Idol began his music career in late 1976 as a guitarist in the punk rock band Chelsea. However, he soon left the group. With his former bandmate Tony James, Idol formed Generation X. With Idol as lead singer, the band achieved success in the United Kingdom and released three studio albums on Chrysalis Records, then disbanded. In 1981, Idol moved to New York City to pursue his solo career in collaboration with guitarist Steve Stevens. His debut studio album, Billy Idol (1982), was a commercial success. With music videos for singles "Dancing with Myself" and "White Wedding" Idol soon became a staple of then newly-established MTV.
Idol's second studio album, Rebel Yell (1983), was a major commercial success, featuring hit singles "Rebel Yell" and "Eyes Without a Face". The album was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for shipment of two million copies in the US. In 1986, he released Whiplash Smile. Having accumulated three UK top 10 singles ("Rebel Yell", "White Wedding" and "Mony Mony"), Idol released a 1988 greatest hits album titled Idol Songs: 11 of the Best; the album went platinum in the United Kingdom. Idol then released Charmed Life (1990) and the concept album Cyberpunk (1993).
Idol spent the second half of the 1990s focusing on his personal life out of the public eye. He made a musical comeback with the release of Devil's Playground (2005) and again with Kings & Queens of the Underground (2014).
Plastic Jesus
Billy Idol Lyrics
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Long as I've got my plastic Jesus
Ridin' on the dashboard of my car
Through my trials and tribulations
And my travels through the nation
With my plastic Jesus I'll go far
Ridin' down the thoroughfare
With a nose up in the air
But he don't mind
Trouble comin', he don't see
He just keeps his eye on me
And any other thing that lies behind
With my plastic Jesus
Goodbye and I'll go far
I said with my plastic Jesus
Sitting on the dashboard of my car
When I'm in a traffic jam
He don't care if I say "damn"
I can let all my curses roll
'Cause Jesus Plastico doesn't hear
'Cause he has a plastic ear
The man who invented plastic
Saved my soul
With my plastic Jesus
I said, goodbye and I'll go far
I said with my plastic Jesus
Sittin' on the dashboard of my car, oh yeah
An if I weave around at night
Policemen think I'm very tight
They never find my bottle
Though they ask
'Cause plastic Jesus shelters me
For his head comes off, you see
He's hollow and I use him like a flask
Whoa oh oh
Save me
I don't care if it's dark or scary
Long as I got magnetic Mary
Ridin' on the dashboard of my car
I feel that I'm protected amply
I've got the love of the whole damn family
Ridin' on the dashboard of my car
With my plastic Jesus
I said goodbye and I'll go far
And I said with my plastic Jesus
I said sittin' on the dashboard of my car, whoa oh
I said, with my plastic Jesus (when I'm goin' fornicatin')
(I've got my ceramic Satan)
Help me, Jesus (sittin' on the dashboard of my car)
With my plastic Jesus (women know I'm on the level)
(Thanks to the wide-eyed stoneware devil)
Sneerin' from the dashboard of my car
The lyrics of Billy Idol's "Plastic Jesus" talk about the singer's devotion to a small plastic Jesus figurine. Idol sings about how he feels protected and accompanied by his "Plastic Jesus" through thick and thin, on his travels across the nation, and through his trials and tribulations. Idol even mentions that he uses the plastic statue as a flask.
The song also takes a humorous tone by mentioning how Idol can curse and swear without any judgment from the figurine's plastic ear. He also jokes about getting out of trouble with the law using the plastic-headed statue as protection. Idol also mentions how he has grown accustomed to his plastic Jesus while driving and coordinates his nose up in the air in a sign of superiority.
"Plastic Jesus" is a satirical take on America's obsession with plastic products and capitalism. Idol's song highlights how people are willing to forget their faith if they can have a shortcut to their desires, like the plastic Jesus figurine. The humorous and playful lyrics bring a fresh perspective to idolizing commodities, and Idol's delivery ensures that the song stays memorable.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't care if it rains or freezes
Weather doesn't matter to me
Long as I've got my plastic Jesus
As long as I have my plastic idol of Jesus
Ridin' on the dashboard of my car
Seated on my car dashboard
Through my trials and tribulations
During my difficult life experiences
And my travels through the nation
And during my journeys across the country
With my plastic Jesus I'll go far
I believe my plastic idol will help me achieve success
Ridin' down the thoroughfare
Driving on the road
With a nose up in the air
Confident and proud
A wreck may be ahead
There could be an accident up ahead
But he don't mind
But the plastic Jesus is unaffected
Trouble comin', he don't see
He doesn't anticipate any trouble ahead
He just keeps his eye on me
He is focused on protecting me
And any other thing that lies behind
And anything else that comes our way from behind us
When I'm in a traffic jam
When I'm stuck in traffic
He don't care if I say 'damn'
The plastic Jesus isn't offended by my cursing
I can let all my curses roll
I can curse as much as I want
'Cause Jesus Plastico doesn't hear
Because the plastic idol can't hear
'Cause he has a plastic ear
Because his ears are made of plastic
The man who invented plastic
The person who created plastic
Saved my soul
Is responsible for my salvation
When I'm goin' fornicatin'
When I'm having sex outside of marriage
(I've got my ceramic Satan)
(I have a ceramic idol of Satan with me)
Help me, Jesus
I need your help, Jesus
(women know I'm on the level)
(Women know that I'm honest and trustworthy)
(Thanks to the wide-eyed stoneware devil)
(Thanks to the stoneware idol of the devil with big eyes)
Sneerin' from the dashboard of my car
Sneering at me from the car dashboard
I don't care if it's dark or scary
I'm not scared of darkness or scary things
Long as I got magnetic Mary
As long as I have my magnetized idol of Mary
I feel that I'm protected amply
I feel well-protected
I've got the love of the whole damn family
I am loved by my entire family
Sneerin' from the dashboard of my car, whoa oh
Sneering at me from the car dashboard
With my plastic Jesus
With my plastic idol of Jesus
Goodbye and I'll go far
Goodbye, I will travel far
Sittin' on the dashboard of my car, oh yeah
Seated on my car dashboard, oh yeah
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, O/B/O DistroKid
Written by: Ed Rush, George Cromarty
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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on Mother Dawn
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