Top 25 song of 1989 (#11-20)

My favorites again...

11. Living in Sin- Bon Jovi
12. A Girl Like You- The Smithereens
13. This Monkey's Gone To Heaven- The Pixies
14. All I Want Is You- U2
15. Figure of Eight- Paul McCartney
16. Personal Jesus- Depeche Mode
17. Higher Ground- RHCP
18. Pop Singer- John Mellencamp
19. Get Up- REM
20. Pop Song '89-REM

801. Personal Jesus by Depeche Mode (1989)

Priscilla Presley's book Elvis and Me inspired "Personal Jesus" by Depeche Mode. In this context, Elvis is the center of worship for Priscilla in an extremely unhealthy way.  The song's video places the band in what appears to be a Mexican brothel.

On a side note, the eighties witnessed a rise in televangelists and some interpreted "Personal Jesus" as a critique of that phenomenon especially with they lyric "Reach out and touch faith."

Johnny Cash produced an interesting take on the song in 2002. For that recording, he was joined by The Red Hot Chili Peppers' John Frusciante and Mike Campbell from Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers.

Depeche Mode:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1xrNaTO1bI

Johnny Cash:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQcNiD0Z3MU