Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash
Johnny Cash
The song is originally made by Shel Silverstein, from his 1962 album Inside Folk Songs.
The song is literally “gallows humor”, as it is sung by a man awaiting his own execution by hanging. Each verse consists of two lines, of which the first line is anything from humorous to poignant, and the secon...
[Verse 1]
Well they're building a gallows outside my cell
And I've got 25 minutes to go
And the whole town's waiting just to hear me yell
I got 24 minutes to go
Well they gave me some beans for my last meal
With 23 minutes to go
But nobody asked me how I feel
I got 22 minutes to go
Well I sent for the Governor and the whole dern bunch
With 21 minutes to go
And I called up the mayor but he's out to lunch
I got 20 more minutes to go
Then the sheriff said boy I'm gonna watch you die
With 19 minutes to go
So I laughed in his face and I spit in his eye
With 18 minutes to go
[Verse 2]
Now here comes the preacher for to save my soul
With 13 minutes to go
And he's talking about burning, but I'm so cold
12 more minutes to go
Now they're testing the trap and it chills my spine
11 more minutes to go
And the trap and the rope aw they work just fine
With 10 more minutes to go
Well I'm waiting on the pardon that'll set me free
With 9 more minutes to go
But this is for real so forget about me
With 8 more minutes to go
[Verse 3]
With my feet on the trap and my head on the noose
5 more minutes to go
Won't somebody come and cut me loose
4 more minutes to go
I can see the mountains I can see the skies
With 3 more minutes to go
And it's too dern pretty for a man to don't want to die
With 2 more minutes to go
I can see the buzzards I can hear the crows
1 more minute to go
And now I'm swinging and here I go-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o!
25 Minutes to Go was written by Reed Nielsen & Shel Silverstein.
25 Minutes to Go was produced by Don Law.