Judas Saves

Still from the performance of the song seen on 'The Residents Play Wormwood'

***Judas Saves*** is a song from The Residents 1998 album 'Wormwood'

## Background

The song is based on the biblical stories '***The Last Supper***,' '***Jesus Predicts Peter's Denial***,' '***Gethsemane***,' ***& 'Jesus Arrested.'*** The song follows the popular theory that Judas, The Betrayer of Jesus, did so at the request of God.

Judas Saves began life as an 8-minute track titled 'Jesus Saves,' two versions of which are heard on the *Wormwood Box* with alternate lyrics. These versions feature new intros and outros, with the original outro featuring a graphic depiction of Jesus' crucifixion. Jesus Saves (Version 1) is told from the perspective of Jesus in his final moments of uncertainty before his sacrifice. Version 2 is similar lyrically, although from the perspective of Judas. One of these takes leaked onto the internet in 2010.

The album version is 4 minutes long and was transformed into epic status when re-arranged for the *Wormwood Live!* show. This version, lasting 7 minutes, features extended instrumental breaks that segue into *Revelation*. From 1999 to 2000, The Residents worked on a re-recording of the song for their *Roadworms* album, which lasted 6 minutes, and features an unaccredited remake of Revelation.

The song was performed live from 2014 to 2016 as part of the Shadowland tour.

## Lyrics

```
(Chorus)
I hear a voice
I hear a voice
Calling calling calling me

```

```
(Verse 1)
With a voice inside my head
He spoke to me and softly said
Perfection ends when life begins
But it can come back again

```

```
(Chorus)
I hear a voice
I hear a voice
Calling calling calling me

```

```
(Verse 2)
Then He said if I could hide
My faith inside my broken pride
He would find complete success
Where innocence embraces death

```

```
(Chorus)
I hear
a voice
I hear
a voice
Calling
calling
calling me

```

```
(Verse 3)
Now it
is so clear
He must
appear
To be
betrayed
So we can
be saved
No one
can see
Clearly
but me

```

```
(Outro)
I know
I must
answer the call
I know
I must
answer the call
I know
I must
answer the call
I know
I must
answer the call

```

### Jesus Saves (Version 1)

```
(Intro)
I See the twinkle
Every wrinkle
Wraps around their eyes
And hear the happy sound of smiling
In their simple sighs.
They celebrates my specialness
And think that I am blessed.
With attitudes of innocence, affected by my death.
Humiliation hangs upon my body like a whore.
Who hates the cum upon her face and hates herself much more.

```

```
(Bridge)
Was there a choice?
Was there a voice?
Why am I here? (Was there a choice?)
Why am I here? (Was there a voice?)
Why am I here? (Was there a choice?)
Why am I here? (Was there a voice?)

```

```
(Chorus)
I hear a voice
I feel a choice
I hear a voice
I feel a choice
Calling, calling, calling me

```

```
(Verse 1)
It said that I could find success
Where innocence embraces death
So I should carefully decide
What I should hide before I die

```

```
(Chorus)
I hear a voice
I feel a choice
I hear a voice
I feel a choice
Calling, calling, calling to me
I hear a voice
I feel a choice
I hear a voice
I feel a voice
I hear a voice
I hear a voice
Who are, who are, who are you?
Who are, who are, who are you?
Who are, who are, who are you?
I know I must
answer the call.

```

```
(Outro)
I watched the crowds erupting
Into rotting rows of dung
Sucking on my bleeding skin like blisters full of cum
Feeding on an image like a leaching lump of fat
The way a mound of maggots like to liquidate a rat
How can there be a God allowing scum to come and beg?
To see the mucus falling from my mouth down to my leg
At least the corpse remaining, when its essence has been drained
Will find some freedom from this grim, malignancy of pain.
Still I can't escape the thought that even when I'm dead
The answer that is cancer will undoubtedly be spread!

```

### Jesus Saves (Version 2)

```
(Intro)
I See the twinkle
Every wrinkle
Wraps around his eyes
I hear the happy sound of smiling
In his simple sighs.
He celebrates my specialness
And thinks that I am blessed.
An attitude of innocence, affected by my death.
Humiliation hangs upon my body like a whore.
Who hates the cum upon her face and hates herself much more.

