God's Gonna Cut You Down

"God's Gonna Cut You Down", also known as "Run On" and "Run On for a Long Time", is a traditional folk song which has been recorded by numerous artists representing a variety of genres. The lyrics are a warning to sinners that no matter how hard they try, they will not avoid God's judgment; in the chorus, God tells the narrator of the song to

“

Go tell that long tongue liar, go and tell that midnight rider, tell the rambler, the gambler, the back biter, tell 'em that God's gonna cut 'em down.

”

The song has, in the past, been modified to fit the boundaries of genres like country, folk, gospel and techno. As "God's Gonna Cut You Down", it was performed by Odetta on Odetta Sings Ballads and Blues (1956) and Johnny Cash on the posthumously released American V: A Hundred Highways (2006). As "Run On", it was recorded, among others, by Elvis Presley. A version incorporating sampled vocals by Bill Landford & The Landfordaires was included on Moby's album Play. The Blind Boys of Alabama also included the song on their Grammy-winning album Spirit of the Century in 2001. In 2007, Kevin Max of dc Talk covered the song as "Run on for a Long Time" with Chris Sligh.

Moby version

"Run On"
Single by Moby featuring Bill Landford & The Landfordaires
from the album Play
B-side	"Spirit", "Running", "Run On (extended)", "Down Slow (full length)"
Released	May 18, 1999
Genre	Electronic, Gospel
Length	3:45 (album version) 3:33 (single version) 3:09 (radio edit)
Writer(s)	Traditional
Producer	Moby
Moby featuring Bill Landford & The Landfordaires singles chronology
"Honey" (1998) "Run On" (1999) "Bodyrock" (1999)

Electronic musician Moby released "Run On" as the second single from his studio album Play. Two versions of the CD were released. The first, with a red cover featuring a vertically-aligned mousetrap, featured two remixes of "Run On" and two other tracks. The second, with a yellow cover featuring a horizontally-aligned mousetrap, contained four different "Run On" remixes.

The vocal content of the song comes from a 1943 recording of "Run On" by Bill Landford and the Landfordaires, and features a mix of house music and instrumental music.

Track listing

CD 1

1. "Run On"- 3:33
2. "Spirit"- 4:12
3. "Running"- 7:04

CD 2

1. "Run On (extended)"- 4:24
2. "Sunday"- 5:00
3. "Down Slow (full length)"- 5:56

Music video

The song's video involves Moby working at an office where everyone wears white. It then shows an earlier scene involving a workout instructor teaching a class when she passes out. Moby then comes in and puts an inhaler in her mouth. It then continues to show an earlier scene, going backwards to tell the entire story: the office Moby works in is heaven, the instructor is self-conscious and not sure of her capabilities, and heaven is a self-help phone line. Eventually, it shows a scene of Moby dead in a parking lot, with another employee checking his pulse. It then concludes with a shot of Moby working in the same office, but it has a green light to it, and everyone is unkind and emotionally distant.

Johnny Cash version

"God's Gonna Cut You Down"
Single by Johnny Cash
from the album American V: A Hundred Highways
Released	July 4, 2006
Recorded	2003
Genre	Country, Folk, Gospel
Length	2:38
Label	American Recordings Lost Highway Records
Writer(s)	Traditional
Producer	Rick Rubin
Johnny Cash singles chronology
"Hurt" (2006) "God's Gonna Cut You Down" (2006) "Help Me" (2007)

Johnny Cash recorded a version of "God's Gonna Cut You Down" on American V: A Hundred Highways in 2003, with an arrangement quite different from most known gospel versions of the song.

A music video, directed by Tony Kaye, was made for this version in late 2006. It featured a number of celebrities, including:

• David Allan Coe (Intro)
• Travis Barker
• Sir Peter Blake
• Bono
• Sheryl Crow
• The Dixie Chicks
• Johnny Depp
• Flea
• Billy Gibbons
• Whoopi Goldberg (brief flash)
• Woody Harrelson
• Dennis Hopper
• Terrence Howard
• Jay-Z
• Mick Jones
• Anthony Kiedis
• Kris Kristofferson
• Amy Lee
• Tommy Lee
• Adam Levine
• Shelby Lynne
• Chris Martin
• Kate Moss
• Graham Nash (holding photos of Johnny Cash)
• Iggy Pop
• Lisa Marie Presley
• Corinne Bailey Rae
• Keith Richards
• Chris Rock
• Kid Rock
• Rick Rubin
• Patti Smith
• Sharon Stone
• Justin Timberlake
• Q-Tip
• Kanye West
• Brian Wilson
• Owen Wilson

