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[A Controversial Christmas] Babybird feat. Johnny Depp – Jesus Stag Night Club

12.03.11 | 34 Comments | Posted by E.J.

Perhaps because of the fact that it’s drawn controversy from The Christian Coalition and Focus on the Family already, it’s worth noting this particular new Christmas anthem that has been served up by the UK band Babybird with a familiar cameo.

The band, whose roots date back to the mid-1990′s, is fronted by Stephen Jones, also a terrific solo performer in his own right. Babybird have scored a number of minor hits in the UK but remain widely unknown here in the U.S. save for the song “You’re Gorgeous” which gave them international exposure early on. But after breaking up in 2004, the band have since reformed and been recipients of great patronage by one of their biggest fans and supporters, Johnny Depp — a.k.a. the Jack Sparrow of this shit — including cameos on recordings and videos directed by the world-renowned, multi-talented performer. His inclusion on this humorously tongue-in-cheek (albeit now controversial) bit of Christmas music (which leads off their latest album The Pleasures Of Self Destruction [iTunes]) is about as predictable as the sun coming out at night; nobody, including me, would expect to be updating their blogs to discuss a controversial Christmas recording featuring Johnny Depp.

But with religious groups demanding the song be banned from the airwaves as the song vies for a shot at being the Christmas #1 in the UK, it seems pertinent to share it with you here so you can decide what all the hullaballoo is really for and, if you like it, give you a chance to purchase it, edging it even closer to the #1 position on the UK charts.

What’s It About? The song tells the story of a group of teenagers that hire a Jesus look-alike whom they convince to organize a “stag night”. When things go wrong, the Jesus look-alike (who likes to have a bit of the drink and drive the occasional stolen car) ends up dying and, somehow, learns that he actually is the REAL Jesus.

::: LISTEN ::: Babybird feat. Johnny Depp – Jesus Stag Night Club

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[buy from iTunes UK] | [buy from iTunes USA]

:: LYRICS to “Jesus Stag Night Club” (Near as they can be made out, corrections are welcomed) :: _{(HT: Babybird Forums)}

Saw a man in a bar with his hair like a lady
Bloody thorns ’round his ears like he was a crazy
He had holes in his hands and a cross for a spine
Crushed a berry in his Perrier and called it wine

He said, “There’s great sadness in life, but don’t sit there and blub:
Here’s some tickets for your friends to the Jesus Stag Night Club!”

I can’t remember where I was last night
Think I was hanging naked off a church spire
Tied by my ankles to a weathervane
Felt like I was Jesus on fire
Cuffed to the bumper of a big truck
I begged my dad (?) to take me to a strip bar
Drank kerosene slammers through my eyeballs
Drove myself home in a stolen car

Turn a bird upside down and it lies in your fingers like a dead man
When you throw it in the air it’s resurrected from your hand
We went to a motel, he showed me his Bible
I said, “Tell me the truth,” while he looked me in the eyeball

He said, “There’s great happiness in life but don’t just sit there in love:
Here’s some tickets for your friends to the Jesus Stag Night Club!”

I can’t remember where I was last night
Think I was getting on a night bus
Lyin’ on the laps of my good friends
Judas Priest and Lazarus
I’m getting married in the big bad morning
But it feels like I’m giving birth
I feel so happy I could scream
“This is my last few seconds on Earth”

Saw a man in the street lying on the floor beaten up
He had a fish finger sandwich and a yellow M coffee cup
I bent down drunk and tried to pick him up
But when I turned around I could see…it was Jesus…

I can’t remember where I was last night
Think I was hanging on a church spire
Tied by my ankles to a weathervane
Felt like I was Jesus on fire
Cuffed to the bumper of a big truck
I begged my dad to take me to a strip bar
Drank kerosene slammers through my eyeballs
Drove myself home in a stolen car

Now I don’t know about you, but who can argue with a having a gleefully catchy rock-and-roll Christmas #1 that is so filled with humor and drunken malarky that people actually take seriously the premise? If you’re one of those who realizes you like it, follow the links below to spend your £0.79 to inch it closer to a Christmas #1. It’s humor, folks. They’re just taking the piss, and now people have gone haywire about it. Laugh. Have a pint or two, listen and, you know … Have A Merry Christmas.

