Personal Jesus

"**Personal Jesus**" is a song by English electronic music band Depeche Mode. It was released as the lead single from their seventh studio album, *Violator* (1990), in 1989. It reached No. 13 on the UK Singles Chart and No. 28 on the *Billboard* Hot 100. The single was their first to make the U.S. Top 40 since 1984's "People Are People", and was their first gold-certified single in the U.S. (quickly followed by its successor, "Enjoy the Silence"). In Germany, "Personal Jesus" is one of the band's longest-charting songs, staying on the singles chart for 23 weeks.

In 2004, "Personal Jesus" was ranked No. 368 in *Rolling Stone*'s list of "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time", and in September 2006 it was voted as one of the "100 Greatest Songs Ever" in *Q* magazine. "Personal Jesus" was rereleased as a single on 30 May 2011 for the Depeche Mode remix album *Remixes 2: 81–11*, with the leading remix by the production team Stargate. The song has been covered by numerous artists, including Johnny Cash in 2002 and Marilyn Manson in 2004.

## Background and composition

In mid-1989, the band began recording in Milan with record producer Flood. The result of this session was the single "Personal Jesus", which featured a catchy bluesy riff and drum-based sound, radically different from anything the band had released thus far. Although not the first Depeche Mode song to feature guitar parts ("Behind the Wheel" and their cover of "Route 66" featured a guitar; "Love, in Itself" and "And Then..." from *Construction Time Again* and "Here is the House" from *Black Celebration* featured an acoustic guitar), it was the first time a guitar was used as a dominant instrument in a Depeche Mode song. The song was inspired by the book *Elvis and Me* by Priscilla Presley. According to songwriter Martin Gore:

"Personal Jesus" is written in the key of F♯ minor with a tempo of 194 beats per minute in 12/8 time.

## Promotion and release

Prior to its release, advertisements were placed in the personal columns of regional newspapers in the UK with the words "Your own personal Jesus." Later, the ads included a phone number one could dial to hear the song. The ensuing controversy helped propel the single to No. 13 on the UK charts, becoming one of Depeche Mode's biggest sellers. The single was particularly successful commercially thanks to the fact that it was released six months prior to the album it would later appear on. Up to that point, it was the best selling 12" single in Warner Bros. history.

"Personal Jesus" had a plethora of remixes, almost unprecedented for Depeche Mode at the time. While most other Depeche Mode singles prior to "Personal Jesus" usually had band-made extended mixes, Depeche Mode started to invite more DJs and mixers to the fold, which would become the mainstay for all future Depeche Mode singles. François Kevorkian (who did the mixing for the *Violator* album, in general) mixed the single version, the "Holier Than Thou Approach", the "Pump Mix", and the lesser-known "Kazan Cathedral Mix" (which was not available on any of the singles), while producer Flood mixed the "Acoustic" version and the "Telephone Stomp Mix" as well as the single version and "Sensual Mix" of the single's B-side "Dangerous". The "Hazchemix" and "Hazchemix Edit" of "Dangerous" were mixed by Daniel Miller.

The back-cover of "Personal Jesus" features one of the band members and the back-side of a naked woman. The band member she is with depends on whether it is the 7" vinyl (Martin Gore), the 12" vinyl (Dave Gahan), the cassette (Andy Fletcher), or the original CD (Alan Wilder). On some copies she does not appear at all, such as the 2004 CD re-release, and on promo copies. On some limited releases, like the *GBong17*, all four photos are available plus one photo of the full group with Martin hugging the woman.

## Critical reception and legacy

In 2011, *Slant Magazine* listed the song at number 81 in their ranking of "The 100 Best Singles of the 1990s", writing, "Depeche Mode's gimmick is one that, after years of repetition, seems ingeniously flimsy, bundling angst and spiritual frustration with sex and pouty gloom. 'Personal Jesus' has escaped the mustiness that has enveloped most of the band's material not by flouting these tactics, but by embodying them so well. Bolstered by Dave Gahan's repeated imprecation to 'reach out and touch faith', the vocals seem perched on a neutral point between the completely earnest and the bitterly sarcastic, turning what could have been another flat religious diatribe into a thinly dual-tiered assessment of devotion and self-absorption." In 2017, *Billboard* ranked "Personal Jesus" second behind only "Enjoy the Silence" on a list of their "20 Best Depeche Mode Songs".

Robert Smith of the Cure listed "Personal Jesus" as one of his 30 favorite songs from the 1980s.

Sex Pistols and Public Image Ltd singer John Lydon commented on the track, "it's a serious problem for me, all this technology. The people who've used it best would be Depeche Mode. 'Your own Personal Jesus!' Bloody 'ell mate, *they* got it! They were using the Casiotone effect and they wrapped a song around it, but they didn't let it dictate to the song. That's another tune I just absolutely love - I was so impressed with the bravery of attempting such a subject matter."

## Music video

Anton Corbijn directed the music video for "Personal Jesus" and is his first Depeche Mode video in color. It features the band on a ranch (suggested to appear as a brothel), filmed in the Tabernas Desert of Almería, in Spain. MTV edited out some suggestive mouth movements of Martin Gore during the bridge and replaced it with some other footage from the video.

