During filming for
Rattle and Hum, U2 visited Memphis, Tennessee. They recorded this
song at the legendary Sun Studios, where Elvis got his start.
Jesus Christ
Jesus Christ was a
man who traveled through the land
Hard working man and
brave
He said to the rich,
"Give your goods to the poor."
So they laid Jesus
Christ in his grave.
Jesus was a
man, a carpenter by hand
His followers
true and brave
One dirty little
coward called Judas Iscariot
Has laid Jesus
Christ in his grave
He went to the sick,
he went to the poor,
And he went to the
hungry and the lame;
Said that the poor
would one day win this world,
And so they laid Jesus
Christ in his grave.
He went to the preacher,
he went to the sheriff,
Told them all the
same;
Sell all of your jewelry
and give it to the Poor,
But they laid Jesus
Christ in his grave.
When Jesus came to
town, the working folks around,
Believed what he did
say;
The bankers and the
preachers they nailed him on a cross,
And they laid Jesus
Christ in his grave.
Poor working people,
they followed him around,
Sung and shouted gay;
Cops and the soldiers,
they nailed him in the air,
And they nailed Jesus
Christ in his grave.
Well the people held
their breath when they heard about his death,
And everybody wondered
why;
It was the landlord
and the soldiers that he hired.
That nailed
Jesus Christ in the sky.
When the love of the
poor shall one day turn to hate.
When the patience
of the workers gives away
"Would be better for
you rich if you never had been born"
So they laid Jesus
Christ in his grave.
This song was written
in New York City
Of rich men, preachers
and slaves
Yes, if Jesus was
to preach like he preached in Galilee,
They would lay Jesus
Christ in his grave.
