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Songs of Sacrilege: Need a Favor by Jelly Roll

jelly roll

This is the latest installment in the Songs of Sacrilege series. This is a series that I would like readers to help me with. If you know of a song that is irreverent towards religion, makes fun of religion, pokes fun at sincerely held religious beliefs, or challenges the firmly held religious beliefs of others, please send me an email.

Today’s Song of Sacrilege is Need a Favor by Jelly Roll.

Video Link

Lyrics

only talk to God, when I need a favor
And I only pray, when I ain’t got a prayer
So, who the hell am I?
Who the hell am I, to expect a savior?
Oh-oh-ohh
If I only talk to God, when I need a favor?
But God, I need a favor

I know Amazing Grace
But, I ain’t been livin’ them words
Swear, I spend more Sundays
Drunk off my ass, than I have in church
Hardcover King James
Only been savin’ dust, on the nightstand
And I don’t know what to say
By the time I fold my hands

I only talk to God, when I need a favor
And I only pray, when I ain’t got a prayer
So, who the hell am I?
Who the hell am I, to expect a savior?
Oh-oh-ohh
If I only talk to God, when I need a favor?
But God, I need a favor
Amen, amen

Yeah, I owe you more than one
And, beggars can’t be choosers
But, I’ll pay for all I’ve done
Just, please, don’t let me lose her

I only talk to God, when I need a favor
And I only pray, when I ain’t got a prayer
So, who the hell am I?
Who the hell am I, to expect a savior?
Oh-oh-ohh
If I only talk to God, when I need a favor?
But God, I need a favor
Amen, amen
Amen, amen

Hangin’ in there, just barely
Throwin’ up prayers, like Hail Mary’s
If You’re still there, Lord spare me
Oh my God, oh my God, Hail Mary

Hangin’ in there, just barely
Throwin’ up prayers, like Hail Mary’s
If You’re still there, Lord spare me
Oh my God, oh my God, Hail Mary

I only talk to God, when I need a favor
And I only pray, when I ain’t got a prayer
So, tell me, who the hell am I to expect a savior?
When I only talk to God, if I need a favor?
God, I need a favor
Amen
God, I need a favor, whoa
Amen

Bruce Gerencser, 67, lives in rural Northwest Ohio with his wife of 46 years. He and his wife have six grown children and thirteen grandchildren. Bruce pastored Evangelical churches for twenty-five years in Ohio, Texas, and Michigan. Bruce left the ministry in 2005, and in 2008 he left Christianity. Bruce is now a humanist and an atheist.

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Series Navigation<< Songs of Sacrilege: He Flies by Whitney AvalonSongs of Sacrilege: Desert by Brand New >>

3 Comments

  1. Avatar
    Brian Vanderlip

    Really appreciated this intro to Jelly Roll. Like his writing alot and his penchant for celebration and focus on helping young people who have few advantages…

  2. Avatar
    Dave

    There is no article on this page. All you’re doing is accusing Jelly of being sacrilegious with his lyrics for Need a Favor. First of all, Jason DeFord aka Jelly Roll is happens to be a friend of the family, and I promise the man is a Believer. He may not have it all together, he may not be perfect, he may still be human and have some bad habits, but he loves Jesus the best he knows how, and is still growing spiritually. The song Need a Favor is actually telling a story about a man who’s loved one (whether it be girlfriend or wife is irrelevant) is in the hospital with life threatening circumstances, and the man is going through the war in his head of how he hasn’t lived the best life and had much of a relationship with God and feels like “why would God do anything for me when I barely talk to Him?” versus “But God, PLEASE help her!!!”
    It is a cry of desperation. And illustrates a great picture of how just as some people only talk to you when they want something from you, people do the same thing to God.

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