The song lyrics were written by the band Van Halen, as they were asked to write a song for the 1979 movie "Over the Edge" starring Matt Dillon. The movie (and the lyrics, although more obliquely) are about bored, rebellious youth with nothing better to do than get into trouble. If you see the movie, these lyrics will make more sense. It's a great movie if you grew up in the 70s/80s you'll definitely remember some of these characters from your own life. Fun fact, after writing the song, Van Halen decided not to let the movie use it.
I grew up in New York City
Since I was born on Broadway, baby
Moved downtown when I was just nineteen
To start a new life on the New York scene
There's no way I could be stopped
Was taking my best shot
I had better plans there's no way I could be stopped
Was coming for your spot I met a better man
Amen, on the runway
Dressed in his best
Amen fashion, on the runway
Work it, black Jesus
Amen, on the runway
Dressed in his best
Amen fashion, on the runway
Work it, black Jesus
Dancing in my revelation
Underground pop civilization
Concrete poetry to feed my mind
Old symbolism was left behind
There's no way I could be stopped
Was taking my best shot
I had better plans, there's there's no way I could be stopped
Was coming for your spot, I met a better man
Amen, on the runway
Dressed in his best
Amen fashion, on the runway
Work it, black Jesus
Amen, on the runway
Dressed in his best
Amen fashion, on the runway
Work it, black Jesus
Put it on, amen fashion
Celebrate, oh oh, a new compassion
Put it on, amen fashion
Celebrate, ooh ooh, style your passion
Put it on, amen fashion
Celebrate, oh oh, a new compassion
Put it on, amen fashion
Celebrate, oh oh, wear out your vision
Black Jesus, black Jesus, black Jesus
Jesus is the new black, oh
Amen, on the runway
Dressed in his best
Amen fashion, on the runway
Work it, black Jesus
Amen, on the runway
Dressed in his best
Amen fashion, on the runway
Work it, black Jesus
Amen, on the runway
Dressed in his best
Amen fashion, on the runway
Work it, black Jesus
Amen, on the runway
Dressed in his best
Amen fashion, on the runway
Work it, black Jesus
Since I was born on Broadway, baby
Moved downtown when I was just nineteen
To start a new life on the New York scene
There's no way I could be stopped
Was taking my best shot
I had better plans there's no way I could be stopped
Was coming for your spot I met a better man
Amen, on the runway
Dressed in his best
Amen fashion, on the runway
Work it, black Jesus
Amen, on the runway
Dressed in his best
Amen fashion, on the runway
Work it, black Jesus
Dancing in my revelation
Underground pop civilization
Concrete poetry to feed my mind
Old symbolism was left behind
There's no way I could be stopped
Was taking my best shot
I had better plans, there's there's no way I could be stopped
Was coming for your spot, I met a better man
Amen, on the runway
Dressed in his best
Amen fashion, on the runway
Work it, black Jesus
Amen, on the runway
Dressed in his best
Amen fashion, on the runway
Work it, black Jesus
Put it on, amen fashion
Celebrate, oh oh, a new compassion
Put it on, amen fashion
Celebrate, ooh ooh, style your passion
Put it on, amen fashion
Celebrate, oh oh, a new compassion
Put it on, amen fashion
Celebrate, oh oh, wear out your vision
Black Jesus, black Jesus, black Jesus
Jesus is the new black, oh
Amen, on the runway
Dressed in his best
Amen fashion, on the runway
Work it, black Jesus
Amen, on the runway
Dressed in his best
Amen fashion, on the runway
Work it, black Jesus
Amen, on the runway
Dressed in his best
Amen fashion, on the runway
Work it, black Jesus
Amen, on the runway
Dressed in his best
Amen fashion, on the runway
Work it, black Jesus
Lyrics submitted by hundredskies
Black Jesus + Amen Fashion Lyrics as written by Stefani J. Germanotta Paul Edward Blair
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Someone should give me an interpretation that doesn't involve religious sights. for us atheists. i love this song, but need some meaning.
Easily done.<br /> <br /> I always thought the song about a greatly admired african-american model. The song is from the point of view of a newcomer to the underground fashion scene and she is very impressed with this guy's work, enough that she compairs him to Jesus.
