I’ve noticed that a lot of secular songs mention Jesus. Sometimes they’re doing it to be weird, but other times it just puzzles me…
The Velvet Underground- Jesus
VU would be one of the last bands I’d have expected to sing about Jesus. This songs actually sounds like a religious song.
Big Star- Jesus Christ
I’m not sure about this one. It sounds like some kind of christmas song, but it also seems like a parody.
Neutral Milk Hotel- King of Carrot Flowers part 2
I think they’re just doing it to be weird here. It’s my best guess.
Chris Bell- Better Save Yourself
I don’t know what to make of this one.
Billy Bragg/ Wilco- Jesus Christ for President
Of course, the lyrics were written by Woodie Guthrie. I’m guessing this one is making fun of religion’s role in politics.
R.E.M.'s “New Test Leper” (“I can’t say that I love Jesus/That would be a hollow claim”) and the new “Make It All Okay” (“Well, Jesus loves me fine/But his words fall flat this time”).
Whether or not a song is secular, Christianity so thoroughly permeates our society that it doesn’t seem at all unusual to me that Jesus would get a few mentions here and there.
If you’re looking for a reason that secular songs would mention Jesus, that’s a good place to start. The cognitive dissonance created by realizing the huge difference between what the Gospels report the actual (if you believe he was actual) man said and did and what Christian churches in general say and do compels many artists to explore the issue lyrically.
That’s a good point. I do think that’s why a lot of them do it.
Anyone else have thoughts about these songs? I was hoping for this thread to have more discussion in addition to listing songs. I didn’t make that very clear in my OP though.
“Can’t Hardly Wait” by the Replacements (“Jesus rides besides me/but he never buys any smokes”)
“Jesus Loves You (But Not as Much as I Do)” by Eve’s Plum
“Jesus Says” by Ash
“Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam” by the Vaselines
“Jesus of Suburbia” by Green Day
Also the band Jesus and Mary Chain isn’t a religious band. Or Jesus Jones.
If all you need is songs that MENTION the name “Jesus,” regardless of context, I can think of dozens.
Elton John’s “Tiny Dancer” features the lines:
“Jesus freaks out in the street
Handing tickets out for God
Turning back she just laughs
The boulevard is not that bad”
James Taylor’s “Fire and Rain”:
“Won’t you look down upon me, Jesus? You’ve got to help me make a stand.”
King Crimson’s “In the Wake of Poseidon”:
“Their children kneel in Jesus til they learn the price of nails, while all around our Mother Earth lies balanced on the scales.”
Dire Straits’ “Industrial Disease”:
“I go down to speaker’s corner. I’m thunderstruck.
They got free speech, tourists, police in trucks.
Two men say they’re Jesus- one of them must be wrong.
There’s a protest singer singing a protest song.”
Don Henley’s “If Dirt Were Dollars”:
“Flying back from Lubbock, I saw Jesus on the plane.
Or maybe it was Elvis. You know, they kinda look the same.”
The Rolling Stones’ “Far Away Eyes”:
“I was driving home early Sunday morning through Bakersfield,
Listening to gospel music on the colored radio station.
And the preacher said, you know you always have the Lord by your side.
And I was so pleased to be informed of this that I ran 20 red lights in his honor.
Thank you Jesus! Thank you, Lord!”
“Free Falling” has the line “She loves Jesus/ and America too”
They Might Be Giants’ “Kiss me, Son of God” isn’t particularly religious, either.
Who the heck did “Plastic Jesus”?
If indirect mentions (not by name) count, then in “American Pie” you have “The three men I admire the most/ The Father, Son, and Holy Ghost”.
And “Mrs. Robinson” has the line “Jesus loves you more than you can know”, but that seems sincere, so that line at least might be considered religious.
Levon wears his war wound like a crown
He calls his child jesus
`cause he likes the name
And he sends him to the finest school in town
Levon, levon likes his money
He makes a lot they say
Spend his days counting
In a garage by the motorway
He was born a pauper to a pawn on a christmas day
When the new york times said God is dead
And the war’s begun
Alvin tostig has a son today
And he shall be levon
And he shall be a good man
And he shall be levon
In tradition with the family plan
And he shall be levon
And he shall be a good man
He shall be levon
Levon sells cartoon balloons in town
His family business thrives
Jesus blows up balloons all day
Sits on the porch swing watching them fly
And jesus, he wants to go to venus
Leaving levon far behind
Take a balloon and go sailing
While levon, levon slowly dies
