Jonestown
Douglas Lyrics


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Yeah! [2x]

Go!

Jonestown

Go!
Yeah!

I was Jim Jones' attorney
I said, 'When did you find out that he was not the man of God that he was billed to be? '
He said, 'When I visited Jonestown, when I walked in his so-called church'
He said, 'There was no bible, there were no holy pictures, there was no cross
Nothing
And I looked him right in the eye and I said to him
"Why is it there's no bible, and there's no place to pray?"
He said, "We don't need that anymore"'

Yeah!

They were injected with a poison

Go!

Yeah!

And I'm going to reveal something to you that possibly the public does not know
Sir Lionel Luckhoo told me that the coroner was a close personal friend of his
And he said that he examined every one of the bodies
This was not a mass-suicide like the world was brainwashed into thinking
They were injected with a poison

Yeah!

Go!

Yeah!

I was Jim Jones' attorney
(Yeah!)
I said, 'When did you find out that he was not the man of God (go!) that he was billed to be? '
He said, 'When I visited Jonestown'
They were injected with a-

Yeah!
Go!
[2x]

Yeah! [3x]

Jonestown
Go!





Yeah!

Overall Meaning

The song Jonestown by Douglas is a powerful and thought-provoking commentary on the Jonestown massacre, in which 909 members of the Peoples Temple committed mass suicide by drinking cyanide-laced Kool-Aid in November 1978. The lyrics are told from the perspective of Jim Jones' attorney, who recounts his visit to Jonestown and his conversations with Jones. The attorney begins by questioning Jones' legitimacy as a man of God, noting that there were no Bibles or holy symbols in the church. Jones brushes off the attorney's concern, saying that they don't need those things anymore. Later, the attorney reveals a shocking truth that many may not know: the coroner examined every body and found that they were not all suicides, but rather were injected with poison. The song is a haunting reminder of the tragedy that occurred in Jonestown and serves as a warning against the power of cults and charismatic leaders.


Line by Line Meaning

Yeah!
Excitement and anticipation for the message to come


Go!
Urging the listener to pay attention and get ready for the story


Jonestown
The tragedy that happened in Guyana in 1978, where 909 people died


I was Jim Jones' attorney
Introducing himself as the lawyer for the notorious Jim Jones


I said, 'When did you find out that he was not the man of God that he was billed to be? '
Explaining that he had questioned Jones' true motives


He said, 'When I visited Jonestown, when I walked in his so-called church'
Relaying a conversation with Jones about his compound in Guyana


He said, 'There was no bible, there were no holy pictures, there was no cross Nothing And I looked him right in the eye and I said to him "Why is it there's no bible, and there's no place to pray?"'
Describing the lack of religion in Jonestown and his confrontation with Jones


He said, "We don't need that anymore"'
Jones' response to the question, suggesting that he had elevated himself above religion


They were injected with a poison
Revealing how the people in Jonestown ultimately died


And I'm going to reveal something to you that possibly the public does not know
Teasing a shocking revelation that the public may not be aware of


Sir Lionel Luckhoo told me that the coroner was a close personal friend of his
Citing a source for the upcoming revelation


And he said that he examined every one of the bodies
Detailing the coroner's involvement in the aftermath


This was not a mass-suicide like the world was brainwashed into thinking
Challenging the popular narrative surrounding the events in Jonestown


Yeah!
Expressing validation and excitement about his assertion


I said, 'When did you find out that he was not the man of God (go!) that he was billed to be? '
Repeating the earlier query as a reminder of how he became involved


They were injected with a-
Trailing off mid-sentence, possibly suggesting the gravity and horror of the situation


Yeah!
Returning to the theme of excitement and validation


Go!
Encouraging others to dig deeper into the story and learn more


Yeah!
Echoing his earlier expressions of enthusiasm


Jonestown
Reiterating the subject matter of the song


Go!
Urging the listener to take action or learn more


Yeah!
An emphatic assertion, possibly to urge the listener to believe his account




Contributed by Jacob K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
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