::: Purchase Babybird’s The Pleasures Of Self Destruction [iTunes]
::: Purchase “Jesus Stag Night Club from iTunes UK
::: Purchase “Jesus Stag Night Club” from iTunes USA

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depp fan

I like Johnny Depp very much but after reading the lyrics I don’t like his choice to become involved with playing on this song.

Speaking as someone who was brought up in a christian home and retains their faith but who no longer goes to church, I feel every other day from what I see in the media that it seems to be ok to bash christians for living their faith (and by Christians I don’t mean the ordered religious pomp and ceremony kind – I mean people who practise christianity in its truest form – following Christ’s teachings, recognising their own imperfections but striving to live humble lives and be compassionate towards each other and to show love and kindness. I mean people like the Salvation Army who reach out to and show love and compassion to the untouchables in our world because they want to follow Christ’s example.

If this has been done for a shock factor then its just not shocking – its all been done before. If its been done to mock the christian faith – it just feels like intolerance because its not cool to be a christian.

A lot of people probably think who cares what christians feel about stuff like this and so what?but as someone who was brought up to appreciate the beauty of Christ’s person, and who as an adult still carries respect for his teachings and the way he reached out to the poor and the defenceless in society and who taught others to do the same, this feels cheap and offensive.

I expect to be attacked or mocked for these views but I’m not ashamed of them.
Deegramma1

Anyone that has ever drank enough tequilla to experience the invincibility of the soul…LOL….will know this song is tomfoolery and fun….I have watched drunks talk to jesus quite often in my 30+ years as a bartender….this song is no better and no worse and certainly produces a laugh or two….as for christians feeling like they are picked on …welcome to my world…as a pagan I don’t feel sorry for them a bit…at least they are not being burned at the stake
Naffster

People are actually getting freaked out by this? You’re the same lot who cheer every time “Rock and Roll Pt. 2″ by Gary Glitter is blasted at a sporting event, paying royalties to a child molester. A sodding sight that Christians, taking a cue from the Muslims whom they seem to despise, are up in arms when their supposed lord and savior is painted in a way they don’t like. Naff off, really you lot.
http://loudersoft.com loudersoft

I think Christians perceive that they’re being bashed for their faith, but in reality they’re being bashed for the ways in which a continuous flow of bad apples claiming to be Christian misrepresent the tenets of their faith to meet a particular set of needs. There seems to be an overwhelming number of people who only use Christ and Christianity as an excuse for behaving inhumanely to other humans versus those Christians (and non-Christians) who actually study the teachings of Christ and learn from them.

Regardless of which type of Christian you are or are not, this song is not even about Christianity — it’s about someone impersonating Jesus Christ running a stag party. It’s complete and utter prose, and if it offends you then you should examine the reasons why it does rather than attack the creators of the work. Johnny Depp is a performer and an actor. He should not to be held to a higher standard of artistry simply because you found him to be entertaining in ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ and ‘Charlie & The Chocolate Factory’. What would you say of his work as Hunter S. Thompson? His role in the movie ‘Blow’?

Instead of wasting time criticizing other people’s art, why not simply go make more of your own? A surly discontent with Christianity or Catholicism by those with other religious beliefs apparently never stopped Michelangelo from painting elegant murals of him in the Sistine Chapel or Da Vinci from creating ‘The Last Supper’.
depp fan

