TotW 09/09/2024 - 09/15/2024: GENESIS - Jesus He Knows Me

    Your rating for "Jesus He Knows Me" by GENESIS 32

    1. 15 points - outstanding (4) 13%
    2. 14 points - very good (3) 9%
    3. 13 points - very good - (1) 3%
    4. 12 points - good + (8) 25%
    5. 11 points - good (7) 22%
    6. 10 points - good - (3) 9%
    7. 09 points - satisfactory + (0) 0%
    8. 08 points - satisfactory (3) 9%
    9. 07 points - satisfactory - (0) 0%
    10. 06 points - sufficient + (0) 0%
    11. 05 points - sufficient (1) 3%
    12. 04 points - sufficient - (0) 0%
    13. 03 points - poor + (2) 6%
    14. 02 points - poor (0) 0%
    15. 01 points - poor - (0) 0%
    16. 00 points - abysmal (0) 0%

    We invite you to share interesting facts and tidbits about this track. Let's look at the track in the context of the band's / the artist's history, at the music, the songwriting and all other aspects that are relevant for this track. Please do stick to the discussion of the track above. Comparisons to other tracks are okay, but remember that the other track you may be keen to talk about has or will have its own Track Of The Week thread. If you spot a mistake or if you can close a gap in the fact sheet above please feel free to contact martinus or Christian about it; we will gladly add and improve!


    GENESIS - Jesus He Knows Me

    Year: 1991
    Album: We Can't Dance
    Working title: Do The New One
    Credits: Banks, Collins, Rutherford
    Lyrics: Yes
    Length: 4:16
    Musicians: Tony Banks, Phil Collins, Mike Rutherford
    Played live: 1992, rehearsed 2020/21
    Cover versions: Ghost

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    Notes: Despite the many exotic ideas in Genesis songs, this has never happened before: a song about TV preachers - a widespread phenomenon, especially in the USA. Genesis approached this topic critically, but in a very humorous way. This is emphasised above all by the almost comedic video for the song. A catchy if very commercial song that spreads a good mood... as long as you haven't got tired of it yet.

  • Christian

    Approved the thread.

    12! And the video was really nicely done.


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    ... make tomorrow today!

    Like 1

    I think it's one of their best rock tracks. I love how it takes a left turn right out of the gate, with a chirpy major key intro then a dark, minor key verse. Great energy, lots of grit in the mix. I think the lyrics are well done too, which wasn't always a highlight in Genesis songs. I was very happy to hear it on the local college radio station a little ways back! 14.

    Not bad. Efficiently does what it sets out to do, ie satirise TV evangelists, achieving it in a workmanlike but lively way.


    At the time of its release, someone I knew expressed disdain that they'd "gone all evangelistic" having zeroed in on the chorus/title phrase without realising its true intent or paying attention to the song as a whole. Tee, not to mention hee.

    Abandon all reason

    Quote from Backdrifter

    Not bad. Efficiently does what it sets out to do, ie satirise TV evangelists, achieving it in a workmanlike but lively way.


    At the time of its release, someone I knew expressed disdain that they'd "gone all evangelistic" having zeroed in on the chorus/title phrase without realising its true intent or paying attention to the song as a whole. Tee, not to mention hee.

    I remember when I first bought the CD, being concerned about it being a religious piece. But, then I took the wrapper off the CD and read the lyrics.


    Anyway, I give it an 11. One of the better songs on a CD I really don't like at all.

    This song was also in Mike + The Mechanic's 2023 live set.

    One thing I find remarkable is this being a song written later on by the 3-piece formation in which Daryl Stuermer played live guitar, with MR handling the bass. Daryl even came up with a colorful solo for an extended coda for the 1992 live version.

    A little bit too frantically delivered, tbh, but given this is one of the few latter day Genesis songs with good, purposeful lyrics, aimed at a well deserved target, I'll give it the full 15.

    Ian


    Putting the old-fashioned Staffordshire plate in the dishwasher!

    13 for me. I've always enjoyed this song. Phil's singing, the satirical lyrics regarding those flambuoyantly controversial TV evangelists of the 90's, Tony's catchy chord progression, etc.


    I love how it all blended together, including Mike's guitar picking in there-it really sounded like a true Genesis jam session. Even the reggae sound of the bridge is great.


    Not in my top five...but maybe in my top 10? or 15?

    Quote from IWishItWouldRainDown

    Maybe the last iconic music video ever.

    Ah that's bit of an outlandish claim there, in all fairness. I don't know what constitutes an iconic music video but I'm sure there were some decent ones later in the 90s and into the 2000s. Michael Jackson had a couple of big ones, Eminem, Britney Spears, that Space Jam one, Snoop Dogg's Drop it like it's Hot. I'm sure I'm missing tons of rap and dance videos from that time. The Fatboy Slim one with Christopher Walken, the "way it is" video with the break dancers, Johnny Cash's video for Hurt. Maybe none of these are "iconic" in the way Sinead O'Connor tearing up a picture of the pope on live TV was (or did she set fire to it?), in which case JHKM sure ain't iconic either.


    The JHKM video is good though, if memory serves.

    Good to hear them do a fast track well. Good lyrics, great playing and I agree that what could have been a hackneyed reggae bridge works well. It’s all very tight and the video and live performances enhance it.

    A solid 11 from me, I never seek it out but enjoy it when I hear it.

    It's an OK pop song with a brilliant video but for me this song marks the Genesis divide, along with certain others like I Can't Dance, Invisible Touch, In Too Deep etc. The band became my life partner because I was transfixed by their depth and creativity; their ability to take you on a journey and absorb you in their music. There are a hundred thousand pop songs that anyone can pick up and put down whenever they like, but Genesis for me was all about breaking the mould, not making it.

    So I'll give this a 10 for being a well composed, tight pop song (and one with a satirical message to boot) and 14 if you include the video, but if I score it in terms of how much I like it as a Genesis piece it's 4. Just not my cup of tea in that sense.

    12!

    Around 1991/1992 I became a real fan. And after the videos for ICD and JHKM and being aware of the funnier videos for LOC or ASD, I thought these guys are really funny. Eventually I found out how serious their music was ...

    Quote from thewatcher

    Ah that's bit of an outlandish claim there, in all fairness. I don't know what constitutes an iconic music video

    It may be my perception, but I think that from '92 onwards music videos at large stopped having the X-factor they had until '91. Some got more expensive, but the general visual appeal they used to have became suddenly uncommon. If you remember, music video-making got lazy in the '90s. Music video got less cared about, becoming more than another way of promotion rather than a central instrument to put the song into the collective consciousness. That what I meant for iconic. What I wanted to say that for me Jesus He Knows Me is the last great music video from the classic era (although it ended the year before). Although that doesn't mean that there haven't been any good music videos afterwards.