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"Jesus Walks" is the seventh track from Kanye West's debut studio album, The College Dropout (2004).[1] It was released as a single on May 25, 2004, serving as the fourth single from the album.[2] The song features backing vocals from John Legend.

In the song, Kanye embraces Christianity and criticizes radio for playing songs about anything but religion.

The song continues to be a crowd favorite and stands as one of the most-performed songs by West, who has included it within all of his headlining tours. It also won the Grammy Award for Best Rap Song at the 47th Grammy Awards in 2005.[3] The track earned a spot in some publications' end-of-year and end-of-decade music lists.[4]

A remix of the song is included in The College Dropout Video Anthology, featuring Ma$e and Common.[5] An orchestral version of the song is featured in Kanye's live album, Late Orchestration (2006).[6]

Production[]

The song's backgrounds vocals heavily sample The ARC Choir's 1997 song, "Walk With Me", and samples its drums from Lou Donaldson's 1967 song, "Ode to Billie Joe".[7]

Background[]

The song was originally meant to be released on Rhymefest's debut studio album, Blue Collar. However, after Kanye was signed to Roc-A-Fella Records, he decided to give it to Kanye instead. Rhymefest originally recorded a verse for the song, but it was eventually removed.[8] An early version of the song is featured in the 2001 Demo Tape with slightly different lyrics and production compared to the released version.[9] A snippet of the song was played in Kanye's 2002 mixtape, Get Well Soon..., and the full song was released in Kanye's 2003 mixtape, I'm Good....[10]

Music videos[]

Three separate music videos were made for the song, with the second and third financed by "West himself out-of-pocket." Hype Williams was originally intended to be the director for the first video, but Ye went to Michael Haussman because he had heard Williams was likely working for Jay-Z's "99 Problems."[11]

The first video, which cost $650,000, features West as a preacher rapping before a congregation from a pulpit while angels guide a prostitute, an alcoholic, and a drug dealer to his Baptist church.[11] The video also opens with "I'll Fly Away."[12]

After not being impressed by the first video, Ye had Dame Dash commission another for $500,000, this time directed by Chris Milk. This video is known for being "the most metaphorical of the three," featuring Ye rapping in a hallway which is filled alternatively with hellish flames and angelic light, accompanied by other striking scenes.[11][13] It also features some minor changes to the track. This version is the only version that was released publicly.

The third music video, which was directed by Coodie & Chike and had a cost of $40,000, depicts Jesus in the modern day, literally walking beside the protagonist as he travels from his home to church, performing miracles along the way. This video premiered MTV.com on June 23, 2004.[14] This version might have a different vocal recording. It also contains an "I'll Fly Away" opening like the first music video.[15]

Lyrics[]

[Intro]
Order, huh
Yo, we at war
We at war with terrorism, racism, but most of all we at war with ourselves

[Chorus]
(Jesus walks)
God show me the way because the Devil's tryin' to break me down
(Jesus walks with me, with me, with me, with me, with me)

[Verse 1]
You know what the Midwest is?
Young and Restless
Where restless n***as might snatch ya necklace
And next these n***as might jack ya Lexus
Somebody tell these n***as who Kanye West is
I walk through the valley of Chi where death is
Top floor of the view alone will leave you breathless
Try to catch it, it's kinda hard
Getting choked by detectives yeah, yeah, now check the method
They be asking us questions, harass, and arrest us
Saying, "We eat pieces of shit like you for breakfast"
Huh, y'all eat pieces of shit? What's the basis?
We ain't goin' nowhere, but got suits and cases
A trunk full of coke rental car from Avis
My Mama used to say only Jesus can save us
Well Mama, I know I act a fool
But I'll be gone 'til November, I got packs to move, I hope

