I’m pretty sure all of you have heard Depeche Mode’s “Personal Jesus”, and if you haven’t, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN? “Personal Jesus” was released on August 29, 1989, and was the first single from Depeche Mode’s Violator album. According Wikipedia, the song reached #13 on the UK Singles Chart, #28 on the Billboard Hot 100, and in 2004 was ranked #368 in Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time.
Oh, and Hilary Duff totally ripped it off.
Depeche Mode’s Martin Gore explained the song in a 1990 Spin article as “a song about being a Jesus for somebody else, someone to give you hope and care. It’s about how Elvis was her [Priscilla Presley] man and her mentor and how often that happens in love relationships; how everybody’s heart is like a god in some way, and that’s not a very balanced view of someone, is it?”
Anyway, last night I came across the below video of Lisa Hannigan covering the song on October 30th at the Orpheum Theater in Minneapolis. We’ve talked about Lisa a few times on the site… she’s got an indie/folk sound, and after parting ways professionally with Damien Rice in 2007, she released her first solo effort, Sea Sew, late last year. If you’re not familiar with her and are into the indie/folk sound, I highly recommend checking it out.
Take a look at the video of Lisa’s version of “Personal Jesus” below. She definitely adds her own creative touch to the song. And in case you’re wondering, that instrument she’s playing is the dulcimer. Very cool.
“Personal Jesus” has been remixed, sampled, and covered by countless artists and bands, including Johnny Cash, Tori Amos, and Marylin Manson. You can hear their renditions, as well as the original, below in the Dig-It section. We’ve also included an audio rip of Lisa’s performance from the Orpheum. Enjoy.
Your Dig-It Downloads:
Download: Personal Jesus (2006 Remastered) – Depeche Mode
Download: Personal Jesus (Acoustic) – Depeche Mode
Download: Personal Jesus (Dirty South Remix) – Depeche Mode
Download: Personal Jesus (live) – Lisa Hannigan
Download: Personal Jesus – Johnny Cash
Download: Personal Jesus – Marilyn Manson
Download: Personal Jesus (live) – Tori Amos
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