Ben Folds — Jesusland
Album: Songs For SilvermanAvg rating:
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Total ratings: 520
Length: 4:25
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Take a walk
out the gate you go and never stop
past all the stores and wig shops
quarter in a cup for every block
and watch the buildings grow
smaller as you go
Down the tracks
beautiful McMansions on a hill
that overlook a highway
with riverboat casinos and you still
have yet to see a soul
Jesusland
Jesusland
Town to town
broadcast to each house, they drop your name
but no one knows your face
Billboards quoting things you'd never say
you hang your head and pray
for Jesusland
Jesusland
Miles and miles
and the sun goin' down
Pulses glow
from their homes
You're not alone
Lights come on
as you lay your weary head on their lawn
Parking lots
cracked and growing grass you see it all
from offices to farms
crosses flying high above the malls
A longer walk
through Jesusland
Jesusland
out the gate you go and never stop
past all the stores and wig shops
quarter in a cup for every block
and watch the buildings grow
smaller as you go
Down the tracks
beautiful McMansions on a hill
that overlook a highway
with riverboat casinos and you still
have yet to see a soul
Jesusland
Jesusland
Town to town
broadcast to each house, they drop your name
but no one knows your face
Billboards quoting things you'd never say
you hang your head and pray
for Jesusland
Jesusland
Miles and miles
and the sun goin' down
Pulses glow
from their homes
You're not alone
Lights come on
as you lay your weary head on their lawn
Parking lots
cracked and growing grass you see it all
from offices to farms
crosses flying high above the malls
A longer walk
through Jesusland
Jesusland
Comments (72)add comment
I hear the Apollo 13 soundtrack (which is not a bad thing).
Love this track, such a jolly tune behind the lyrics!
crystalboy wrote:
Ha, I was just thinking that!
"Rows of houses that are all the same, and no one seems to care"
Younger brother to the Monkees "Pleasant Valley Sunday"
Ha, I was just thinking that!
"Rows of houses that are all the same, and no one seems to care"
crystalboy wrote:
That's Carole King's Pleasant Valley Sunday. Based on Pleasant Valley Way in West
Orange NJ (where King lived) and right up the road from where I live...
Tony in NJ
W.A.S.T.E.
Younger brother to the Monkees "Pleasant Valley Sunday"
That's Carole King's Pleasant Valley Sunday. Based on Pleasant Valley Way in West
Orange NJ (where King lived) and right up the road from where I live...
Tony in NJ
W.A.S.T.E.
stickers11 wrote:
You read my thoughts!!
I love this song. All about the evils or urban sprawl. Oh, plus the god stuff.
You read my thoughts!!
I love his this!
Wait a minute. Someone born the year I graduated high school is age 53? What the actual .... ?
massagegoddess wrote:
This 13 year old reply from massagegoddess (lol) about god billboards is why I've rated this one an 8 despite not liking the song a lot. Sometimes the message is MORE than the content to me, and I'll stick with the 8 and say LLRP!!
Baby_M wrote:
Lovely piano, pretentious and shallow lyrics.
Pretentious to those who do not get its genius. The machine that sells Jesus to the masses would never lift a finger to actually help him if they ran into him on the street. I love the part "Billboard quoting things you'd never say.." I think of this song everytime I see those -God billboards
This 13 year old reply from massagegoddess (lol) about god billboards is why I've rated this one an 8 despite not liking the song a lot. Sometimes the message is MORE than the content to me, and I'll stick with the 8 and say LLRP!!
Aud wrote:
I don't hear that at all, thankfully.
Reminds me of Dust in the Wind-Kansas
Please don't remind me that again!
I don't hear that at all, thankfully.
Anybody Familiar with Gravenhurst? That would interest you i'll think...if you like his voice, but the mood is slightly different compared to this song.
I love this song. All about the evils or urban sprawl. Oh, plus the god stuff.
Baby_M wrote:
Lovely piano, pretentious and shallow lyrics.
Pretentious to those who do not get its genius. The machine that sells Jesus to the masses would never lift a finger to actually help him if they ran into him on the street. I love the part "Billboard quoting things you'd never say.." I think of this song everytime I see those -God billboards
Not going to be a favourite for me.