## Releases

**7", Cassette: Mute / Bong17, CBong17 (UK)**

1. "Personal Jesus" – 3:44
2. "Dangerous" – 4:20

**7": Mute / GBong17 (UK)**

1. "Personal Jesus" – 3:44
2. "Dangerous (Hazchemix Edit)" – 3:01
3. "Personal Jesus (Acoustic)" – 3:26

**12", mini-CD: Mute / 12Bong17, CDBong17 (UK)**

1. "Personal Jesus (Holier Than Thou Approach)" – 5:51
2. "Dangerous (Sensual Mix)" – 5:24
3. "Personal Jesus (Acoustic)" – 3:26

**Limited 12", mini-CD: Mute / L12Bong17, LCDBong17 (UK)**

1. "Personal Jesus (Pump Mix)" – 7:47
2. "Personal Jesus (Telephone Stomp Mix)" – 5:32
3. "Dangerous (Hazchemix)" – 5:34

**CD, Mute / CDBong17X (EU)**

1. "Personal Jesus" – 3:44
2. "Dangerous" – 4:20
3. "Personal Jesus (Acoustic)" – 3:26
4. "Dangerous (Hazchemix Edit)" – 3:01
5. "Personal Jesus (Holier Than Thou Approach)" – 5:51
6. "Dangerous (Sensual Mix)" – 5:24
7. "Personal Jesus (Pump Mix)" – 7:47
8. "Personal Jesus (Telephone Stomp Mix)" – 5:32
9. "Dangerous (Hazchemix)" – 5:34

* This CD is the 2004 re-release

**CD, Sire/Reprise / 21328-2 (US)**

1. "Personal Jesus" – 3:44
2. "Personal Jesus (Holier Than Thou Approach)" – 5:51
3. "Dangerous (Hazchemix)" – 5:34
4. "Personal Jesus (Pump Mix)" – 7:47
5. "Personal Jesus (Acoustic)" – 3:26
6. "Dangerous (Sensual Mix)" – 5:24
7. "Personal Jesus (Telephone Stomp Mix)" – 5:32
8. "Dangerous" – 4:20

* US single released 19 September 1989

## Official remixes

* Single/7" Version
* Holier Than Thou Approach/12" Version
* Pump Mix
* Kazan Cathedral Mix (only available on the limited 4-disc edition of *Remixes 81–04* and *Just Say Da* (Volume IV of the "Just Say Yes" series))
* Telephone Stomp Mix

## Lyrics

Reach out and touch faith

Your own personal Jesus

Someone to hear your prayers

Someone who cares

Your own personal Jesus

Someone to hear your prayers

Someone who's there

Feeling unknown and you're all alone

Flesh and bone by the telephone

Lift up the receiver, I'll make you a believer

Take second best, put me to the test

Things on your chest you need to confess

I will deliver, you know I'm a forgiver

Reach out and touch faith

Your own personal Jesus

Someone to hear your prayers

Someone who cares

Your own personal Jesus

Someone to hear your prayers

Someone who's there

Feeling unknown and you're all alone

Flesh and bone by the telephone

Lift up the receiver, I'll make you a believer

I will deliver, you know I'm a forgiver

Reach out and touch faith

Your own personal Jesus

Reach out and touch faith

Reach out and touch faith

## Certifications

 Italy (FIMI)
 United States (RIAA)

## Personal Jesus 2011

"**Personal Jesus 2011**" is the preceding single to the remix compilation album *Remixes 2: 81–11*. The digital single was released in the U.K. on 18 April 2011 and a day later in the U.S.. It was released on CD and vinyl on May 30, 2011.

### Releases

**CD (Bong43)**

1. "Personal Jesus" (The Stargate Mix) – 3:57
2. "Personal Jesus" (Alex Metric Remix) – 5:57
3. "Personal Jesus" (Eric Prydz Remix) – 7:26
4. "Personal Jesus" (M.A.N. Remix) – 5:24
5. "Personal Jesus" (Sie Medway-Smith Remix) – 6:25

**12" vinyl**

1. "Personal Jesus" (Alex Metric Remix) – 5:54
2. "Personal Jesus" (M.A.N. Remix) – 5:22
3. "Personal Jesus" (The Stargate Mix) – 3:56
4. "Personal Jesus" (Eric Prydz Remix) – 7:25
5. "Personal Jesus" (Sie Medway-Smith Remix) – 6:25

**Digital Download**

1. "Personal Jesus" (The Stargate Mix) – 3:56
2. "Personal Jesus" (Alex Metric Remix Edit) – 3:27

**Beatport Exclusive Digital Download**

1. "Personal Jesus" (Eric Prydz Remix) – 7:26
2. "Never Let Me Down Again" (Eric Prydz Remix) – 7:01

**Promo CD (PCDBong43)**

1. "Personal Jesus" (The Stargate Mix) – 3:57
2. "Personal Jesus" (Alex Metric Remix Edit) – 3:27
3. "Personal Jesus" (Alex Metric Remix) – 5:57
4. "Personal Jesus" (Eric Prydz Remix) – 7:26
5. "Personal Jesus" (M.A.N. Remix) – 5:24
6. "Personal Jesus" (Sie Medway-Smith Remix) – 6:25

**iTunes Store**

1. "Personal Jesus" (Alex Metric Remix) – 5:57
2. "Personal Jesus" (Eric Prydz Remix) – 7:26
3. "Personal Jesus" (M.A.N. Remix) – 5:24
4. "Personal Jesus" (Sie Medway-Smith Dub) – 5:56

## Sources

1. https://dmlive.wiki/wiki/Personal\_Jesus
2. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Personal\_Jesus