Jesus Drives A Cadillac

My biggest fear on this record is that people I know might wonder if they are implicated in the lyrics to this song. Nothing could have been further from my mind as I wrote this. Sitting in a guesthouse on Zungwai hill in the Mpigi district of Uganda, I wondered about the things I believed which led me to that point in my life. I was far more naive then, and I believed I had some good answers to the question of poverty.

It was on that hill that I began to wonder about the true nature of poverty - where it comes from, whom it afflicts and why. I became increasingly aware of my arrogance - in believing that I could make a difference on a scale that most could not.

On one level, the song does take a shot at the prosperity gospel, and how silly it is to believe that Jesus calls us to be rich in monetary terms, or even in terms of health. The 'health and wealth' gospel is alive and well in Uganda - due in large part to International tele-evangelists who are no longer taken seriously in North America, but have found a new home in Ugandan TV sets. Answer me this - which one of the disciples did he tell to go out and make a lot of money in order to be able to expand the kingdom or bless the poor? None. Never. Not one. 'Follow Me'. Thats what I remember Him saying. God doesn't need your money mister.

In another verse I take a shot at the way our culture pre-supposes the 'annointing' of the extremely educated, and others in positions of authority within our churches. One of the wisest men I've ever listened to said over and over that the gospel was not for the wise but for the simplest of people - the Lord Himself preferred the company of fishermen to the self righteous religious folks with all the right answers. Maybe this song is about finding myself in the latter group too often. Maybe I'm looking to encounter Jesus in the depths of who I am instead of just my head.


JESUS DRIVES A CADILLAC

Jesus wants me to drive a Cadillac
I’m not sure I wanna give this Corolla back
All my friends tell me don’t worry
Cuz’ Jesus – he ain’t in a hurry

He’s a North American who knows what’s good for the world
His eyes are blue and his teeth shine like pearls
All his friends on TV promise me a life of ease
If I could just believe…

Jesus drives a Cadillac
An Escalade through Hell Dorado
Down streets of gold, from Toronto to San Antonio
This Jesus drives a rusted Cadillac

Jesus only speaks to the Super Literate
He's got a double Phd. in
‘Seven Easy Steps To Kingdom Prosperity’
everything I see was created just for me
if I could just believe…

Jay Duncan 2007