Plastic Jesus?

PhilL

PhilL

Joined
Oct 1, 1999
Messages
6,490
In the movie "Cool Hand Luke" Paul Newman plays a banjo and sings a song that begins,
"I don't care if it rains of freezes
'Long as I got my Plastic Jesus
Riding on the dashboard of my car."

I've loved Country Music since I was a kid. I loved that little song that Newman sang the first time I heard it. Years after the movie Don Imus did a version of Plastic Jesus on his radio show. Billy Idol even did a version of it.

My question is Who recorded the definitive version of Plastic Jesus?
 
If Ray Stevens recorded it it was probably funny but I don't know about definitive.
 
I can go a hundred miles per hour,
as long as I got the almighty power...

Not a clue...all this time I thought it was Imus' thing :shrug:
 
The actual authorship of the song is in dispute:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plastic_Jesus

"The authorship of the song has historically been disputed. Ernie Marrs is sometimes credited as the songwriter due to the lyrics and music being credited to him when they were first published in the folk music magazine Sing Out! volume 14, #2. Ed Rush and George Cromarty have also claimed ownership with Ed Rush claiming they wrote the song in 1957 and still receive royalty checks from the song. Rush and Cromarty are listed as the authors by ASCAP. Still others trace the song further back to African-American spiritual roots, and indeed Ed Rush has stated that the inspiration for the song came from a religious radio broadcast from Baton Rouge, Louisiana in the 1940's that contained the line "I don't care if it rains or freezes, leaning on the arms of my Jesus".

Ernie Marrs, along with the "Marrs Family" (friends Kay Cothran and Bud Foote) recorded a version of Plastic Jesus in 1965, which was featured in the motion picture Cool Hand Luke (1967). The song was also recorded by the Goldcoast Singers (Ed Rush and George Cromarty) in 1965 as a humorous ad spoof. "
 
JAlexander said:
Mojo Nixon and Jello Biafra did a very good version on their Prairie Home Invasion album, but I don't know if it's even in print anymore.
James
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James, I found two versions of it, one under the Dead Kennedys. I agree it is a good version.

Centaur, I couldn't find anything under the names you mentioned. For Cool Hand Luke, I found the Paul Newman rendition and the instrumental version, credited to Lalo Schifrim.

I found some okay versions by Billy Idol and the Leveliers.
A very good rendition by Jack Johnson. Maybe the definitive version for me wil be the one by Paul Newman.

Guys thanks for your help.
 
I don't care if it rains or snowses
Long as I got my plastic Moses
Riding on the dashboard of my car!
 
cockroachfarm said:
VEY!
:D


(I still prefer "Drop Kick Me, Jesus, Through The Goal Posts Of Life!" :cool: )
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Odder still, considering the man who wrote it.
 
I don't care if it's dark and scary,
Long as I've got magnetic Mary,
Riding on the dashboard of my car.
 
cockroachfarm said:
Brain freeze. WHO wrote it? (all I can remember is the title! :o )
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Kinkey Freidman (with his band, The Texas Jewboys).
 
Ren the devils trailboss said:
I dont know but I think the Flaming Lips did the best cover ever of this song..
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Ren, I do like the lyrics better in the FL version, it's the same as the Newman/Imus version, but man the lead has a God awful voice. Paul Newman has a better voice.
 
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