In regards to the meaning of this song:
Before a live performance on the EP Five Stories Falling, Geoff states “It’s about the last time I went to visit my grandmother in Columbus, and I saw that she was dying and it was the last time I was going to see her. It is about realizing how young you are, but how quickly you can go.”
That’s the thing about Geoff and his sublime poetry, you think it’s about one thing, but really it’s about something entirely different. But the lyrics are still universal and omnipresent, ubiquitous, even. So relatable. That’s one thing I love about this band. I also love their live performances, raw energy and Geoff’s beautiful, imperfectly perfect vocals. His voice soothes my aching soul.
There's an ugly little wasel 'bout three-foot nine
Face puffed up from cryin' 'n lyin'
'Cause her sweet little hubby's
Suckin' prong part time
(In the name of The Lord)
Get a clue, little shrew
Oh yeah, oh yeah
Jesus thinks you're a jerk
Did he really choose Tammy to do His Work?
Robertson says that he's The One
Oh sure he is,
If Armageddon
Is your idea of family fun,
An' he's got some planned for you!
(Now, tell me that ain't true)
Now, what if Jimbo's slightly gay,
Will Pat let Jimbo get away?
Everything we've heard him say
Indicated that Jim must pay,
(And it just might hurt a bit)
But keep that money rollin' in,
'Cause Pat and naughty Jimbo
Can't get enough of it
Perhaps it's their idea
Of an Affirmative Action Plan
To give White Trash a 'special break',
Well, they took those Jeezo-bucks and ran
To the bank! To the bank! To the bank! To the bank!
And every night we can hear them thank
Their Buddy, up above
For sending down his love
(While you all smell the glove)
Jim and Pat should take a pole
(Right up each saintly glory-hole),
With tar and feathers too
Just like they'd love to do to you
('Cause they think you are bad
And they are very mad)
'Cause some folks don't want prayer in school!
(We'd need an ark to survive the drool
Of Micro-publicans, raised on hate,
And 'Jimbo-Jimbo' when they graduate)
Conviced they are 'The Chosen Ones'
And all their parents carry guns,
And hold them cards in the N.R.A.
(With their fingers on the triggers
When they kneel and pray)
With a Ku-Klux muu-muu
In the back of the truck,
If you ain't Born Again,
They wanna mess you up, screamin',
"No abortion, no-siree!"
"Life's too precious, can't you see!"
(What's that hangin' from the neighbor's tree?
Why, it looks like 'colored folks' to me
Would they do that seriously?)
Imagine if you will
A multi-millionaire Television Evangelist,
Saved from Korean Combat duty by his father, a U.S. Senator
Studied Law
But is not qualified to practice it
Father of a "love child"
Who, in adulthood, hosts the remnants
Of papa's religious propaganda program
Claims not to be a "Faith Healer",
But has, in the past,
Dealt sternly with everything from hemorrhoids to hurricanes
Involved with funding for a 'secret war' in Central America
Claiming Ronald Reagan and Oliver North as close friends
Involved in suspicous 'tax-avoidance schemes',
(Under investigation for 16 months by the I.R.S.)
Claims to be a MAN OF GOD;
Currenty seeking the United States Presidency,
Hoping we will all follow him into
The Twilight Zone
What if Pat gets in the White House,
And suddenly
The rights of 'certain people' disappear
Mysteriously?
Now, wouldn't that sort of qualify
As an American Tragedy?
(Especially if he covers it up, sayin'
"Jesus told it to me!")
I hope we never see that day,
In The Land of The Free
Or someday will we?
Will we?
And if you don't know by now,
The truth of what I'm tellin' you,
Then, surely I have failed somehow
And Jesus will think I'm a jerk, just like you
If you let those TV Preachers
Make a monkey out of you!
I said,
"Jesus will think you're a jerk"
And it will be true!
There's an old rugged cross
In the land of cutton
It's still burnin' on somebody's lawn
And it still smells rotten
Jim and Tammy!
Oh, baby!
You gotta go!
You really got to go
Face puffed up from cryin' 'n lyin'
'Cause her sweet little hubby's
Suckin' prong part time
(In the name of The Lord)
Get a clue, little shrew
Oh yeah, oh yeah
Jesus thinks you're a jerk
Did he really choose Tammy to do His Work?
Robertson says that he's The One
Oh sure he is,
If Armageddon
Is your idea of family fun,
An' he's got some planned for you!
(Now, tell me that ain't true)
Now, what if Jimbo's slightly gay,
Will Pat let Jimbo get away?
Everything we've heard him say
Indicated that Jim must pay,
(And it just might hurt a bit)
But keep that money rollin' in,
'Cause Pat and naughty Jimbo
Can't get enough of it
Perhaps it's their idea
Of an Affirmative Action Plan
To give White Trash a 'special break',
Well, they took those Jeezo-bucks and ran
To the bank! To the bank! To the bank! To the bank!
And every night we can hear them thank
Their Buddy, up above
For sending down his love
(While you all smell the glove)
Jim and Pat should take a pole
(Right up each saintly glory-hole),
With tar and feathers too
Just like they'd love to do to you
('Cause they think you are bad
And they are very mad)
'Cause some folks don't want prayer in school!