```

```
(Bridge)
Why am I here?
*Why am I here?*
*Why am I here?*

```

```
(Chorus)
I heard a voice
I heard a choice
I heard a voice
I felt a choice
Calling, calling, calling me

```

```
(Verse 1)
With an urgent sound instead
of a voice inside my head - it said
"Perfection ends when life begins -
But It can come back again"

```

```
(Chorus)
I heard a voice
I felt no choice
I heard a voice
I felt a choice
Calling, calling, calling me

```

```
(Verse 2)
Then He said if I could simply hide
The pain inside until I died
I would find complete success
Where innocence embraces death

```

```
(Chorus)
Was there a voice?
Was there a choice?
Was there a voice?
Was there a choice?
Calling, calling, calling to me

```

```
Where is the voice?
Where is the voice?
Where is the voice?

```

```
There was no choice
Who are, What are, Why are you?
Who are, What are, Why are you?
Who knew I must answer the call?
I knew I must answer the call!

```

```
(Outro, *Mr. Skull*)
He watched the crowds erupting
Into blisters full of cum
As the ravel salivated from their twitching tongue.
Could there be a god allowing scum to come and beg?
To see the mucus falling from his mouth down to his leg
Sucking on his image like a greasing mound of fat
Consuming him like maggots
Liquidate a lifeless rat
At least the corpse remaining, when the essence had been drained
Found some freedom from it's grain, malignancy of pain.
Still we wonder if he knew - that after he was dead
The answer, like a cancer, would relentlessly be spread.

```

## Biblical Verses

***The Last Supper***

> When evening came, Jesus arrived with the Twelve. While they were reclining at the table eating, he said, “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me—one who is eating with me.”
>
>

> They were saddened, and one by one they said to him, “Surely you don’t mean me?”
>
>

> “It is one of the Twelve,” he replied, “one who dips bread into the bowl with me. The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.”
>
>

> While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take it; this is my body.”
>
>

> Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and they all drank from it.
>
>

> “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many,” he said to them. “Truly I tell you, I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”
>
>

> When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
>
>

***Jesus Predicts Peter’s Denial***

> “You will all fall away,” Jesus told them, “for it is written:
>
>

> “‘I will strike the shepherd,
>
>

> and the sheep will be scattered.’
>
>

> But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.”
>
>

> Peter declared, “Even if all fall away, I will not.”
>
>

> “Truly I tell you,” Jesus answered, “today—yes, tonight—before the rooster crows twice you yourself will disown me three times.”
>
>

> But Peter insisted emphatically, “Even if I have to die with you, I will never disown you.” And all the others said the same.
>
>

***Gethsemane***

> They went to a place called Gethsemane, and Jesus said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.” He took Peter, James and John along with him, and he began to be deeply distressed and troubled. “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death,” he said to them. “Stay here and keep watch.”
>
>

> Going a little farther, he fell to the ground and prayed that if possible the hour might pass from him. “Abba, Father,” he said, “everything is possible for you. Take this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will.”
>
>

> Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. “Simon,” he said to Peter, “are you asleep? Couldn’t you keep watch for one hour? Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
>
>

> Once more he went away and prayed the same thing. When he came back, he again found them sleeping, because their eyes were heavy. They did not know what to say to him.
>
>

> Returning the third time, he said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough! The hour has come. Look, the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of sinners. Rise! Let us go! Here comes my betrayer!”
>
>

***Jesus Arrested***

> Just as he was speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, appeared. With him was a crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests, the teachers of the law, and the elders.
>
>

> Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The one I kiss is the man; arrest him and lead him away under guard.” Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, “Rabbi!” and kissed him. The men seized Jesus and arrested him.
>
>

## Appearances

* Wormwood (1998)
* I Hate Heaven (1998)
* Wormwood Live 1999 (1999)
* Roadworms (2000)
* Kettles Of Fish On The Outskirts Of Town (2003)
* The Residents Play Wormwood (2005)
* Shadowland (2015)
* Wormwood Box (2022)

## Versions

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1998 Studio Version (3:55)
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 1999 Live Version, June-July, with *Revelation,* *Jesus Loves Me & King of Kings* (12:01)
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 2000 Studio Version (8:51)
4. ↑ 1999 Live version, July 13th (6:58)
5. ↑ 1999 July 16th Live Version (7:56)
6. ↑ 2014 Live Version, May 10th (4:47)
7. ↑ 1998 'Log Dam' demo (3:53)
8. ↑ 1998 Live Version (8:39)
9. ↑ 2014 Live Version, May 6th (4:47)