In 1985, Kristofferson joined fellow country artists Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson and Johnny Cash in forming the country music supergroup The Highwaymen, and formed a key creative force in the outlaw country music movement that eschewed the Nashville music machine in favor of independent songwriting and producing. In 2004, Kristofferson was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame. As an actor, he is known for his roles in Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid (1973), Blume in Love (1973), Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore (1974), A Star Is Born (1976) (which earned him a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor), Convoy (1978), Heaven's Gate (1980) and Blade (1998).
Kristofferson has said that he would like the first three lines of Leonard Cohen's "Bird on the Wire" on his tombstone:
Like a bird on the wire
Like a drunk in a midnight choir
I have tried in my way to be free
Jesus Was A Capricorn
Kris Kristofferson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He ate organic food
He believed in love and peace
And never wore no shoes
Long hair, beard and sandals
And a funky bunch of friends
Reckon we'd just nail him up
'Cause everybody's gotta have somebody to look down on
Who they can feel better than at any time they please
Someone doin' somethin' dirty decent folks can frown on
If you can't find nobody else, then help yourself to me
Eggheads cussing rednecks cussing
Hippies for their hair
Others laugh at straights who laugh at
Freaks who laugh at squares
Some folks hate the Whites
Who hate the Blacks who hate the Klan
Most of us hate anything that
We don't understand
'Cause everybody's gotta have somebody to look down on
Who they can feel better than at any time they please
Someone doin' somethin' dirty decent folks can frown on
If you can't find nobody else, then help yourself to me
The song "Jesus Was A Capricorn" by Kris Kristofferson explores the idea of humanity's need to categorize and judge others based on their appearance, beliefs, and lifestyle choices. Kristofferson describes Jesus as a Capricorn, which is an astrological sign known for its independent and individualistic nature. As a Capricorn, Jesus was someone who believed in love and peace and preferred organic food, and he lived a simple life wearing sandals and having a long beard.
Despite his good intentions, Kristofferson suggests that if Jesus were to come back today, society would likely still judge and persecute him for his appearance and unconventional beliefs. The song comments on the tendency of people to look down on others based on their differences rather than learning to accept and understand them. Kristofferson calls out different groups of people who have been judged or ridiculed, such as eggheads, rednecks, hippies, straights, freaks, and squares. He suggests that the hatred and conflicts between these groups stem from a lack of understanding and tolerance towards people who are different from us.
The lyrics also suggest that people have a need to feel superior to others and that they often accomplish this by looking down on or judging others who they perceive as "dirty" or "indecent." Kristofferson acknowledges this social dynamic, stating that "everybody's gotta have somebody to look down on, who they can feel better than at any time they please." The song concludes by suggesting that instead of hating and judging others, we should embrace and learn from our differences.
Overall, "Jesus Was A Capricorn" is a commentary on the human tendency to judge and categorize others based on their differences rather than accepting and learning from them. Kris Kristofferson is advocating for tolerance, mutual respect, and understanding among different groups of people.
Line by Line Meaning
Jesus was a Capricorn
Jesus was born under the Capricorn sign of the Zodiac, and thus, he was likely a practical and realistic individual.
He ate organic food
Jesus was health-conscious and preferred eating organic food.
He believed in love and peace
Jesus was a believer in love and peace, and he might have considered them as the foundation of a happy and fulfilling life.
And never wore no shoes
Jesus wore sandals instead of shoes, which perhaps indicates his humble and simple way of living.
Long hair, beard and sandals
Jesus had long hair and beard and wore sandals, which were popular among the people of his time.
And a funky bunch of friends
Jesus had a group of unconventional and unique friends who were not part of the mainstream community.
Reckon we'd just nail him up
If Jesus were to come back to this world again, some people might still treat him harshly, as they did before.
If he came down again
If Jesus returns to the world once again.
'Cause everybody's gotta have somebody to look down on
People tend to look down on others who they believe are inferior to themselves and gain a sense of superiority from it.
Who they can feel better than at any time they please
People feel better about themselves when they can see themselves as better than others.
