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.
They call me White Devil, Black Jesus
Heaven closes, hell freezes
Egos trippin, scripts keep flippin
Bloods keep bloodin, Crips keep crippin
Time keeps slippin and I keep fallin
I can't see but I hear them callin
Ballers ballin, players playin
Haters fightin, righteous payin
Dawn breakin, I can keep makin
Brooklyn keep takin, shook ones keep shakin
No time for fakin, not me
I ain't jumpin no bars, just risin like cream
And if you diggin the scene, you feelin the vibes
Throw your hands in the air, scream out you alive
Singin
Na-na-na-na-na
Singin
Na-na-na-na-na
Singin
Na-na-na-na-na
Singin
Na-na-na-na-na
They call me Black Jesus, White Moses
Heaven freezes, hell closes
be -boy poses, punk rock chicks
The kids are alright but I need my fix
If you dig in the mix, feelin the drugs
If you keepin it real, if you livin like thugs
I spit kisses and hugs like .45 slugs
Come back on the one and kiss my love gun
Got a look that'll kill, voice that'll carry
Half a dozen women that I think I want to marry
Got trouble on my mind, I'm refusin to lose
And still I gotta find me someone to abuse
So won't you run spread the news, help say the word
You jump the fuck back and just act like you heard
They call me
White Devil, Black Jesus
Heaven closes, hell freezes
Black Jesus, White Moses
Heaven freezes, hell closes
Singin
Na-na-na-na-na
Singin
Na-na-na-na-na
Singin
Na-na-na-na-na
Singin
Na-na-na-na-na
Singin
(Waaaah-wah-wah-waaaaah
Shooby-doo-waaah
Waaaah-wah-wah-waaaaah)
They call me white sinner, black martyr
Livewire, firestarter
Jungle Brother, redneck cracker
Freak of nature, new world slacker
Sex junkie lookin for a dealer
You could play the leper, girl, and I could play the healer
Shit is only gettin realer, baby, haven't you heard
That the Bird, Bird, Bird, yes, the Bird is the word
It go one for the troubled, two for the times
Three for my homies and four for the dimes
Singin lemons to the limes to the break of dawn
Excuse me (six minutes) Everlast, you're on
And it go on and on like a rolling stone
Baby, anywhere I lay my hat is my home
They call me
White Devil, Black Jesus
Heaven closes, hell freezes
Black Jesus, White Moses
Heaven freezes, hell closes
Singin
Na-na-na-na-na (repeated till end)
Heaven closes, hell freezes
Egos trippin, scripts keep flippin
Bloods keep bloodin, Crips keep crippin
Time keeps slippin and I keep fallin
I can't see but I hear them callin
Ballers ballin, players playin
Haters fightin, righteous payin
Dawn breakin, I can keep makin
Brooklyn keep takin, shook ones keep shakin
No time for fakin, not me
I ain't jumpin no bars, just risin like cream
And if you diggin the scene, you feelin the vibes
Throw your hands in the air, scream out you alive
Singin
Na-na-na-na-na
Singin
Na-na-na-na-na
Singin
Na-na-na-na-na
Singin
Na-na-na-na-na
They call me Black Jesus, White Moses
Heaven freezes, hell closes
be -boy poses, punk rock chicks
The kids are alright but I need my fix
If you dig in the mix, feelin the drugs
If you keepin it real, if you livin like thugs
I spit kisses and hugs like .45 slugs
Come back on the one and kiss my love gun
Got a look that'll kill, voice that'll carry
Half a dozen women that I think I want to marry
Got trouble on my mind, I'm refusin to lose
And still I gotta find me someone to abuse
So won't you run spread the news, help say the word
You jump the fuck back and just act like you heard
They call me
White Devil, Black Jesus
Heaven closes, hell freezes
Black Jesus, White Moses
Heaven freezes, hell closes
Singin
Na-na-na-na-na
Singin
Na-na-na-na-na
Singin
Na-na-na-na-na
Singin
Na-na-na-na-na
Singin
(Waaaah-wah-wah-waaaaah
Shooby-doo-waaah
Waaaah-wah-wah-waaaaah)
They call me white sinner, black martyr
Livewire, firestarter
Jungle Brother, redneck cracker
Freak of nature, new world slacker
Sex junkie lookin for a dealer
You could play the leper, girl, and I could play the healer
Shit is only gettin realer, baby, haven't you heard
That the Bird, Bird, Bird, yes, the Bird is the word
It go one for the troubled, two for the times
Three for my homies and four for the dimes
Singin lemons to the limes to the break of dawn
Excuse me (six minutes) Everlast, you're on
And it go on and on like a rolling stone
Baby, anywhere I lay my hat is my home
They call me
White Devil, Black Jesus
Heaven closes, hell freezes
Black Jesus, White Moses
Heaven freezes, hell closes
Singin
Na-na-na-na-na (repeated till end)
Lyrics submitted by DallasLeigh
Black Jesus Lyrics as written by Al Frazier Erik Schrody
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Lyrics powered by LyricFind
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Its about being top cat in the streets and being bad news to the underdog.thinking he is the shit
This soge kicks Opreah's ass it is fuckin awesome I would have sex wit it if it was a human being. Everlast knew what he was doin wit this song
This song gets stuck in my head, even thought I can never rememeber the words accurately! And his voice...........ooh la la!
i love this song it is so fuckin awesome
this is a sweet song its got a nice beat with a sorta clasic rock sound to it so well i think its an awsome soge by Everlast
It's a slow rap. I don't Eminem could pull this off. Great song.
it's a song about how much of a tripping, flipping, ass-kicking badass he is.
Life on the streets.is only the slow and cold way to die.thugs muggin.theifs steeling pistels cappin in a minute kid dieing minds alterd dumpster dinners. bitches sniches there's no rags to riches.just pepole keep killing for what might be in your wallet.
Fuck everyone. this song is the best. everlast fucking awesome and his voice owns everyones face