In order of appearance; Iggy Pop, Kanye West, Chris Martin, Kris Kristofferson, Patti Smith, Terrence Howard, Flea, Q-Tip, Adam Levine, Chris Rock, Justin Timberlake, Kate Moss, Sir Peter Blake, Sheryl Crow, Dennis Hopper, Woody Harrelson, Amy Lee, Tommy Lee, the Dixie Chicks, Mick Jones, Sharon Stone, Bono, Shelby Lynne, Anthony Kiedis, Travis Barker, Lisa Marie Presley, Kid Rock, Jay-Z, Keith Richards, Billy Gibbons, Corinne Bailey Rae, Johnny Depp, Graham Nash (holding photos of Johnny Cash)

It also briefly features archive footage of Cash himself. The video was shot entirely in black and white. Since its release, both the song and video have seen moderate airplay.

The video won the 2008 Grammy Award for Best Short Form Music Video.

The video was also covered by Rebel Son, Adding a little bit more upbeat sound to the song, Released on the "All my Demons" album.

The Johnny Cash version can also be heard in the following:

• In the opening of the second mission of the video game Battlefield 3
• In a 2011 commercial for Jeep Grand Cherokee
• In the 2007 documentary:The Most Hated Family in America.
• As bumper music for the Alex Jones radio show.
• In promotional commercials for the hit CW series Supernatural.
• In the trailer for the 2006 documentary Deliver Us from Evil.
• As entrance music for UFC Fighters Spencer Fisher and Jason Lambert, as well as professional wrestlers Tyson Dux, Brodie Lee, and "The Southern States Outlaw" Michael Cross.
• As the entrance song for left handed relief pitcher Joe Beimel of the Pittsburgh Pirates.
• As the entrance song for Lance Berkman, right fielder of the St. Louis Cardinals.
• As the entrance song for Arizona State pitcher Josh McAlister.
• EastEnders used the recording in a 2008 promotional video for Max Branning's Judgement Day.
• During the opening sequence and closing credits of David Ridgen's documentary Mississippi Cold Case made for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
• In the release trailer of the game Splinter Cell: Conviction.
• In 2010, the recording was used in the opening titles sequence of the ITV (UK) series Father and Son.
• As of June 16, 2010, a sample of the rhythm from this version is used as background music for a series of television commercials for the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee; most notably the "Manifesto" advertisement.
• In a video entitled "The Death of Liverpool FC" intended to highlight the protest against the owners of the club at the time.
• Rapper RL sampled this version in his track, entitled "God's Gonna Cut Us Down", on his album "T.H.R.E.E."
• In a trailer for the Coen brothers's film True Grit.
• In December 2010 in a trailer for ESPN's 30 for 30 film Pony Excess.
• In March 2011 in the Being Human episode "Though the Heavens Fall," as performed by Detroit Social Club.

Other artists

The single hit number one on the Christian charts after being released by Rick Hendrix and his positive music association. Musician Sean Michel covered the song during his audition on Season 6 of American Idol. Matchbox Twenty also used the song before playing "How Far We've Come" on their "Exile in America" tour. The New Jersey rock band The Gaslight Anthem have done a cover of this song as well. Recently, the Canadian rock band Three Days Grace has used the song in the opening of their live shows. Bobbie Gentry recorded a version as "Sermon" on her album The Delta Sweete. FireHouse guitarist Bill Leverty recorded a version for his third solo project Deep South a tribute album of traditional songs that have been around for well over the last century. Tom Jones recorded an uptempo version which appears on his 2010 album Praise & Blame.

Chart positions

Moby version: "Run On"

Chart (1999)	Peak position
UK Singles Chart	33

Johnny Cash version

Chart (2006)	Peak position
UK Singles Chart	77

The African American all women's singing group, "Sweet Honey in the Rock" also made a popular recording of the song called, "Run on for a Long Time" on their album entitled, "Still on the Journey".

External links

• Video for Johnny Cash's version of "God's Gonna Cut You Down" on Yahoo! Music
• "God's Gonna Cut You Down" lyrics