800 Pound Jesus
"800 Pound Jesus" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Sawyer Brown | ||||
from the album Drive Me Wild | ||||
Released | January 29, 2000 | |||
Genre | Country | |||
Length | 2:54 | |||
Label | Curb | |||
Songwriter(s) | Billy Maddox, Paul Thorn | |||
Producer(s) | Mark Miller, Mac McAnally | |||
Sawyer Brown singles chronology | ||||
|
"800 Pound Jesus" is a song recorded by American country music group Sawyer Brown. It was released in January 2000 as the third single from the album Drive Me Wild. The song reached number 40 on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart.[1] The song was written by Billy Maddox and Paul Thorn.
Content
The song is about a man who purchases a statue of Jesus. He attempts to commit suicide by hanging himself, but his attempt is thwarted by landing in the statue's arms.[2][3] Co-writer Paul Thorn previously recorded the song on his 1997 album Hammer and Nail; when Sawyer Brown lead singer Mark Miller heard the song on that album, he contacted Thorn and asked for permission to record it.[3]
History
In 2000, the song was nominated by the Christian Country Music Association for both Song of the Year and Video of the Year.[3]
Critical reception
Billboard published a positive review of the song, which described both Mark Miller's lead vocals and the production as "on target". The review also called the song "quirky but extremely likable" and "an amusing little ditty with a deeper message".[2]
Chart performance
Chart (2000) | Peak position |
---|---|
US Hot Country Songs (Billboard)[4] | 40 |
References
- ^ Whitburn, Joel (2013). Hot Country Songs: 1944-2012, Eighth edition. Record Research. p. 296.
- ^ a b "Reviews". Billboard. February 12, 2000. p. 22.
- ^ a b c "'Weighty' lyrics nominated for CCMA award". The Daily News Journal. November 2, 2000. pp. 1D, 2D. Retrieved April 5, 2021.
- ^ "Sawyer Brown Chart History (Hot Country Songs)". Billboard.
- v
- t
- e
- Sawyer Brown
- Shakin'
- Out Goin' Cattin'
- Somewhere in the Night
- Wide Open
- The Boys Are Back
- Buick
- The Dirt Road
- Cafe on the Corner
- Outskirts of Town
- This Thing Called Wantin' and Havin' It All
- Six Days on the Road
- Drive Me Wild
- Can You Hear Me Now
- Mission Temple Fireworks Stand
- Greatest Hits
- Greatest Hits 1990-1995
- The Hits Live
- "Leona"
- "Step That Step"
- "Used to Blue"
- "Betty's Bein' Bad"
- "Heart Don't Fall Now"
- "Shakin'"
- "Out Goin' Cattin'"
- "Gypsies on Parade"
- "Somewhere in the Night"
- "This Missin' You Heart of Mine"
- "Old Photographs"
- "My Baby's Gone"
- "The Race Is On"
- "Did It for Love"
- "Puttin' the Dark Back into the Night"
- "When Love Comes Callin'"
- "The Walk"
- "The Dirt Road"
- "Some Girls Do"
- "Cafe on the Corner"
- "All These Years"
- "Trouble on the Line"
- "Thank God for You"
- "The Boys and Me"
- "Hard to Say"
- "This Time"
- "I Don't Believe in Goodbye"
- "(This Thing Called) Wantin' and Havin' It All"
- "'Round Here"
- "Treat Her Right"
- "Six Days on the Road"
- "This Night Won't Last Forever"
- "Drive Me Wild"
- "800 Pound Jesus"
- "Lookin' for Love"