[Dottore]

So we're sitting around drinking bourbon and listening to Johnny tonight, and all of us were perplexed by lyrics we had heard a hundred times, but to which we had never given much thought.

So what the hell does this mean?

Quote:

And the whirlwind is in the thorn trees
The virgins are all trimming their wicks
The whirlwind is in the thorn trees
It's hard for thee to kick against the pricks
Till Armageddon no shalom no shalom

Unquote

The rest of "When the Man Comes Around" is very transparent—and a brilliant song—but this text in the middle had us all puzzled.

Would welcome your input.