25 Minutes To Go
Pearl Jam Lyrics


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They're buildin' the gallows outside my cell.
I got 25 minutes to go.

And in 25 minutes I'll be in Hell.
I got 24 minutes to go.

Well, they give me some beans for my last meal.
23 minutes to go.

And you know... nobody asked me how I feel.
I got 22 minutes to go.

So, I wrote to the Gov'nor... the whole damned bunch.
Ahhh... 21 minutes to go.

And I call up the Mayor, and he's out to lunch.

I got 20 more minutes to go.

Well, the Sheriff says, "Boy, I wanna watch you die".
19 minutes to go.

I spit in his face... and I kicked him in the eye.
I got 18 minutes to go.

Well...I call out to the Warden to hear my plea.
17 minute to go.

He says, "Call me back in a week or three.
You've got 16 minutes to go."

Well, my lawyer says he's sorry he missed my case.
Mmmm....15 minutes to go.

Yeah, well if you're so sorry, come up and take my place.
I got 14 minutes to go.

Well, now here comes the padre to save my soul
With 13 minutes to go.

And he's talkin' about burnin', but I'm so damned cold.
I got 12 more minutes to go.

Now they're testin' the trap. It chills my spine.
I got 11 minutes to go.

'cause the goddamned thing it works just fine.
I got 10 more minutes to go.

I'm waitin' for the pardon... gonna set me free
With 9 more minutes to go.

But this ain't the movies, so to hell with me.
I got 8 more minutes to go.

And now I'm climbin up the ladder with a scaffold peg
With 7 more minutes to go.

I've betta' watch my step or else I'll break my leg.
I got 6 more minutes to go.

Yeah... with my feet on the trap and my head in the noose...
5 more minutes to go.

Well, c'mon somethin' and cut me loose.
I got 4 more minutes to go.

I can see the mountains. I see the sky.
3 more minutes to go.

And it's too damned pretty for a man to die.
I got 2 more minutes to go

I can hear the buzzards... hear the crows.
1 more minute to go.





And now I'm swingin' and here I gooooooooo....

Overall Meaning

The song "25 Minutes to Go" by Pearl Jam tells the tale of a man counting down the last 25 minutes of his life before he is put to death by hanging. The gallows are being built outside his cell, and he is given beans for his last meal. No one asked him how he feels, and he reaches out to the Governor and the Mayor. Neither offers help, and the Sheriff wants to watch him die, leading the prisoner to spit in his face and kick him in the eye. He calls out to the Warden, who tells him to call back in a week or three. His lawyer apologizes for missing his case, but it does him no good.


As the song winds down, the prisoner seems to be resigned to his fate. He climbs up the scaffold ladder with a scaffold peg and must watch his step to not break his leg. The noose tightens, and he can see the mountains and the sky before him. He hears the buzzards and the crows and then swings off into death.


The songpowerfully conveys the countdown of a man's last moments on earth. The lyrics evoke a sense of desperation and helplessness. The man cannot change his impending outcome but is left to reflect on his life and the beauty of the world around him. The song is a haunting reminder of the finality of death and the preciousness of each passing moment.


Line by Line Meaning

They're buildin' the gallows outside my cell.
The executioners are constructing the hanging structure near the singer's prison cell.


And in 25 minutes I'll be in Hell.
In just 25 minutes, the singer will face death and enter the realm of Hell.


Well, they give me some beans for my last meal.
The singer is given beans as the final meal before the execution.


And you know... nobody asked me how I feel.
Despite being the one who is about to be executed, no one bothered to ask the artist how they feel.


So, I wrote to the Gov'nor... the whole damned bunch.
The artist wrote a letter to the Governor and others in charge of the execution expressing their grievances.


And I call up the Mayor, and he's out to lunch.
The Mayor is not available to take the singer's call as he is out having lunch.


Well, the Sheriff says, "Boy, I wanna watch you die".
The Sheriff wants to witness the singer's death.


I spit in his face... and I kicked him in the eye.
The artist spits in the Sheriff's face and kicks him in the eye as an act of defiance.


Well...I call out to the Warden to hear my plea.
The artist calls out to the Warden to listen to their appeal for clemency.


He says, "Call me back in a week or three.
The Warden tells the artist to call back in a week or three after the execution has taken place.


Well, my lawyer says he's sorry he missed my case.
The singer's lawyer apologizes for not being present at the case.


Yeah, well if you're so sorry, come up and take my place.
The artist sarcastically suggests that the lawyer switch places with them if they are truly sorry for missing the case.


Well, now here comes the padre to save my soul
The priest arrives to offer spiritual comfort to the singer before their imminent death.


