Personal Jesus

This article is about the song

• for the single see Personal Jesus (single)

"Personal Jesus"
Song by Marilyn Manson
Album	Lest We Forget – The Best Of
Released	September 28, 2004
Recorded	2004 at the Doppelherz Blood Treatment Facility in Hollywood, California
Genre	Alternative metal
Length	4:06
Label	Interscope
Writer	Martin Gore
Composer	Martin Gore
Producer	Marilyn Manson, Tim Skold

"Personal Jesus" is the lead single of the first greatest hits album Lest We Forget – The Best Of, originally written and performed by Depeche Mode in 1989. It was recorded by Marilyn Manson with instrumentation and arrangement by Tim Skold at Manson's studio, Doppelherz Blood Treatment Facility, and mixed by Mark "Spike" Stent, a veteran producer who had also frequently worked with Depeche Mode.

The cover does not deviate in any large degree from Depeche Mode's original version, apart from additional guitar distortion.

Like the original version, this 2004 cover was also remixed by other artists. The "Personal Jesus Rude Photo Motor Mix" was produced by Felix Da Housecat, Brian Black and Olivier Grasset, and appears as a b-side on the vinyl versions of the single.

Trent Reznor criticized the band, and specifically targeted Manson himself, for covering a song that deviated as little from the original version as their version of "Personal Jesus" did.

Appearances

Albums

• Lest We Forget – The Best Of

Singles

• "Personal Jesus"

Soundtracks

• Queer as Folk
• Showtime Series Californication: Season 6

Versions

• "Personal Jesus" — Appears on Lest We Forget – The Best Of.
• "Personal Jesus (Rude Photo Motor Remix)" — Appears on the "Personal Jesus" single and The Nobodies: 2005 Against All Gods Mix.
• "Personal Jesus" (Radio Edit) — Appears on the "Personal Jesus" single.
• "Personal Jesus" (Rude Photo Motor Remix) (Dub/Instrumental) — Appears on the "Personal Jesus" vinyl promotional single.

Music video

Manson and the band from the video

The single was accompanied by a music video directed by Manson and Nathan "Karma" Cox, which features the band members in Tableaux Vivants accompanied by Rear projection images depicting various scenes of American and international political figures such as Joseph Stalin, Benito Mussolini, John F. Kennedy, Mahatma Gandhi, Adolf Hitler and George W. Bush.

Behind the scenes

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Manson Speaks

"It could have been a farewell to music for me because I was getting very frustrated with my ability to get across my ideas. I got to the point where I was thinking about maybe this should be it for me, but then while I was putting all these songs together I started realising what had shaped my career - my singles, politics and religion - and I heard Personal Jesus on the radio. It was done in the same year that we started the band, but it had a whole different meaning to me this time."

Lyrics

    Reach out and touch faith
    
    Your own personal Jesus
    Someone to hear your prayers
    Someone who cares
    Your own personal Jesus
    Someone to hear your prayers
    Someone who's there
    
    Feeling unknown
    And you're all alone
    Flesh and bone
    By the telephone
    Lift up the receiver
    I'll make you a believer
    Take second best
    Put me to the test
    Things on your chest
    You need to confess
    I will deliver
    You know I'm a forgiver
    Reach out and touch faith
    Reach out and touch faith
    
    Your own personal Jesus...
    
    Feeling unknown
    And you're all alone
    Flesh and bone
    By the telephone
    Lift up the receiver
    I'll make you a believer
    I will deliver
    You know I'm a forgiver
    Reach out and touch faith
    Your own personal Jesus
    Reach out and touch faith