Home | Songs By Year | Songs from 1991
Jesus He Knows Me
Buy Jesus He Knows Me now from AmazonFirst, read the Wikipedia article. Then, scroll down to see what other TopShelfReviews readers thought about the song. And once you've experienced the song, tell everyone what you thought about it.
Wikipedia article
{{Infobox song
| name = Jesus He Knows Me
| cover = Jesus he knows me.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Genesis
| album = We Can't Dance
| B-side = Hearts on Fire
| released =
| studio = The Farm, Surrey
| genre =
| length = 4:18 (single mix)
| label = Atlantic, Virgin
| writer = Tony Banks, Phil Collins, Mike Rutherford
| producer = Genesis, Nick Davis
| prev_title = Hold on My Heart
| prev_year = 1992
| next_title = Never a Time
| next_year = 1992
| misc =
}}
"'Jesus He Knows Me'" is a song by English rock band Genesis from their 14th studio album, 'We Can't Dance' (1991), released as the album's fourth single. The song is a satire of televangelism, released in a period when several televangelists such as Jimmy Swaggart, Robert Tilton and Jim Bakker were under investigation for promising financial success to their listeners, provided they sent money to them. The song reached 10 in Canada, No. 20 in the United Kingdom and No. 23 in the United States.
Background
Before the lyrics were added, the song's title was "Do The New Thing", possibly referencing Tony Banks' opening keyboard notes, which are heard again in the bridge. According to the behind-the-scenes documentary 'Genesis: No Admittance', the first lyric Phil Collins wrote out of improvisation was the chorus line '"Jesus, he knows me, and he knows I'm right"'. Following up that lyric logically took him to the idea of manic or fanatic Christians who believe that they are "in touch" with the Almighty, which was best personified by televangelists, many of whom finance their lavish lifestyles by conning believers out of charitable donations. Tony Banks has commented that the song is a bit more cynical than Collins's usual style of songwriting.
Release
Like all the singles from 'We Can't Dance,' "Jesus He Knows Me" was released on two CDs as well as on vinyl editions. All formats featured the non-album track "Hearts on Fire" (later included on 'Genesis Archive No. 2 19761992') as the primary B-side, while both CDs included an exclusive track.
The first CD contains "The Other Mix" of "I Can't Dance" (a remix by Ben Liebrand) and the second includes the rehearsal version of "Land of Confusion". "The Other Mix" is named as such because another version, the "Sex Mix," had been released some months before on the "I Can't Dance" CD single. The second CD was the fifth disc in "The Invisible Series," a collection of Genesis CDs which featured live recordings as extra tracks. The single mix of "Jesus He Knows Me" has a louder chorus than the album version, making it more suitable for radio play.
Live performances
The song was performed live on the 1992 'We Can't Dance' tour, although it was originally not going to be played because the band thought the live visuals were mocking religion. The band eventually decided to perform "Jesus He Knows Me" instead of "Living Forever," which was in the setlist at the time. Touring guitarist Daryl Stuermer played lead guitar, including a solo towards the end, while Mike Rutherford played bass.
Critical reception
Geoff Orens from AllMusic said the song is "surprisingly gritty". Larry Flick from 'Billboard' wrote, "Once again, venerable band digs into its double-platinum "'We Can't Dance'" opus and pulls out an instantly familiar, yet totally pleasing rock cut, tailor-made for play at several formats. Interesting twists come via a reggae-vibed break in the middle of the song and cutting lyrics. Be sure to check out the inventive music videoclip." 'Cashbox' said the song "is a more hard-drivin' Genesis, this time with a send up on television evangelists, in contrast to the current hit ballad, "Hold On My Heart". Phil serves up either vocal style with equal ability and likeability." 'The Daily Vault'
Music video
The music video features singer Phil Collins as an unscrupulous televangelist who lives like a millionaire thanks to donations from his followers. Collins has admitted that he was specifically parodying Ernest Angley in the video. According to Collins on the BBC show 'Room 101,' Angley was flattered by the parody[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7JHhXgqfKL0 "Room 101 Phil Collins Part 1, TV Evangelists"] and did not realize that his very occupation was being skewered. The opening monologue, which has been mistaken for a fictional scenario for the video clip, is based on an actual story Angley had told earlier in his career and which he recounted again in 2013.Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211205/KZrZZiLpl9E Ghostarchive] and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20160314144638/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZrZZiLpl9E Wayback Machine]: The comedic video also features fellow band members, keyboardist Tony Banks and guitarist Mike Rutherford, as fellow evangelists. Collins, outfitted in an orange suit, tries to have his viewers raise $18,000,000 in one weekend because "the Lord told it to him." In the final minute on the video, money is thrown by parishioners and also rains down on the set of the fake program. As the toteboard reaches his goal, the amount of money shown increases to $18,000,000. As the song fades out, Collins continues to preach before being dragged off the set by Rutherford and Banks, harking back to the clip to "I Can't Dance".
In the video near the 1:40 mark people can be seen holding a sign reading "Genesis 3:25," referring not to the Bible but to the fact that the band had been together for twenty-five years and had had three members for most of that time.
In the original version of the video, the "toll-free number" referred to in the lyrics was shown as 1-555-GEN-ESIS. This was covered up by a scroll bar in later edits of the video. (The 555 area code actually does not prefix any known toll-free telephone numbers.)
At the Brit Awards in 1993 the video was nominated for British Video of the Year.
Use in media
"Jesus He Knows Me" was featured in the 1996 Belgian film 'Le huitime jour' by Jaco Van Dormael. The song was originally intended to be used in the 1995 'The Simpsons' episode "Bart Sells His Soul", but as the producers could not obtain the rights to use it, "In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida" by Iron Butterfly was used instead.
Track listings
'7-inch and cassette single'
# "Jesus He Knows Me" (single mix)
# "Hearts on Fire"
'UK CD1 and Australian CD single'
# "Jesus He Knows Me" (single mix)
# "Hearts on Fire"
# "I Can't Dance" (the other mix)
'UK CD2'
# "Jesus He Knows Me" (single mix)
# "Hearts on Fire"
# "Land of Confusion (rehearsal version)
Personnel
* Tony Banks keyboards
* Phil Collins drums, vocals
* Mike Rutherford electric guitars, bass guitar
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
References
*
Buy Jesus He Knows Me now from Amazon
<-- Return to songs from 1991