He has a very boring voice. And the music doesn't help a little either.
it hurts so bad. 
daveesh wrote:
he sounds like art garfunkel to me... i like this.
I thought the same thing. Not bad...
he sounds like art garfunkel to me... i like this.
Reminds me of Dust in the Wind-Kansas
Personally, to me he sounds like that band Ben Folds Five. Remember that song "Brick?" Yeah, a definite rip-off of them.
daveesh wrote:
he sounds like art garfunkel to me... i like this.
Reminds me of Dust in the Wind-Kansas
Please don't remind me that again!
I can usually take or leave BFF. This I'll leave. 
Ben Folds is great. Love Ben Folds Five, and a lot of his solo work.
The "precise harmony" and unusual chord progressions are a large part of why I like his music.
Saw him solo at Ravinia along with Rufus Wainwright, and it was a great show...
love this song, especially the lyrics....McMansions on a hill
Yeah the page is wacked and the chorus to this song is so annoying I can't get through it.
pdxguy wrote:
whats up with the formating of this webpage? anyone else have a messed up page?
yup.
pdxguy wrote:
whats up with the formating of this webpage? anyone else have a messed up page?
This concerns me a bit. The formatting is messed up for me too. Nobody else is referring to it, tho, and I notice that you (like me) are in Portland. Are you on a Mac, too? Is it just us?? Oh God, what does it mean?!!! Could we be in Jesusland?!!
More BF! Love it!
If you can ever see him in concert be sure to go. Great performance.
whats up with the formating of this webpage? anyone else have a messed up page?
GregX59 wrote:
Damn - he can play, can't he?
Yeah, I really haven't listened to this guy, but his fast fingers have caught my attention in this one.
Ho Hum. A variation on a lullaby, silky strings, empty precise harmonies. Zzzzzz.....
he sounds like art garfunkel to me... i like this.
Nicely done. It's good to hear Ben in RP, too.
Whatta great voice and smooth tunes.
And let's not forget the piano...and ten fingers that
are playing oh so beautiful...
Oh and I love him holding that camera. Go Ben, go!
:)
Baby_M wrote:
Lovely piano, pretentious and shallow lyrics.
Wait a minute, you didn't say anything about the singing voice... you
know, that sounds that happens when a man hurts himself in a sensitive
place? I was so happy to hear this song because it gave me another
opportunity to say I HATE THIS GUY'S VOICE!
Younger brother to the Monkees "Pleasant Valley Sunday"
McMansions!
DMay wrote:
Haha, that's so funny. Funny because it's true.
An alternate name for the northern country: "Bahanada". Makes it sound a bit warmer.
I just love the map! 
JCR wrote:
I have never heard this guy before and I live in a very liberal state (Maryland) and I am a middle-of- the-road guy politically but his voice was pretty good. It could grow on me. I give him an "8" on a 1 to 10 scale.
Precisely what is the address for the rock under which you live? I don't say that to be cruel, but you've honestly never heard of Ben Folds? And you live in Maryland, just north of North Carolina? Wow, impressive. May I refer you to a plethora of works by Mr. Folds and company...if you like this, begin with their self-titled debut (1995). If you like that, move on to their sophomore effort (1997).
Likeable tune, though not distinctly different from the Fives.
I have never heard this guy before and I live in a very liberal state (Maryland) and I am a middle-of- the-road guy politically but his voice was pretty good. It could grow on me. I give him an "8" on a 1 to 10 scale.
LLMikeJ wrote:
Bill mentioned this map while introducing this song... figured I'd post it for those who hadn't seen it yet.
(map graphic is whacked -admin)
Haha, that's so funny. Funny because it's true.
Trustocity wrote:
And has anyone else detected a "Barrytown" rip-off here?
Ben covered that song for the "Me, Myself, and Irene" soundtrack, so you never know. Could have been a subconscious thing.
Saw him on Politically Incorrect one time...
He did not say one word. Not one. The entire time.
Lovely piano, pretentious and shallow lyrics.
dorkmeister wrote:
Hey! They were five! They were three! They are good!
Ben folds five, spindles three.
