Jimmy Swaggart
Jimmy Swaggart (1935) is an American preacher and televangelist. In 1988 he was caught with a prostitute which caused a sex scandal. He confessed his "sin" live on television and wept crocodile tears while begging God for forgiveness. A year later he was caught with yet another prostitute.
References
"One of the misconceptions about evangelicals in the U.S. is that they're all as extreme as Swaggart, Falwell and Robertson. They're not. Most of them just want to worship at their local church. They don't give a shit about those guys on television -- they think they're clowns and that what they do cheapens everyone's religious experience. On this, we definitely agree."
"Meanwhile, did anybody hear the great news today? Jimmy Swaggart under investigation! 'Oh, Jay-sus!' One day, every one of those cock-suckers will get caught! I understand in the case of Mr. Swaggart that he claims that it was not 'multiple encounters with many prostitutes'. Apparently only one sweet young thing! And he did tell Cal Thomas of the Moral Majority that 'the sex act itself was not fully consummated.' However, he did admit to doing 'something pornographic' with the girl. Let's use our imagination, ladies and gentlemen!"
Songs referring to Jimmy Swaggart
- "Lonesome Cowboy Burt (Swaggart Version)" from The Best Band You Never Heard In Your Life
- "More Trouble Every Day (Swaggart Version)" from The Best Band You Never Heard In Your Life
- "Penguin In Bondage (Swaggart Version)" from The Best Band You Never Heard In Your Life
- "Stink-Foot" from Make A Jazz Noise Here (during Zappa's introduction to the song, see quote above.)
Zappa also composed parodies of three The Beatles songs, Norwegian Wood, Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds and Strawberry Fields Forever with new lyrics all about the televangelism sex scandals and Jimmy Swaggart. Due to copyright problems these parodies haven't appeared on CD yet, but can be found on several bootleg albums. (See Texas Medley)
