Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam

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For the children's hymn, see I'll Be a Sunbeam.

“"Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam"”

Song by The Vaselines
Album	'Dying for It (EP)'
Released	1987
Genre	Alternative rock
Length	3:31
Label	53rd & 3rd
Writer	Eugene Kelly; Frances McKee

"Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam" is a song originally recorded by Scottish alternative band The Vaselines for their EP Dying for it. It is a parody on the children's hymn, "I'll Be a Sunbeam", which has the opening line "Jesus wants me for a sunbeam".

The song was a hit only in indie-pop and twee circles until in 1992, The Vaselines re-released the song with a slight title change ("Jesus Doesn't Want Me for a Sunbeam") which altered the entire meaning of the compilation album The Way of the Vaselines: A Complete History.

Nirvana released a possibly better known cover of ("Jesus Doesn't Want Me for a Sunbeam") on their live acoustic album MTV Unplugged in New York. Nirvana also released two more versions of this song on their 2004 box set With the Lights Out. This included an acoustic version recorded in Europe in 1994, along with a live electric performance on the DVD section of the box-set.

Despite popular misconception, The Vaselines' altered version of "Jesus Wants Me for a Sunbeam" came out before American rock band Nirvana's and their cover was directly of The Vaselines version.