Someone doin' somethin' dirty decent folks can frown on
People tend to frown upon those who they perceive as doing something wrong or indecent, even though they may not necessarily be harmful.
If you can't find nobody else, then help yourself to me
If people cannot find anyone else to look down upon, they may start to criticize the person who is telling the story.
Eggheads cussing rednecks cussing
People who are highly educated and intellectual tend to criticize and cuss those who belong to rural areas and are not as educated.
Hippies for their hair
Hippies are often criticized for their unconventional way of living and dressing, and especially their long hair.
Others laugh at straights who laugh at
Some people laugh at those who follow a conventional way of living, and in turn, the former group also gets laughed at by the latter.
Freaks who laugh at squares
People who are unconventional and are not part of the mainstream community often laugh at those who are the opposite.
Some folks hate the Whites
Some people harbor feelings of hatred towards White people.
Who hate the Blacks who hate the Klan
White people, in turn, hate Black people, who hate the Ku Klux Klan.
Most of us hate anything that
Most of us do not like things that are unfamiliar to us.
We don't understand
We tend to dislike or feel uneasy about things that we can't comprehend or that are not part of our known culture and society.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: KRIS KRISTOFFERSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@buddyrogers1353
The most significant thing I got out of this song when it was first released way back in the day was wondering "Who the hell is John Prine?" Within a couple of weeks, "Diamonds In The Rough" in hand - Prine's second album which was not easy to find - Prine not being a household name nor one who received radio air-play up in New York - I knew I'd experienced the same thing Kris wrote in the liner notes about being dragged down to a club in Chicago late at night after he played his own show, to hear Prine play. Long story short, he really didn't want to be dragged down there. The club was closing up, only a few people were there and they asked Prine to play. Prine played a few original numbers and Kris's reaction? {This is from memory 47 years ago 'cause I can't find liner notes on-line} was 3 words: "We was floored".
Boy, was he ever right! I wore out that 8-Track tape from playing it so much.
When "Everybody" played, it explained the subtitle of this song:
"Everybody" - John Prine
While out sailing on the ocean
While out sailing on the sea
I bumped into the Savior
And He said pardon me
I said "Jesus you look tired"
He said "Jesus so do you,
Won't you sit down son
'Cause I got some fat to chew"
[Chorus:]
Everybody needs somebody that they can talk to
Someone to open up their ears
And let that trouble through
Now you don't have to sympathize
Or care what they may do
But everybody needs somebody that they can talk to
Well he spoke to me of morality
Starvation, pain and sin
Matter of fact the whole dang time
I only got a few words in
But I won't squawk
Let 'em talk
Hell it's been a long long time
And any friend that's been turned down
Is bound to be a friend of mine
[Chorus]
Now we sat there for an hour or two
Just eatin' that Gospel pie
When around the bend come a terrible wind
And lightning lit the sky
He said so long son I gotta run
I appreciate you listening to me
And I believe I heard him sing these words
As he skipped out across the sea
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HaZeFIbYxr0
@tuckernewman893
Brittany and Sarah brought me here
@happydisappointment1994
i was looking for this comment, me too
@seahag03
blaccGoon ahahhaha same
@keilahvisscher1529
makemeanxious yeah I was looking for this comment
@shady596x4
makemeanxious who are they?
@tuckernewman893
Zachary Chapovalov YASSS
@peggywilliams701
1990, my child was in a coma, hit by a car. I (can't sing a lick) sang this in her ear for months. When she awoke, her only memory was "Was Jesus A Capricorn"? Thank you, Chris. You are truly a poet.
@koko-pu5vn
So touching!! Thank you for sharing.
@johnholliday9719
My mother bought this by mistake when she purchased the 45 'Why Me Lord' which had this song on the B side. She was a devout christian and spent a complete hour scratching the "Devil's song" from existence with a sewing needle. I had already snuck and listened to it. I was around 10 at the time and the words made sense then and do now. 50 years later & I'm still listening to it. Thanks Mom.
@anneanderson455
My first album I bought in 1974 was Jesus Was A Capricorn ❤️🔥 I still play it today in 2023 here in Rotorua in New Zealand 🇳🇿