”]

Plastic Jesus

I don’t care if it rains or freezes
as long as I’ve got my plastic Jesus
sitting on the dashboard of my car
it comes in colors pink and pleasant
it glows in the dark cause its iridescent
I’ll take it with me whenever I go far

Plastic Jesus, Plastic Jesus
Sittin’ on the dashboard of my car
Through all trials and tribulations
We will travel every nation
Me and my plastic Jesus we’ll go far

I don’t care if it’s dark or scary
Long as I have magnetic Mary
Ridin’ on the dashboard of my car
I feel I’m protected amply
I’ve got the whole damn holy family

Riding on the dashboard of my car
Oh Plastic Jesus, Plastic Jesus,
Riding on the dashboard of my car.
I’m afraid he’ll have to go,
His magnets ruin my radio,
And if I have a wreck, he’ll leave a scar.

You can buy a sweet Madonna
Dressed in rhinestones sitting on a
Pedestal of abalone shell
Goin’ ninety, I’m not wary
‘Cause I’ve got my virgin Mary
Guaranteeing I won’t go to Hell

Oh, Plastic Jesus, Plastic Jesus,
Riding on the dashboard of my car.
Though the sun shines on his back,
Makes him peel, chip and crack,
A little patching keeps him up to par.

Riding down a thoroughfare,
With his nose up in the air,
A wreck may be ahead, but he don’t mind.
Trouble coming, he don’t see,
Just keeps his eyes on me,
And any other thing that lies behind.

I heard this song first in a scene from Cool Hand Luke when Luke (Paul Newman) sits plunking out the chords on a banjo while trying to deal with the news that his mother has died. It is a great song to sing while washing dishes, kind of like Janis Joplin‘s Mercedes Benz. Lately I have seen it more as representing the attitude of some people who are driving our country down a scary road. What? Why should we worry? We have our faith.