Bob Dylan lyrics: "Property of Jesus" (must read for Mel Gibson fans)

Shot of Love ^ | 1981 | Bob Dylan

[Behind Liberal Lines]

Go ahead and talk about him because he makes you doubt, Because he has denied himself the things that you can't live without. Laugh at him behind his back just like the others do, Remind him of what he used to be when he comes walkin' through.

He's the property of Jesus Resent him to the bone You got something better You've got a heart of stone

Stop your conversation when he passes on the street, Hope he falls upon himself, oh, won't that be sweet Because he can't be exploited by superstition anymore Because he can't be bribed or bought by the things that you adore.

He's the property of Jesus Resent him to the bone You got something better You've got a heart of stone

When the whip that's keeping you in line doesn't make him jump, Say he's hard-of-hearin', say that he's a chump. Say he's out of step with reality as you try to test his nerve Because he doesn't pay no tribute to the king that you serve.

He's the property of Jesus Resent him to the bone You got something better You've got a heart of stone

Say that he's a loser 'cause he got no common sense Because he don't increase his worth at someone else's expense. Because he's not afraid of trying, 'cause he don't look at you and smile, 'Cause he doesn't tell you jokes or fairy tales, say he's got no style.

He's the property of Jesus Resent him to the bone You got something better You've got a heart of stone

You can laugh at salvation, you can play Olympic games, You think that when you rest at last you'll go back from where you came. But you've picked up quite a story and you've changed since the womb. What happened to the real you, you've been captured but by whom?

He's the property of Jesus Resent him to the bone You got something better You've got a heart of stone

[don-o]

My poor brain.

Not the Fillmore at all.

[Sabertooth]

Great site, thanks. ....And it looks like Dylan didn't play any of his oldies at your show either.

Well, I'm certain he played "Knockin' on Heaven's Door" (which would fit well with Slow Train Coming) during the encore at the Warfield in 1979, because I was able to get within 15 feet of the stage when he did. I'll admit to error in the rest of my recollections. I suppose I'm confusing things with his show with Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers at the Greek Theater in Berkeley, in 1986.

[Mr. Mojo]

I'm bummed I missed that Dylan/Petty tour. .....But there's a great (and unfortunately out-of-print) video of one of the concerts from Australia called Hard to Handle.

[don-o]

Was that on HBO? I recall seeing it a friend's house. Did he sing "In the Garden" on that?

I recall his intro: Something like, "Lots folks got a lot of heroes," I remember he mentioned Madonna; did he also mention Mel Gibson?

Thne he said, "Well, this song is about my hero."

As I said, my memory is not trustworthy from that time period.

And, I would really like to see some new players in his band. The guys he has now are OK; don't even have nominations, but the right players could make some magic with the Never Ending Tour.

[Mr. Mojo]

I have no idea if it was ever shown on HBO, but your recollection is correct -- Before playing the song "In the Garden" (from his '80 release Saved), Bob said "I’m gonna sing a song about my hero. Everybody’s got their own hero. I don’t know who your hero is, maybe Mel Gibson . . . maybe for some people it’s Michael Jackson . . . or Bruce Springsteen . . . Anyway I don’t care nothin' about none of those people. I have my own hero. I’m gonna sing about my hero now."  

[Mr. Mojo]

As far as getting new players in this current band is concerned, I believe he cleans house every year or two -- I've seen him several times since '89 (The Never Ending Tour), and each time the band has been different.

[don-o]

Bob said "I’m gonna sing a song about my hero. Everybody’s got their own hero. I don’t know who your hero is, maybe Mel Gibson

Is that not amazing?

[Mr. Mojo]

Kinda. ....but the concert was in Australia when he said it, and Mel is an Aussie.

[Sabertooth]

Dylan/Petty was better by far than Dylan/Simon, and it wasn't Simon's fault. The format was more integrated, and Dylan was in better form. I missed the Dylan/Dead tour.

I've seen a lot of great Petty shows. Winterland on the second to last night in '78 with a then-regional Greg Kihn. Tom fell off the stage in the middle of a song, but managed to sing the next line after disappearing into the crowd.