I actually really enjoyed Johnny’s performances in Blow, Fear and Loathing and The Rum Diary – all based on stories of hedonism. I’m far from perfect and one of the reasons I don’t go to church is that I don’t want people pointing the finger at the church because of my imperfections when the majority of those in the church I was brought up in do try their best to live to Christ’s teachings and not be judgemental towards others. I love Johnny’s art and I think he comes over as being one of the nicest people – he seems to be a very kind, humane, peaceful and giving person and a wonderful musician and artist. I will always feel that about him. I also have no time for christians who spout about who is going to burn in hell. I don’t believe that one human being has the right to say that about any other – none of us is perfect. I just don’t feel comfortable with this particular choice.
Scott Glancy

You make it sounf like jesus was a real person . . .
depp fan

Regardless of whether anyone believes in God or not or is a hater of religion/christians, even aetheists concede that Jesus a historical figure. It is well documented that even the Monty Python mob at the outset of making Life of Brian agreed that they could find nothing negative to say about Christ or his principles – resulting in their choice to parody the contagion of blind followers of religion for religion’s sake which is as far removed true christianity as you can get.
http://twitter.com/eqvlncprinciple Jane Doe

Actually, there is no evidence that Jesus was a historical figure.
Alan

I think Depp should have represented Jesus in a more accurate light.

For example, when Jesus supports killing children in Matthew 15. Jesus rebukes the Pharisees specifically for following their own morality and not god’s law of killing their disobedient children.

Or perhaps when he tells us to leave our family and give up all possessions, or possibly when he condones slavery. “Slaves, obey your earthly masters with deep respect
and fear. Serve them sincerely as you would serve Christ.” (Ephesians 6:5
NLT)

The bible is the MOST immoral book ever written aside from the Qur’an and Jesus is no savior of anything except people’s self-delusions that he was real. There is NO evidence of Jesus, whatsoever…nothing, nada, zero, zilch.

So in short, its just a song sheeple…get over it. We’ve had to endure your batsh*t crazy religious songs spreading their fabricated nonsense and hatred/discrimination of nonbelievers, and people of other religions our entire lives.
http://loudersoft.com loudersoft

But there’s no codified historical proof or evidence that Jesus Christ ever existed, no physical evidence ever recovered in the history of the world that can be directly tied to him other than word-of-mouth and stories in The Bible — which are not physical evidence.
sorsy

Johnny Depp is Jesus Christ. So why are you all so stupid. Worship him and he will save you. Suckers.
Chelle

WWJDD? Whatever he wants to. Least he’s not going around condemning folks to Hell. I don’t think Jesus is alright with people judging others. That’s kinda not His thing. I’m gonna guess that Johnny’s not in danger of eternal damnation for a SONG. If so, we are all screwed. Get a life. By the way, Merry Christmas!
Xlizarr

The song sucks along with the lyrics.
Anon

I love Johnny Depp even more for this! The song style and writing reminds me of a musician friend of mine John Lanegin or
Lo-Fi Cowboy. Mr. Lanegin would rock this song
like no one else can! Hope you see this comment and cover it oneday…
http://loudersoft.com loudersoft

This comment sucks along with commenter.
JesusIsReal

What planet are you people from?
JesusIsReal

gave me a headache…….I love music but what was this?
http://loudersoft.com loudersoft

Well, I’m from the planet Earth where physical, incontrovertible archaeological proof of existence of things and people throughout the course of human history so surrounds us as to make a lack of physical evidence about Jesus Christ’s existence more than a bit suspect. I personally believe that the person referred to as Jesus Christ existed and he was a great teacher and philosopher. Son of God? I don’t believe in that theory enough to shun or kill other human beings over it.

Clearly, sir, you are from Uranus.
StarPathOne

There is no evidence of Jesus being real whatsoever.

If there was evidence, there would be no need for faith.

On that same note, there is simply no need for religion at all. There is not a single conclusively positive benefit to mankind that religion brings that is original and exclusive only to religion, nor are there any benefits from religion that could not be achieved without the delusional belief in imaginary gods. Not a single one.

How anyone can support a religion (such as Christianity) that condones slavery, rape, murder, and discrimination of everyone from homosexuals and nonbelievers, people of other religions, women, and even the handicapped is beyond me. The bible is without a doubt the most divisive book ever written aside from the Qur’an.

