Jesusland was the second single from Ben Folds' 2005 album Songs for Silverman.[1][2][3] The song captures Folds' dismay as he travels through middle America, witnessing the growing wealth and the commercialization of Jesus' message.[4] Per Folds, "'Jesusland' is sort of a walk across the country. You know, 'There’s a billboard, there’s a McMansion, there’s a couple nice houses'... just trying to put together a montage that recreates the playing field as you have it."[5]
| "Jesusland" | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Single by Ben Folds | ||||
| from the album Songs for Silverman | ||||
| Released | 2005 | |||
| Genre | Rock | |||
| Length | 4:30 | |||
| Label | Epic | |||
| Songwriter(s) | Ben Folds | |||
| Ben Folds singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
It reached No. 42 on the UK airplay chart in October 2005.[6] It has also been playlisted by Xfm London and BBC Radio 2 (which lists it as "download only"). It reached No. 8 on the Radio Two chart.[7] The track was slated for a UK single release in September 2005, but it never made it to store shelves.
The video for the single features Matt Lucas as a televangelist interspersed with scenes of a journey through what may well be "Jesusland" itself. [8] The pair became friends after Lucas interviewed Folds for NME.[9]
The track was featured in the 2008 Bill Maher comedic documentary Religulous.[10]
Chart history
edit| Chart | Peak position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles (OCC)[11] | 42 |
Other notable performances
edit- "Jesusland - University A Cappella Version" was first performed by The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's Loreleis in 2008 for Ben Folds' University A Capella album.[12][13][14]
- Folds performed "Jesusland" on Minnesota Public Radio's Live from Here with Chris Thile on their June 15, 2019 show.[15][16]
References
edit- ^ Rocha, Zach (August 22, 2007). "BEN Ben Folds - "Songs For Silverman"". South Coast Today. Retrieved February 22, 2024.
- ^ McKinley Jr., James C. (2013-04-30). "Four Musicals, Coming Right Up (Published 2013)". New York Times. Archived from the original on 2020-11-25. Retrieved 2024-12-18.
- ^ Malcolm, Timothy (2009-10-09). "Ben Folds: Master of not going mainstream". Times Herald-Record. Retrieved 2024-12-18.
- ^ Smith, Adam (2009-08-27). "Dogs, Dogma, Jesus and Ben Folds". Relevant. Retrieved 2024-12-18.
- ^ Atkinson, Brian (July 1, 2005). "BEN FOLDS: Music as Therapy". American Songwriter. Retrieved December 18, 2024.
- ^ "The UK Radio Airplay Chart" (PDF). Music Week. 2005-10-01. pp. 30–31. Retrieved 2024-12-18.
- ^ "Radio Two" (PDF). Music Week. 2005-10-01. p. 31. Retrieved 2024-12-18.
- ^ Selasi, McLord (2022-12-07). "Does Matt Lucas have hair loss?". Retrieved 2024-12-18.
- ^ "Dooley's Diary: Brits make a Popkomm stand" (PDF). Music Week. 2005-09-24. p. 29. Retrieved 2024-12-18.
- ^ "Religulous (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)". 2008-09-30. Retrieved 2024-12-18.
- ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 2024-12-18.
- ^ Lyden, Jacki (2009-04-26). "Ben Folds Goes A Cappella, With Help". NPR. Archived from the original on 2024-12-07. Retrieved 2024-12-18.
- ^ "Carolina in the News: Monday, April 27, 2009". UNC News Archives. 2009-04-27. Retrieved 2024-12-18.
- ^ The Loreleis (2008-11-13). Jesusland - UNC Loreleis. Retrieved 2024-12-18 – via YouTube.
- ^ "Ben Folds, I'm With Her, Tig Notaro | Live from Here with Chris Thile". www.livefromhere.org. 2019-06-15. Retrieved 2024-12-18.
- ^ Radio Heartland (2019-06-18). Jesusland - Ben Folds | Live from Here with Chris Thile. Retrieved 2024-12-18 – via YouTube.