Then "get you ****ing hand off me, bitch!" Huge thrashing in the crowd. First stage dives I ever saw were roadies swimming through the air, one after another, to save him. Took maybe ten minutes to get him out. The band kept playing the same riff, watching from the edge of the stage. Finally, Tom is helped back on stage, jacket gone, shirt torn, and finished the song. Absolutely heroic show. He played four encores that night. The Dead, the Blues Brothers, and the New Riders of the Purple Sage closed the place the next night, New Years' Eve, 1978. That was an impossible ticket to get, so I went to see the Tubes and the Ramones at the San Jose Civic instead.

Anyway, fast forward about 24 years: the Summer before last I found a box of my old concert shirts from the 70s and 80s in my Mom's attic, and brought them down to L.A. I had a couple of Petty shirts, including a nice one from the Hard Promises Tour in 1981. Well, that Fall I got some great seats, two rows back at stage right, for one of the two satellite performances of "The Last DJ" at the Grand Olympic Auditoreum. I took my daughter, who was 15 at the time. I made her wear the Hard Promises shirt, and said "you gotta make sure you're visible, because if someone sees you in that shirt, you might get pulled up on stage or make the video."

She put on the shirt and gave me the "you are such a dork, Dad" look the entire ride over, and wouldn't take off her sweatshirt until a few songs into the set. Then she got into it, started dancing around with a couple of other girls, and took off the sweatshirt. It was a great show (I've also taken her to see the Stones, Aerosmith, and the Doors of the 21st Century -- she appreciates the classics).

Anyway, we finally got our hands on "The Last DJ" dvd a few weeks back...

Guess whose Hard Promises shirt is in one of the babe shots before Petty and the Heartbreakers take the stage?

Fatherhood can be such a sweet vengeance.

[Mr. Mojo]

Fantastic story. ....I hear that many young folks these days are getting into classic rock, which is of course a good thing.

I've only seen Petty twice, both times at the L.A. Forum -- the first time right before the release of Damn the Torpedos (in '79), and the second time right after its release (in '80). The Heartbreakers are among the tightest bands I've ever heard. ....very tasteful sound.

Did you ever catch the Blues Brothers? I saw them open for Steve Martin on his "King Tut" tour at the Universal Amp (in '78 I believe). Man that was a fun show.

[dennisw]

Great story!

[dennisw]

Synchronicity that you saw the slow train tour. I read a Bob Dylan bio that covered a lot of that time.

[eddie willers]

Although many Neil songs are indeed "easy to bang out," he's a very underrated guitarist. ....and perhaps rock axeman with the best command of major scales

30 plus years since it came out, and I can still sing every guitar note (both the left speaker and right...hehe) of Down By The River.

[Mr. Mojo]

Yep, Neil's guitar in the left speaker, and Danny Whitten's (RIP) guitar in the right. .....or is it the opposite? :)

[GeorgiaYankee]

bookmark

[Sabertooth]

Synchronicity that you saw the slow train tour. I read a Bob Dylan bio that covered a lot of that time.

I saw the Synchronicity tour outdoors at San Diego State in 1983. The Police with Oingo Boingo and Madness.

[Sabertooth]

Did you ever catch the Blues Brothers?

Never saw the Blues Brothers, but I did see Lee Dorsey open for the Clash on the Give 'Em Enough Rope tour (how's that for a random comeback?).

[the invisib1e hand]

great song. of course the 'rj' and 'ray' part refers to a character on the Red Foxx Show, but who knows about that?

what's the latest on the nasal crooner from the twin cities?

[katana]

I thought it was clear and would have been to all but anyone who is picking nits (safe assumption with the NYT). The last image of Satan, bellowing in rage in the deepest pit of Hell at the moment of Christ's death, definitely spelled "defeat" in big letters. There are too many deeply indelible images from this film to count.

[Bonaparte]

"...refers to a character on the Red Foxx Show..."

And many others back in the 70s. It was Bill Saluga's best-known signature bit.

I don't know what Dylan is doing these days. He doesn't seem to be hanging out with his old America-bashing, commie loving pals like Baez, so I assume he's finally grown up.