Trustocity wrote:
The hooks in "Jesusland" caught me and dragged me in, but they don't keep giving.
I agree, I used to be a big Ben Folds/Five fan, not so much anymore, hadn't even considered getting the new album, but this song is not horrible.
but still not enough to make me get the album.
I feel like a sucker for buying this album. "Blah" is the prevailing tone. Well, not blah, exactly. More like, "I've heard every song here on a previous Folds outing."
The hooks in "Jesusland" caught me and dragged me in, but they don't keep giving. Also, that McMansions line sounded inspired at first, but now, it's like, c'mon.
And has anyone else detected a "Barrytown" rip-off here?
Hey! They were five! They were three! They are good!
Love the song and the graphic. 'Nuf said.
Deepend wrote:
Hailing from the midwest - I found that post-election "JESUSLAND" graphic incredibly offensive and polarizing and pointless. If I had to make a similar generalization, embracing the JESUSLAND graphic seems 'typical' of east/west coastal snobbery.
Wish people would just give it up.
No comment on the song - it sounds nice enough.
Hailing from the midwest - I found that post-election "JESUSLAND" graphic incredibly funny and all too true. If I had to make a similar generalization, rejecting the JESUSLAND graphic seems 'typical' of closed-minded bible belt snobbery.
The song is really beautiful though, and an earnest appeal to real Christian values.
Never mind the US-centred political debate here - for me Euro-weenie, Ben Folds is just a genius!
Back to the music, folks! :D
Simply beautiful.
More Ben Folds please.
It's unfortunate that 4 out of the 6 Ben Folds songs in the RP library are from Rockin the Suburbs, definately his weakest effort to date. Whatever and Ever Amen and Songs for Silverman are top drawer albums, with great grooves, interesting lyrics. I think they fit in here perfectly, but about a dozen BF uploads have been rejected. Too bad. He's grossly misrepresented by "Anni Waits" and "Bizarre Christmas Incident".
That's the risk of listening to non corporate radio--it isn't "sanitized for your protection". Bill can play whatever he wants, and espouse whatever political opinions he wants. He doesn't answer to anyone except the listeners, and that's what makes Radio Paradise fun to listen to.
So maybe I don't agree with his politics. It's so refreshing to see someone who just says what they want to say (whatever mode of expression they choose), that I'm willing to forgive.
MORE BEN PLEASE!!!!
I am skipping all the socio-political debate, and just want to profess my love for Ben.
Thanks
This song and album are really growing on me.
i've always sort of heard this song as sung from Jesus' point of view. like "what the hell are they doing in my name?"
Jesus and Christianity have become a device in the US in many ways. it's troubling.
Damn - he can play, can't he?
rah wrote:
It's okay -- it only a cartoon. A cartoon based on reality -- cynically distorted reality, sure, but that's where the funny comes in. That map was drawn based on the election results, and everyone knows that all the people in the "blue states" wanted to run into Canada's pot-smoking, homosexual, tree-hugging arms, and that everybody in the "red states" is a bible-thumping missionary evangelical (everyone who watches PBS or FOXNEWS, that is...;)
In the meantime, listen to the lyrics -- I bet you'll like them a lot :)
"Canada's potsmoking, homosexual, tree-hugging arms"
g'damn, that does sound like FOXNEWS. Well some of the usual Fox "personailities" fer sure.
Deepend wrote:
Second, the generalization being made by the graphic is that all denizens of the midwest and south are right-wing christian fanatics. What happened to the 30-40% of the population that voted democrat (or libertarian - ha ha) ?
Third, the graphic suggests that believing in JESUS is wrong-headed/undemocratic thus offending those that might be politically liberal yet Christians.
It's okay -- it only a cartoon. A cartoon based on reality -- cynically distorted reality, sure, but that's where the funny comes in. That map was drawn based on the election results, and everyone knows that all the people in the "blue states" wanted to run into Canada's pot-smoking, homosexual, tree-hugging arms, and that everybody in the "red states" is a bible-thumping missionary evangelical (everyone who watches PBS or FOXNEWS, that is...;)
In the meantime, listen to the lyrics -- I bet you'll like them a lot :)
Deepend wrote:
...