okay...able to speak freely about interpretation now that 06202012 has passed. (Here goes, get your Charlie Sheen, on bros)I myself have always believe that I crawled out of a burning ring of fire. Shut-up Dante, It's entirely possible. Sweetheart, I'm a non believer of established religions too, but, at the same time I'm also Catholic, protestant, mu slum, and some of the time Orthodox Jew, these are called delusions...they're awesome. (My advise; Overall, don't be afraid of who you want to be, let your guard down, or put On a mask, everyday is Halloween with Gaga, that includes the Celtic take. Look, she's a gender reassigned Arch Angel...what were you expecting.) Give you an example. Today I am the daughter of Issis, the Queen of Shebah, the bride of Solomon, and Mother of David. No.... not the one who makes cars disappear. Of course there's no "GOD" as you may have been led to believe in the past. God is a state of mind, like a New York state of mind.(and she was born on Broadway baby!) There IS something out there, but for now, we blame it on the flux capacitor, only, got it? Once upon a time, humans were put under the spell of ignorance, now our brain are only running at half capacity, and cannot yet push through, or break the shackles that hold us back. (I don't want to brag, but I was able to do this, only because I opened up my mind to creativity, oh ya, and dared to kiss a physically challenged racist frog, ha ha! (Okay, here's a quiz... who quoted the Simpsons, and said "Ha ha" at the Gramies I'll give you a clue...she's a chick, and she really scares me when she get's pissed. She speaks her mind, and is never willing to back down, but that's easy to say, when you are from Texas, and you can probably buy M 16's at the local Piggly Wiggly. Thank Goodness she didn't have time to go round and round on that occasion. Maybe that's why she's perpetually dizzy, and always has to take the long way around....probably better for the public that way. Anyway, back to my interpretation on " What the hell are we doing here?"...I kissed the frog and poof, there it was, all laid out before me. I do realize it may be hard for some, just ask Steven Greer what happens to you when you try to do this without being in the council. In other words... you can't bribe the bouncer, and get in, if he does not know you, or trust you. (I know, I'm talking in cryptic rhymes, do you still want to play? Are you catching on to the interpretation game? We all have that inside conscience and an outside consciousness, but we are really all one. Ever look into a mirror in front of you and behind you? We are all God, and we are all Satan, and we all have a multiple-personality disorder. (I just had an psychic moment and saw Eli-Lilly's stock go up) You can just say I'm a non believer, and here's my take, but you can't say what you said, and still enjoy being in this forum. Let's face it, some people are still all about that quest for the original de-oxy-pad-ribonucleic acid. Lucy Eve, who knows (Well... I actually do, but you'll have to sing for your supper, rabbit) "My Precious" says spegle. (You see, this hobby....it's as much about references as it is about interpretation. Mostly to explain what we have to say with sparkle and humor...(crystal-meth dealers get an exemption here... of course,they have to)...but say what you mean, mean what you say, and if you don't want to be boring, voila... use a reference, as maybe, a philosopher might if you feel one coming on. In my minds eye, the original, Angle dog and Demon council intended only to marvel at the mutation of DNA. Oh,the splendid diversity of it all...Ok, Ok it wasn't such a hot idea in the end, 2012, but....but they are back at the drawing board, trying one more time! (Angle dogs and Demons that is) do you ever wonder why the human mind is linear? Because it's an experiment! I mean time does not really exist does it, think about it, does anybody really know what time it is? "Play the game damn you!" Very well, here's how it goes, follow along, Donkey kong, With time thrown into the plan, things tended to change...without their guidance, and it took on a life of it's own. The geeks would call this their chaos theory. I call it primordial soup with too much Red Bull. And we all know that those (whisper, whisper)Geeks are mesmerized by their lava lamps aren't they? Well, Virginia, there is a God if you want there to be one. In the mean time, put on your philosophical thinking cap, and join the fun! Let's all celebrate and have a good time. It's a tickle fight. Interpretation can be hard. Unfortunately for you, women are better at this game because we like to study human nature, whereas our male counterparts tend to focus more on human mating nature, especially on the internet. Anyway this IS the essence of being a lyricist, I think. THIS is their gift, and interpreters, like us, just code breaks for the hell of it. (unless we're drunk, in which case, we make up for it by dancing) Hell, just a couple of weeks ago, I went around singing, "Where in the world is Luka Maganata" (my dear ...it's all about the REFERENCE and the Inference) So....Jesus is the knew black (think of all the symbolism of black, negativity, black mark, Black sheep.) In the end If Gaga wants the position of the new messiah, I say, let her have it. I mean do YOU want it? There's no vacation time, job security, and just try to explain to the unemployment insurance people, exactly how you got fired. That is why she says "Money" at the beginning of Bloody Mary. I really think that all us little monsters should gather together and say, you're a great fit, the job is yours. But for heavens sake, for hells sake, DO fear the reaper, martyrdom is old school. Ding, Ding, next round, SSDD ...She is just a poor girl and her stories seldom told... she claims to be retro-sexual, kind of a understatement don't ya think? But that's why we love her, she appeals to all ages, all everything. And I know she does "love me", Uriel, because I'm a playful little Arch angel, and metaphysically challenged to bout... however, I was born that way. (I'm pretty sure I was born anyway(?) We better spread the word across the universal sky, to Michelangelo, Cesar Nostradamus, (our all time favorite 16th century papa-rot-sy)roll out the carpet, drag out the oil paint! Hold the presses. We now know something about a queen, There were trumpets playing, and something, something, something, the archer hit the tree (hey I have a knew cross bow, I could be the archer). (Secret question for Niel Young....exactly how big was that tree, was it coniferous, deciduous, did it come with 100 mini LED lights?) Okay, enough's enough, you must surely get the drift don't you? It's about getting your message out in a subtle way. Under the table communication... was coming for your spot...her revelation, She wants a new order...she's taking her best shot...I had better plans. Is her encryption really that different from Michelangelo's, plant that subliminal seed. If she came right out and said it, she'd be ostracized, Michelangelo would have been jailed. And whether or not you like it, it does have religious meaning. That's the theme of most of the album. See, that was fun, wasn't it? I got my message out ......now wheres my risperidone?