(We'd need an ark to survive the drool
Of Micro-publicans, raised on hate,
And 'Jimbo-Jimbo' when they graduate)
Conviced they are 'The Chosen Ones'
And all their parents carry guns,
And hold them cards in the N.R.A.
(With their fingers on the triggers
When they kneel and pray)
With a Ku-Klux muu-muu
In the back of the truck,
If you ain't Born Again,
They wanna mess you up, screamin',
"No abortion, no-siree!"
"Life's too precious, can't you see!"
(What's that hangin' from the neighbor's tree?
Why, it looks like 'colored folks' to me
Would they do that seriously?)
Imagine if you will
A multi-millionaire Television Evangelist,
Saved from Korean Combat duty by his father, a U.S. Senator
Studied Law
But is not qualified to practice it
Father of a "love child"
Who, in adulthood, hosts the remnants
Of papa's religious propaganda program
Claims not to be a "Faith Healer",
But has, in the past,
Dealt sternly with everything from hemorrhoids to hurricanes
Involved with funding for a 'secret war' in Central America
Claiming Ronald Reagan and Oliver North as close friends
Involved in suspicous 'tax-avoidance schemes',
(Under investigation for 16 months by the I.R.S.)
Claims to be a MAN OF GOD;
Currenty seeking the United States Presidency,
Hoping we will all follow him into
The Twilight Zone
What if Pat gets in the White House,
And suddenly
The rights of 'certain people' disappear
Mysteriously?
Now, wouldn't that sort of qualify
As an American Tragedy?
(Especially if he covers it up, sayin'
"Jesus told it to me!")
I hope we never see that day,
In The Land of The Free
Or someday will we?
Will we?
And if you don't know by now,
The truth of what I'm tellin' you,
Then, surely I have failed somehow
And Jesus will think I'm a jerk, just like you
If you let those TV Preachers
Make a monkey out of you!
I said,
"Jesus will think you're a jerk"
And it will be true!
There's an old rugged cross
In the land of cutton
It's still burnin' on somebody's lawn
And it still smells rotten
Jim and Tammy!
Oh, baby!
You gotta go!
You really got to go
Lyrics submitted by Philadelphia Eagles
Jesus Thinks You're a Jerk Lyrics as written by Frank Zappa
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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I think your first comment is closer to being accurate. The singer/song writers state "Millions of eyes can see, yet why am i so blind!? When the someone else is me, its unkind its unkind". I believe hes referring to the girl toying with him and using him. He wants something deeper with her, thats why he allows himself to be as a puppet (even though for her fun and games) as long as it makes her happy. But he knows deep down that she doesnt really want to be serious with him and thats what makes him.
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Who are Pat and Jimbo? I'm guessing they were American politicians, does anyone know?
This song is good in that it highlights the fact that just because someone says they are a Christian, doesn't necessarily mean that they are one. Jesus may 'think your are a jerk' when you profess to be following him but in actual fact you are not. It's like Jesus even said himself "people will call me 'Lord', but not do the things I say" (paraphrased).
So although there are many who are Christian by name only, and do some terrible things, I don't think that should be a cause for us to be unfair to the real followers of Jesus that are trying to do good.
pat robertson and jimmy swaggart and they we're televangelists. and tammy is tammy faye baker, and that is what the song is about, them and the hypocrisies of theres. Zappa was a Secular Humanist so he wasn't really a follower of Jesus, he was a good person just a different religion than most people.<br /> <br /> Listen to the albums "The Best Band You've Never Heard Of" and "Broadway the Hardway" also look up Frank Zappa Beatles Medley for a nice live unreleased song.
Very creative artist. BTW, Tammy Faye Baker died in 2009, I believe. She wasn't as bad as the press she received; she appeared to have come clean with both God and herself after leaving her husband whose arse went to prison (and rightfully so). As for the song, I hate the title for Jesus doesn't think anyone's a jerk. He knows man sins and He has ways to deal with it, just as the state has its own brand of justice.
She died July 2007. Time seems to fly.
I watched her on that stupid reality show, but it was good to see another side of the woman who had once been on top of the world (in the minds of thousands and fiscally).
Zappa's dad was a mathetician who worked in the field of chemical warfare. Frank was not raised with any religion; therefore, one can surmise that his lack of Christian or otherwise religious teaching would most likely produce an atheist or secular humanist. According to wiki, "He was a strident critic of mainstream education and organized religion." As for televangelists, it's not only atheists who have little use for them. When I think of Jesus preaching barefoot on a hillside, the thought of expensive churches turns my stomachs. However, one cannot dismiss all the money raised by the flock that does go to the needy of the local communities; the state; the nation; and poor countries. I don't see atheists gathering together to help millions of strangers...
@bobu Pat and Jimbo were Tele-evangelists back in the 1980's who gave the true nature of Jesus a bad name. They preyed on the vulnerable and extorted many thousands of dollars out of very sincere people. Absolute con men, swindling people in Jesus' name.