Let The Lower Lights Be Running
Johnny Cash · Other Songs - Johnny Cash
But to us He gives the keeping of the lights along the shore.
Let the lower lights be burning! Send a gleam across the wave!
For to us He gives the keeping of the lights along the shore.
Dark the night of sin has settled, loud the angry billows roar;
Eager eyes are watching, longing, for the lights, along the shore.
Let the lower lights be burning! Send a gleam across the wave!
Eager eyes are watching, longing, for the lights, along the shore.
Trim your feeble lamp, my brother, some poor sailor tempest tossed,
Trying now to make the harbor, in the darkness may be lost.
Let the lower lights be burning! Send a gleam across the wave!
Trying now to make the harbor, some poor sailor may be lost.
Let The Lower Lights Be Running
Johnny Cash's rendition of "Let The Lower Lights Be Running" captures the solemnity and warmth characteristic of his later gospel recordings. Drawing from a traditional hymn, the song reflects Cash's enduring connection to spiritual themes throughout his extensive discography. His deep, resonant baritone delivers the message with a sense of quiet urgency, inviting listeners to find comfort in simple, guiding lights during times of darkness. This performance stands as a testament to Cash's ability to reinterpret classic material, infusing it with the weight of his personal journey and the broader American folk tradition. The recording remains a cherished example of his mastery in blending religious sentiment with his signature storytelling style.