Jesus Was a Country Boy
Encyclopedia
"'Jesus Was a Country Boy" is a song written by Rivers Rutherford
and Clay Walker and recorded by American
country music singer Clay Walker
. It was released in 2004 as the third and final single to his album A Few Questions
. It peaked at #31 on the Billboard
Hot Country Singles & Tracks in 2004.
, Walker stated "Jesus Was a Country Boy" was meant to be twofold -- tongue-in-cheek for one, but there is a pretty deep meaning to it. The song is written in a more light-hearted way. I feel like people get so confused and wrapped up in religious doctrine that sometimes a person can lose what the meaning is -- if that makes any sense. We get so wrapped up in the doctrine of laws that we lose what the true meaning is, and that is to love your neighbor as yourself. That is kind of what this song is really about. It is more a Sermon-on-the-Mount song."
Walker told Country France, "The material that was given to me to record is very different soundly. I wrote a few of the songs, I actually wrote a song called “Jesus Was A Country Boy”, it’s very different, kind of a bold statement."
wrote "Walker is equally inept at theology, as this album's title track fails to help explain why bad things happen to good people, and "Jesus Was A Country Boy" isn't going to bring in any new converts." Cheryl Harvey Hill of Country Stars Online wrote that the song has "A very powerful old message is conveyed in a melodic, refreshing, new way."
country singles charts. The song peaked at #31 on the chart week of September 25.
Rivers Rutherford
Rivers Rutherford is an American country music songwriter. Active since the mid-1990s as a songwriter, he has penned several Number One country hits, including "Ain't Nothing 'bout You" by Brooks & Dunn, which was the Number One country song of 2001 according to Billboard...
and Clay Walker and recorded by American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
country music singer Clay Walker
Clay Walker
Ernest Clayton "Clay" Walker Jr. is an American country music artist. He made his debut in 1993 with the single "What's It to You," which reached Number One on the Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks charts, as did its follow-up, 1994's "Live Until I Die." Both singles were included on...
. It was released in 2004 as the third and final single to his album A Few Questions
A Few Questions
-Critical reception:Ralph Novak of People Magazine gave the album 2 and a half stars and wrote "The singer ponders a bit too much for his own good."...
. It peaked at #31 on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Hot Country Singles & Tracks in 2004.
Background
In an interview with CMTCountry Music Television
Country Music Television, or CMT, is an American country music-oriented cable television network. Programming includes music videos, taped concerts, movies, biographies of country music stars, game shows, and reality programs...
, Walker stated "Jesus Was a Country Boy" was meant to be twofold -- tongue-in-cheek for one, but there is a pretty deep meaning to it. The song is written in a more light-hearted way. I feel like people get so confused and wrapped up in religious doctrine that sometimes a person can lose what the meaning is -- if that makes any sense. We get so wrapped up in the doctrine of laws that we lose what the true meaning is, and that is to love your neighbor as yourself. That is kind of what this song is really about. It is more a Sermon-on-the-Mount song."
Walker told Country France, "The material that was given to me to record is very different soundly. I wrote a few of the songs, I actually wrote a song called “Jesus Was A Country Boy”, it’s very different, kind of a bold statement."
Content
The male narrator explains that Jesus was a country boy because of the lifestyle Jesus lived which he compares to that of a "country boy".Reception
Dan MacIntosh of Country Standard TimeCountry Standard Time
Country Standard Time is a website dedicated to country music and related genres such as Bluegrass and Rockabilly. It provides news and musical reviews pertaining to the genre. It was established in 1992 by Jeffrey B. Remz as a print magazine, which was first published only in New England but went...
wrote "Walker is equally inept at theology, as this album's title track fails to help explain why bad things happen to good people, and "Jesus Was A Country Boy" isn't going to bring in any new converts." Cheryl Harvey Hill of Country Stars Online wrote that the song has "A very powerful old message is conveyed in a melodic, refreshing, new way."
Chart positions
For the week of July 10th 2004 the song debuted at #55. "'Jesus Was a Country Boy" is Walker's twenty-fifth Top 40 single on the BillboardBillboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
country singles charts. The song peaked at #31 on the chart week of September 25.
Charts
| Chart (2004) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles | 31 |