Willis had a tumultuous childhood, growing up in various foster homes. Despite his mental illness, he became creatively active in the early 1990s and sold marker drawings of the Chicago cityscape on the street. He also formed the hard rock band The Wesley Willis Fiasco and released several songs, such as "Jesus is the Answer" and "Casper the Homosexual Friendly Ghost." His music caught the attention of American Recordings, a major record label, and Willis was signed to the title in 1995. He went on to record two albums and produced dozens of others independently.
Willis became known for his trademark headbutting with fans, which he typically performed when approached by them. The large bruise in the center of his forehead resulted from this habit. He also made appearances on MTV and The Howard Stern Show and toured frequently.
Willis died in 2003 due to complications from chronic myelogenous leukemia, having recorded over 1,000 songs in his lifetime but leaving behind a total life savings of less than $300. However, his legacy continues, with many praising him as a punk respite from overproduced pop music and pretentious indie rock.
Jesus Christ
Wesley Willis Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's just one at a time
I'm trusting in the lord to make it ever sublime
I will not put God first in all that I do
by accepting his son, Jesus, to carry me through
Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ
This he has promised, this he will do
And for Jesus alone can make all things new
I now trust in Jesus to show me the way
To happiness and love throughout the day
With him at my side and his love at my heart,
My life is beginning to have a new start
Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ
I am now learning how to love and forgive
My fellow man as I am learning to live
Learning to live means to accept the Lord
By following his powerful dictates and full accord
This I can do with Jesus at my side
We now have a love that will never subside
Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ
Rock over London
Rock on, Chicago
The heartbeat of America - that's today's Chevrolet
In "Jesus Christ" by Wesley Willis, he speaks about his journey in learning to live each day one at a time and trusting in the Lord to make it sublime. He acknowledges that he will not put God first in all that he does, but by accepting Jesus to carry him through, he has promised to show him the way to happiness and love throughout the day. Wesley seems to be in a place of self-reflection and growth as he learns to love and forgive his fellow man by following the Lord's powerful dictates and full accord. With Jesus at his side, they have a love that will never subside.
The repetition of "Jesus Christ" in the song serves as a reminder of who Wesley has learned to trust to guide him in his daily life. The song emphasizes the importance of accepting Jesus into our lives and following his teachings in learning to love and forgive. The last few lines of the song, "Rock over London, Rock on, Chicago, The heartbeat of America - that's today's Chevrolet" appear to be a random addition that doesn't quite fit with the theme of the rest of the song, but perhaps it was added for fun or as an advertisement for Chevy.
Line by Line Meaning
I am learning to live each day
I am taking things one day at a time and striving to improve myself as a person
It's just one at a time
I am focusing on the present moment and not getting overwhelmed by the future
I'm trusting in the lord to make it ever sublime
I have faith that God will help me and make my life more fulfilling
I will not put God first in all that I do
I am not going to force myself to prioritize God above all else
by accepting his son, Jesus, to carry me through
Instead, I am going to rely on Jesus to guide me in my life
This he has promised, this he will do
I am confident that Jesus will keep his promises to me
And for Jesus alone can make all things new
Only Jesus has the ability to transform my life and renew my spirit
I now trust in Jesus to show me the way
I have put my trust in Jesus to lead me on the right path
To happiness and love throughout the day
With Jesus by my side, I am experiencing more joy and love in my life
With him at my side and his love at my heart,
Jesus is a constant presence in my life and I am filled with his love
My life is beginning to have a new start
My life is changing for the better since I put my faith in Jesus
I am now learning how to love and forgive
Jesus is teaching me how to be more forgiving and loving towards others
My fellow man as I am learning to live
I am working on becoming a better person and treating others with kindness and compassion
Learning to live means to accept the Lord
Living a meaningful life requires accepting God into my heart
By following his powerful dictates and full accord
I am striving to live my life in accordance with God's teachings
This I can do with Jesus at my side
Jesus is helping me to live a life that is pleasing to God
We now have a love that will never subside
My love for Jesus is unwavering and will never fade away
Rock over London
This is unrelated to the rest of the song and is likely just a random phrase
Rock on, Chicago
Another seemingly random phrase that does not relate to the rest of the song
The heartbeat of America - that's today's Chevrolet
This is likely an advertisement tagline and has no connection to the rest of the song
Contributed by Ruby Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
MrCookingdude
Wesley Willis has converted me to Christianity
Osae
"The heartbeat of America, that's today's Chevrolet"
Love the ending line ♥️
Mike
Pretty somber🤔 I was expecting something more like his usual style. "You are the son of God. You died on the cross for our sins. You are my good friend in the long run. I like you a lot in the mix." But.....he made music to get him through life, and whatever any of us did or didn't get out of it was never part of the process. Love🙏
Anna Wanna
Yeah, this particular melody sounds better on Chronic Schizofrenia. You can feel more emotion in that one
sparkimoto
Yeah me too. But he already wrote that song titled JESUS IS COMING AGAIN. So it looks like he had to put a little more effort into writing the lyrics on JESUS CHRIST and switch it up a bit. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Mj9-F4Ov2A
sparkimoto
Love it!
Jimmy Calhoun
"Jesus cries, Jesus cries..."
schmaudog
Wesley was always jammin' on the one.
Craig Diniz
schmaudog bootsy
John Ryan
i worship jesus christ now