And he's talkin' about burnin', but I'm so damned cold.
The priest mentions burning in Hell, but the singer is too cold and has already accepted their fate.


Now they're testin' the trap. It chills my spine.
The execution team is testing the trap that the singer will drop through, which frightens the singer.


'cause the goddamned thing it works just fine.
The artist observes that the trap functions perfectly.


I'm waitin' for the pardon... gonna set me free
The artist is hopeful for a last-minute pardon that will commute their death sentence.


But this ain't the movies, so to hell with me.
The singer realizes that they are not in a movie and their fate is not likely to change.


And now I'm climbin up the ladder with a scaffold peg
The singer is climbing up the ladder that leads to the platform from which they will be hanged.


With 7 more minutes to go.
At this point, the artist has seven more minutes to live.


Yeah... with my feet on the trap and my head in the noose...
The artist is positioned with their feet on the trap door and the noose around their neck.


I can see the mountains. I see the sky.
The artist observes the beauty of the mountain and sky that they will no longer be able to enjoy.


And it's too damned pretty for a man to die.
The singer finds it unfair that such beauty exists in the world when they are about to die.


I can hear the buzzards... hear the crows.
The artist can hear birds like buzzards and crows who may come to feed on their corpse.


1 more minute to go.
The singer has only one minute left to live.


And now I'm swingin' and here I gooooooooo....
The singer begins to swing as the trap door beneath their feet is released.




Lyrics © EMI Music Publishing
Written by: Shel Silverstein

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comment from YouTube:

Lento Shakur

Well they're building a gallows outside my cell I've got 25 minutes to go
And the whole town's waitin' just to hear me yell I've got 24 minutes to go
Well they gave me some beans for my last meal I've got 23 minutes to go
But nobody asked me how I feel I've got 22 minutes to go
Well I sent for the governor and the whole dern bunch with 21 minutes to go
And I sent for the mayor but he's out to lunch I've got 20 more minutes to go
Then the sheriff said boy I gonna watch you die got 19 minutes to go
So I laughed in his face and I spit in his eye got 18 minutes to go
Now hear comes the preacher for to save my soul with 13 minutes to go
And he's talking bout' burnin' but I'm so cold I've 12 more minutes to go
Now they're testin' the trap and it chills my spine 11 more minutes to go
And the trap and the rope aw they work just fine got 10 more minutes to go
Well I'm waitin' on the pardon that'll set me free with 9 more minutes to go
But this is for real so forget about me got 8 more minutes to go
With my feet on the trap and my head on the noose got 5 more minutes to go
Won't somebody come and cut me loose with 4 more minutes to go
I can see the mountains I can see the skies with 3 more minutes to go
And it's to dern pretty for a man that don't want to die 2 more minutes to go
I can see the buzzards I can hear the crows 1 more minute to go
And now I'm swingin' and here I go-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o!



All comments from YouTube:

Carlos Pinela

One of the best covers by Cash

TheBaconBlaster

Thank you Johnny Cash for posting from heaven

Chalino987_

😂🥺

Kayla Kewl Moore

they gave me some beans for my last meal

Acherontia lachesis

That's why they call it the cloud

1 More Replies...

Vinícius de Carvalho

Primeiro vídeo no meu canal foi sobre ele! Grande Johnny Cash. 👏🏻

Luisa Diez

Maravilloso!

sabine schäfer

❤️😭

Lento Shakur

Well they're building a gallows outside my cell I've got 25 minutes to go
And the whole town's waitin' just to hear me yell I've got 24 minutes to go
Well they gave me some beans for my last meal I've got 23 minutes to go
But nobody asked me how I feel I've got 22 minutes to go
Well I sent for the governor and the whole dern bunch with 21 minutes to go
And I sent for the mayor but he's out to lunch I've got 20 more minutes to go
Then the sheriff said boy I gonna watch you die got 19 minutes to go
So I laughed in his face and I spit in his eye got 18 minutes to go
Now hear comes the preacher for to save my soul with 13 minutes to go
And he's talking bout' burnin' but I'm so cold I've 12 more minutes to go
Now they're testin' the trap and it chills my spine 11 more minutes to go
And the trap and the rope aw they work just fine got 10 more minutes to go
Well I'm waitin' on the pardon that'll set me free with 9 more minutes to go
But this is for real so forget about me got 8 more minutes to go
With my feet on the trap and my head on the noose got 5 more minutes to go
Won't somebody come and cut me loose with 4 more minutes to go
I can see the mountains I can see the skies with 3 more minutes to go
And it's to dern pretty for a man that don't want to die 2 more minutes to go
I can see the buzzards I can hear the crows 1 more minute to go
And now I'm swingin' and here I go-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o!

Kenny

Legend

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