Jesus Is Just Alright: dc Talk

Thursday, October 18, 2018



Cover songs, versions of an original done by another artist, usually don’t measure up to the original, at least in my experience. Though there are exceptions to that. And of course, that’s complicated by what you actually think of as “the original.”

Free At Last coverTake the song “Jesus Is Just Alright.” To many people of my age the “original” is the 1972 Doobie Brothers version. But the Doobie Brothers were actually the third group to record that song, though arguably theirs was, up until that time, the best and it was the highest charting version of the song, getting as high as #35 on the Billboard Hot 100.

The Byrds released a version in 1969, but their single only reached #97. The actual original version of the song was written by Arthur Reid Reynolds and was recorded by his group, The Art Reynolds Singers, in 1966.

In 1992 dc Talk included a version of “Jesus Is Just Alright” on their “Free At Last” album. But tobyMac added a few verses and they intermittently sang “Jesus is just alright” and “Jesus is still alright.” Their version of the song won the Dove Award for Best Rock Recorded Song of the Year.

According to band member Michael Tait, “Jesus Is Just Alright” was the song dc Talk performed most in their live shows, singing it at every concert since 1992.

Robert Randolph & The Family Band included the song on their 2006 album “Colorblind” with special guest Eric Clapton. And Stryper recorded it for inclusion on their 2013 album “No More Hell To Pay.”

Here’s the video version of dc Talk’s “Jesus Is Just Alright.”


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