Religion IS fascism.
tim tim

Friend, you’ve got to do some more research on the Salvation Army.

In 1986, the Salvation Army gathered signatures against the repeal of a New Zealand law criminalizing homosexuality. (http://tinyurl.com/2vfpvba)

In 2000, the Salvation Army in Scotland spoke out against the repeal of
Section 28, which prohibited schools from treating homosexuality as
acceptable. (http://tinyurl.com/yb4hvnr)

In 2001, the Salvation Army secretly made a deal with the Bush
administration to exempt them from local ordinances outlawing
discrimination against gay people. The deal fell through when internal
SA documents were exposed by the Washington Post. (http://tinyurl.com/5e3awh)

In 2004, the Salvation Army threatened to close all their soup kitchens
and homeless shelters in New York City instead of following an
ordinance requiring city contractors to provide equal benefits to
domestic partners. Discriminating against gays was more important to
them than helping the poor. (http://tinyurl.com/2ef7kdm)
Joy30083

They said any press is good press, maybe just the name Jesus in the song will get someones attention and open a door to His love and salvation. So if you do not like the song don’t listen, go church or food bank, do some good today . Jesus loves us all even the Baby Birds and Johnny . Maybe that is the message to tell them. Depp: Jesus love you !!
Devon95

LOVE IT!!!! Johnny Depp is awesome! Great rock song!
Devon95

I’m so glad someone said it! I know a man that was molested by him and the gang from Channel one when he was 16.
Zorroette6

non believers BURN IN HELL and you will GOD IS REAL from someone who has had prayers answered and miracles you wouldn’t believe unless you see it for yourself and I HAVE PRAISE GOD. Nothing against Johnny Depp Its on him
Debby

Why can’t you just sing the blues like any reasonable person would do? I’m just sayin’. ….Once a trouble maker always a trouble maker.
P.S. I’ll read the lyrics later…..
twopence

From what I can tell, in the US if you’re not Christian and people are making your life shit, it more than likely it’s because they’re Christians and they justify their behaviour with their dogma.
twopence

Even the Salvation Army are know for discriminating against gays.
Yahdave

Labeled as a Christmas song? Really? Sick, blasphemouslly sick. And the song just sucks lyrically and musically to boot. Shame on you Johnny, for putting your name on this piece of crap.
Hrtd916wrk

Honestly, I only feel sadness and compassion for anyone with such a lack of understanding. Mr Depp along with any one who may think this poison is music, doesnt understand that they are being bamboozled out of their riches. Will you ever understand? The final hour is upon you… How long will you remain unteachable?
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_CGVPXWLG2JG3L4IUT4HL3VXCL4 Lisa The Kritterbite

You know you got something when tons of people bitch about it! Rock ON!
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_CGVPXWLG2JG3L4IUT4HL3VXCL4 Lisa The Kritterbite

You know you got something going when tons of people sit around bitching about it! Rock on Baby bird, I may take your example on my next CD.
bella

Okay, I can’t get what the big fuzz is all about. Come on, it’s a good song, the lyrics are funny and great too. Feels like everybody thinks that if your not christian in America you are a horribly bad person? Seriously…
And just because you like this song doesn’t that mean your a atheist, or “a horrible person who hates God”. I mean, it’s a freaking song, not the apocalypse! And why is everybody just accusing Depp? I think people are forgetting that there is a band behind the song too.. And don’t get me wrong. I’m NOT saying that you have to attack Babybird too. I am saying the opposite. All I want to know is, is it just because Depp is more famous? Why can’t famous people do anything without it becoming the end of the world…?
rockbox

So I take it you’re gay then!
Mallisawalls

I am a huge fan of Johnny Depp. Lyrics to “Jesus Stag Night Club” is awesome.It’s theme is incredible .Its also depicts the what the teenagers think.I am very much excited to hear it.Thanks for posting.