Second, the generalization being made by the graphic is that all denizens of the midwest and south are right-wing christian fanatics. What happened to the 30-40% of the population that voted democrat (or libertarian - ha ha) ?
...
Oh, don't mention being a Libertarian... the liberals around here hate that more than if you said you were a conservative ;)
This song, and this album, are really excellent. Interesting lyrics, excellent grooves. I like that Ben is still writing songs.--things that evoke a time/place, or tell a story.
Trustocity wrote:
It's a great song. And, after three listens, a brilliant album, too.
Hey, aren't I supposed to not be posting anymore?
:-$
It's a great song. And, after three listens, a brilliant album, too.
First, I didn't offer a critique on the song at all. I didn't suggest that the song not be played.
Second, the generalization being made by the graphic is that all denizens of the midwest and south are right-wing christian fanatics. What happened to the 30-40% of the population that voted democrat (or libertarian - ha ha) ?
Third, the graphic suggests that believing in JESUS is wrong-headed/undemocratic thus offending those that might be politically liberal yet Christians.
(So, I feel this graphic IS divisive - even if the intent wasn't there.)
Fourth, from where I stand, shock-tactics aren't really useful in creating meaningful political discourse. So we'll agree to disagree on this.
Cheers.
Trustocity wrote:
How do I disagree with this post? Let me count the ways...
This song soars, it's fantastic on 777 levels. As for incredibily offensive and polarizing and pointless, I think Folds and our friend Bill are simply making a somewhat unfair yet too-accurate-for-comfort generalization, not to divide but to shake people up, a tactic with which I agree personally. Lastly, Folds is not attacking JESUS. I mean, Jesus.
Hey, aren't I supposed to not be posting anymore?
Anyway, Bill, you rock for playing all the latest and greatest.
Deepend wrote:
Hailing from the midwest - I found that post-election "JESUSLAND" graphic incredibly offensive and polarizing and pointless. If I had to make a similar generalization, embracing the JESUSLAND graphic seems 'typical' of east/west coastal snobbery.
Wish people would just give it up.
No comment on the song - it sounds nice enough.
How do I disagree with this post? Let me count the ways...
This song soars, it's fantastic on 777 levels. As for incredibily offensive and polarizing and pointless, I think Folds and our friend Bill are simply making a somewhat unfair yet too-accurate-for-comfort generalization, not to divide but to shake people up, a tactic with which I agree personally. Lastly, Folds is not attacking JESUS. I mean, Jesus.
Hey, aren't I supposed to not be posting anymore?
Anyway, Bill, you rock for playing all the latest and greatest.
Ender43 wrote:
first off...great song...second off...did he just say beautiful McMansions? That's great, if he did.
You are correct:
Down the tracks
beautiful McMansions on a hill
that overlook a highway
with riverboat casinos and you still
have yet to see a soul
Jesusland
Jesusland
https://www.thesuburbs.org.uk/Lyrics/getlyrics.php?id=158
Hailing from the midwest - I found that post-election "JESUSLAND" graphic incredibly offensive and polarizing and pointless. If I had to make a similar generalization, embracing the JESUSLAND graphic seems 'typical' of east/west coastal snobbery.
Wish people would just give it up.
No comment on the song - it sounds nice enough.
LLMikeJ wrote:
Bill mentioned this map while introducing this song... figured I'd post it for those who hadn't seen it yet.
haha, I was just about to do the same thing, but you beat me to it...good deal
Thanks for the explanation about the title, Bill, since the maps I saw had different labels.
"Hang your head and pray for jesusland..."
amen! can a brother get an amen?
Thinkin' about this more, this song nicely ties throws back to the Reinhold Mesner days of BFF...
Excellent!
Bill mentioned this map while introducing this song... figured I'd post it for those who hadn't seen it yet.
(map graphic is whacked -admin)
first off...great song...second off...did he just say beautiful McMansions? That's great, if he did.
Ah...he's still got it :-)
Lovely piano, pretentious and shallow lyrics.
Perhaps you need to verse yourself on the meaning of 'pretentious'. You should preclude your statement with literally perfect and then your word salad would be complete. Oh yeah, throw in 'ironic' to top it off. Sheesh.