Stand Up For Judas
One of Leon's most controversial songs. It was written after Leon was prompted to go over Biblical texts to try and work out what was really happening in the time of Jesus, and what his true role was. There emerged a rather different character than is commonly perceived, Leon concluding that Jesus worked against the interests of the poor and oppressed, and pointing out that it was Judas who was leading resistance to the Roman masters. Needless to say, this radical reappraisal of the Gospels did not sit comfortably with everyone!
Many have championed the song however. It has been selected for two Leon retrospective albums, and was covered by David Campbell for the album, And They All Sang Rosselsongs (2005). Leon included it on Love Loneliness Laundry in 1977, but would record it again 33 years later in a gentler, solo rendition on guitar, which offers light relief after more than three decades of familiarity with the heated original. (A similar live version was recorded soon after, and issued on DVD.)
Leon has mentioned the song a couple of times in later works, naming it in "It's Just the Song" on Harry's Gone Fishing and writing the poem "Stafford" about it, which appeared in the songbook, Bringing the News from Nowhere (1992, p139). I will take the liberty of reproducing the first few lines here, for their witticism: "We sang in church 'Stand up for Judas' / Nobody left, nobody booed us / Our thankful timbers stayed unshivered / His thunderbolts went undelivered".
Many have championed the song however. It has been selected for two Leon retrospective albums, and was covered by David Campbell for the album, And They All Sang Rosselsongs (2005). Leon included it on Love Loneliness Laundry in 1977, but would record it again 33 years later in a gentler, solo rendition on guitar, which offers light relief after more than three decades of familiarity with the heated original. (A similar live version was recorded soon after, and issued on DVD.)
Leon has mentioned the song a couple of times in later works, naming it in "It's Just the Song" on Harry's Gone Fishing and writing the poem "Stafford" about it, which appeared in the songbook, Bringing the News from Nowhere (1992, p139). I will take the liberty of reproducing the first few lines here, for their witticism: "We sang in church 'Stand up for Judas' / Nobody left, nobody booed us / Our thankful timbers stayed unshivered / His thunderbolts went undelivered".
"The title of the song 'Stand Up For Judas' is deliberately provocative since it not only references and challenges the hymn, 'Stand Up, Stand Up For Jesus' but also upends the image of Judas Iscariot as the very embodiment of venality and betrayal." - LR (Where Are The Elephants?, 2023)
“Another song that has got me into trouble and no end of arguments. It was sparked off when one Xmas I saw a notice board outside a church off the Harrow Road in London, It displayed the message: ‘If you believe not that I am the Christ you shall die in your sins. A merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.’ So I scoured the Gospels, with all their contradictions, inconsistencies and absurdities, to try and find out what sort of Jesus it was who was damning me for eternity. At about the same time, I came across a book by the Jewish scholar Hyam Maccoby, ‘Revolution in Judaea’, and for me everything fell into place... My song puts the Gospel Jesus into his historical times and finds him wanting. Each verse is based on Jesus’ actual deeds and teachings. The last two lines are the point of the song.” - LR (sleevenotes to The World Turned Upside Down (CD box set), p29-30)
“Another song that has got me into trouble and no end of arguments. It was sparked off when one Xmas I saw a notice board outside a church off the Harrow Road in London, It displayed the message: ‘If you believe not that I am the Christ you shall die in your sins. A merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.’ So I scoured the Gospels, with all their contradictions, inconsistencies and absurdities, to try and find out what sort of Jesus it was who was damning me for eternity. At about the same time, I came across a book by the Jewish scholar Hyam Maccoby, ‘Revolution in Judaea’, and for me everything fell into place... My song puts the Gospel Jesus into his historical times and finds him wanting. Each verse is based on Jesus’ actual deeds and teachings. The last two lines are the point of the song.” - LR (sleevenotes to The World Turned Upside Down (CD box set), p29-30)
Recordings
Version 1 (1977) With Roy Bailey singing. (Leon does not appear on this recording)
Cover version (2005) By David Campbell
Version 2 (2010)
Version 3 (2011) Live solo performance, released in 2014
Cover version (2005) By David Campbell
Version 2 (2010)
Version 3 (2011) Live solo performance, released in 2014