[Chorus]
(Jesus walks)
God show me the way because the Devil's tryin' to break me down
(Jesus walks with me)
The only thing that I pray is that my feet don't fail me now (I want Jesus)
(Jesus walks)
And I don't think there is nothing I can do now to right my wrongs
(Jesus walks with me)
I want to talk to God, but I'm afraid because we ain't spoke in so long
(I want Jesus)
God show me the way because the Devil's tryin' to break me down
The only thing that I pray is that my feet don't fail me now
And I don't think there is nothing I can do now to right my wrongs
I want to talk to God, but I'm afraid because we ain't spoke in so long, so long
So long
(Jesus walks with me)

[Verse 2]
To the hustlers, killers, murderers, drug dealers even the strippers
(Jesus walks with them)
To the victims of welfare for we living in hell here hell yeah
(Jesus walks with them)
Now hear ye hear ye want to see Thee more clearly
I know He hear me when my feet get weary
'Cause we're the almost nearly extinct
We rappers is role models, we rap we don't think
I ain't here to argue about his facial features
Or here to convert atheists into believers
I'm just trying to say the way school need teachers
The way Kathie Lee needed Regis, that's the way I need Jesus
So here go my single, dawg, radio needs this
They said you can rap about anything except for Jesus
That means guns, sex, lies, video tape
But if I talk about God my record won't get played
Huh?
Well if this take away from my spins
Which'll probably take away from my ends
Then I hope this take away from my sins
And bring the day that I'm dreaming 'bout
Next time I'm in the club everybody screaming out

[Chorus]
(Jesus walks)
God show me the way because the devil trying to break me down
(Jesus walks with me, with me, with me)
The only thing that I pray is that me feet don't fail me now

[Intro]
Order, huh
Yeah, uh
Uh, uh, uh, uh
Jesus, Jesus, talk to me (this song right here)
Jesus, Jesus, walk with me (gon' change my life)
Jesus, Jesus (come on)
Jesus, Jesus (come on)

[Chorus]
(Jesus walks)
God showed me the way, now the devil can't break me down
(Jesus walks with me) (Jesus, Jesus, talk to me)
Yeah, yeah, c'mon, c'mon (yeah, uh, uh)

[Verse 1]
Between the girls and the jewelry
The devil tryin' lure me in view of me
(Jesus walks with me)
My pastor's shakin' his head
He ain't sure of me, but surely
(Jesus walks with me)
Lady asked, "Do you say your prayers at least two a week?"
I ain't talking to God, I know what I've been doin' G
Do you know how I be embarrassed?
My prayers sound like Ben Stiller's on Meet the Parents
And I ain't good, what they give us this day
The slaves is trying to give us this free
I'm trying to give us this pay
Man, you know how 'dem strippers was
We was all ghetto fabulous
All at the rooms in the Sybaris
From this jacuzzi water, can you cleanse us?
Can you please unfog my Cartier lenses?
God sends signs sometimes only in glimpses
For me I almost died, falling asleep in them Benzes
It's something about this beat that get me tranquilized
And when I play it at my shows I feel sanctified
And He gives me direction when I can't decide, He is alive
How can you tell me that He ain't when I said

[Chorus]
(Jesus walks)
God showed me the way, now the devil can't break me down
(Jesus walks with me)
The only thing that I pray
Is that my feet don't fail me now (I want Jesus)
(Jesus walks)
And now I think there's something I can say now (Jesus walks)
That'll right my wrongs
(Jesus walks with me)
I finally talked to God
I ain't afraid cause His love is so strong

[Verse 2]
Open your eyes, there's smoke in the skies
The Beast is totin' the lies
Everywhere we move, motions denied
Emotion derived from posters of pride of African
Cultures and tribes who live when we suppose they die
Who laugh when we suppose they cry
The pain we holding inside
'Cause all we really know is survive
Use that to remember we're kings
That's why we so addicted to diamonds and rings and Cutlass Supremes
Seen Diana Ross remember that my sisters is queens
The Lord is coming, for now He visit in dreams
For every mission it seems impossible
Spit the Gospel to remind me what God can do
When it's not logical
To those in hospitals and prisons, low-income living
For them I say a prayer keep giving
Learning to receive, my heart is burnin' to achieve
Even when it's hard to breathe, I still believe that

