Would Jesus Wear a Rolex

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"Would Jesus Wear a Rolex"
Single by Ray Stevens
from the album Crackin' Up!
B-side "Cool Down Willard" [1]
ReleasedMay 1987 (1987-05)
Genre Country
Length2:50
Label MCA
Songwriter(s) Margaret Archer, Chet Atkins
Producer(s) Ray Stevens
Ray Stevens singles chronology
"Can He Love You Half as Much as I"
(1986)
"Would Jesus Wear a Rolex"
(1987)
"Three Legged Man"
(1987)

Would Jesus Wear a Rolex is a song written by Margaret Archer and Chet Atkins, and recorded by Ray Stevens in 1987 on his album Crackin' Up! . The song reached 41 on the US Hot Country Songs chart and 45 on the Canadian Country chart.

The song tells of Stevens watching a televangelist, soliciting funds while wearing expensive clothing ("Asking me for $20, with $10,000 on his arm"). The remainder of the song consists of Stevens asking various questions in the manner of What Would Jesus Do?; the issues the singer raises parallel scandals surrounding various real-life televangelists of the era. [2]

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References

  1. Whitburn, Joel (2008). Hot Country Songs 1944 to 2008. Record Research, Inc. pp. 402–403. ISBN   978-0-89820-177-2.
  2. "New country song: Would Jesus Wear a Rolex?". St. Petersburg Times . April 17, 1987. Retrieved November 5, 2010.