He’s Coming/Antioch Prison
Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt * Track #5 On Philemon (Original Cast Recording)
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He's Coming/Antioch Prison by Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt
Performed by
Tom Jones and Harvey SchmidtAbout
The Christian prisoners of Antioch Prison caught wind of their leader coming back. This song shows them rejoicing, as well as their daily feelings about their living situation.
He’s Coming/Antioch Prison Lyrics
PRISONERS (Whispered):
He's coming!
He's coming!
He's coming! He's coming! He's coming!
PRISONER 1:
He's coming, he's coming, I sense it everywhere!
PRISONER 2:
He's coming, he's coming, I feel it in the air!
PRISONER 1:
Someone to be the leader
PRISONER 2:
Someone to set us free!
PRISONERS:
He's coming!
PRISONER 3:
He's coming, he's coming, the word is all around!
PRISONER 4:
He's coming, he's coming, a new and joyous sound!
PRISONER 3:
Someone to be the teacher
PRISONER 4:
Someone to lead the way
PRISONERS:
He's coming!
PRISONER 3:
Philemon!
PRISONER 1:
Philemon!
PRISONERS:
How that name lights up the darkness
PRISONER 2:
Philemon!
PRISONER 4:
Philemon!
PRISONERS:
How that name drives out the terror
Philemon will soon be coming
He will take us from this place
Can't you feel the heartbeats humming?
Can't you feel the state of grace?
Philemon!
He's coming, he's coming
He's coming, he's coming
He's coming, he's coming
He's coming...
NARRATOR (Spoken):
Antioch Prison
Already ancient in an ancient time
The walls are cool and tomblike, wet
The pitiful graffiti streaked with rivulets of sweat
What do they say, these desperate scratchings on the wall?
FEMALE PRISONER (Sung):
Mother...
NARRATOR (Spoken):
That's probably the most common
PRISONERS:
Mother...
Mother...
Mother...
NARRATOR (Spoken):
Another favorite:
MALE PRISONER (Sung):
The food in here tastes like shit
NARRATOR (Spoken):
Sometimes they're religious
ANOTHER FEMALE PRISONER (Sung):
O God, have mercy on my soul
Forgive me for my blindness in the days when I had eyes
NARRATOR (Spoken):
Sometimes they're defiant
ANOTHER FEMALE PRISONER (Sung):
Pigs! Pigs!
Dirty little pigs!
Cowards, bastards, butchers, swine!
Pig, pig, pig, pig, pig, pig, pig, pig!