[Chorus]
(Jesus walks)
God showed me the way, now the devil can't break me down
(Jesus walks with me)
The only thing that I pray
Is that my feet don't fail me now (I want Jesus)
(Jesus walks)
And now I think there's something I can say now (Jesus walks)
That'll right my wrongs
(Jesus walks with me)
I finally talked to God (yeah, yeah)
I ain't afraid cause His love is so strong (c'mon, c'mon)

[Verse 3]
Before you take my name, take my fame
While you at it take my shame, take my flaws, take my blame?
Feel my dirt, conceal my hurt
See my bruise, do this and you will walk in my shoes
You wasn't there when I was in deep thought
When I had two choices, kill him, or either leave New York
But I'm a truth teller, that's why I say what I'm saying (yeah, yeah, yeah)
And the only thing the radio playing is 'cause you be paying
It ain't about who really hot no more
Beats wit' knock no more
So who cares who flop no more?
I realize that most labels pay you for lies
And only blow up dudes get in disguise
Is that your favorite artist? (Shhh)
I know you hear that (huh?)
You wanna fear that? (What?)
Your worst dream is that you was gonna hear that (huh?)
Kan' to rap is like John the Baptist
Prepared the way for what I came to say today
They deceived us, having thinking Jesus
Really didn't need us, when He loved the old days (oh, oh)
He loved them boys in the hallway up in Broadway
Even those who re-up for dope, every four days
To the strippers in broad day up in Norway
To the Detroit player gators in Marbres
With me, it's not just bars of music
I walk with God, I got the scars to prove it, uh

[Chorus]
(Jesus walks)
God showed me the way, now the devil can't break me down
(Jesus walks with me)
The only thing that I pray
Is that my feet don't fail me now (I want Jesus)
(Jesus walks)

[Outro]
Everybody out there (Jesus walks)
Just lift your hands right now
(Jesus walks with me) just say this with me
Father, I thank you (I want Jesus)
For forgiving me of everything I've ever done
For Jesus walking with me, for dying for me
Raising for me
And all my sins have been forgiven
I'm a changed man
I'm healed, I'm delivered, I'm rich
And it's all because of Him
Now walk with me
Walk with me, walk, walk, walk with me
Walk with me

(Jesus, Jesus, talk to me)
(Jesus walks with me)

Trivia[]

  • Kanye references the track in a verse from his and Jay-Z's 2011 song, "Otis", stating that since he made the song, he will "never [go] to Hell".[16] He also mentions the track in his 2007 song, "Big Brother".

References[]

The College Dropout
Singles
"Through The Wire" • "Slow Jamz" • "All Falls Down" • "Jesus Walks" • "The New Workout Plan"
Other tracks
"Intro" • "We Don't Care" • "Graduation Day" • "I'll Fly Away" • "Spaceship" • "Never Let Me Down" • "Get Em High" • "Workout Plan" • "Breathe In Breathe Out" • "School Spirit Skit 1" • "School Spirit" • "School Spirit Skit 2" • "Lil Jimmy Skit" • "Two Words" • "Family Business" • "Last Call" • "Heavy Hitters"
Chronology
Next
The College Dropout Video Anthology
"We Don't Care (Reprise)" • "Jesus Walks (Remix)" • "It's Alright" • "The New Workout Plan (Remix)" • "Heavy Hitters" • "Two Words (Cinematic)" • "Never Let Me Down (Cinematic)"
Late Orchestration
"Diamonds From Sierra Leone" • "Touch The Sky" • "Crack Music" • "Drive Slow" • "Through The Wire" • "Workout Plan" • "Heard 'Em Say" • "All Falls Down" • "Bring Me Down" • "Gone" • "Late" • "Jesus Walks" • "Gold Digger"
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