once you've done your time and the noose is gone
Around Judgment Day
On the day of reckoning
It was long out on the Great Plains
I was wandering in the vast expanse of the Great Plains
With nowhere left to go
I had nowhere else to turn to
The road was full of nothing
The path I trod was unremarkable
And the sky was full of snow
The sky was covered in snow
I've seen this road before
I've traveled this road in the past
In the sun and rain and wind
Through all kinds of weather
But I don't need it anymore
But I don't need to travel anymore
Let that be my only sin
Let that be my only transgression
For whatever the next motel costs
I'll pay whatever the next hotel costs
I'll be glad to pay
I'll happily foot the bill
And I'll hide out till I hear that song
I'll lay low until I hear the tune
That calls me Judgment Day
That foretells the end of days
Writer(s): Bill Morrissey
Contributed by Micah T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.