Every Billboard Hot 100 Single 1970- #67: “Jesus Was Just Alright”- The Byrds. The final single to enter the charts on February 7, 1970.
- Single: “Jesus Was Just Alright”- The Byrds
- Record Company: Columbia
- Genre: Rock
- Written by Arthur Reynolds
- Time: 2:09
- B-side:” It’s All Over Now Baby Blue.”
- Album- Ballad Of Easy Rider
- Grade: B
- Peaked at #97- spent 1 week in the Billboard Hot 100.
It has always amazed me that The Byrds one of the greatest American band ever- had such little success on the Billboard Singles Chart- in all they had 16 Hot 100 singles- with only 7 Top 40 hits. They started off like gangbusters in 1965 with their 2 #1’s “Mr. Tambourine Man” and “Turn! Turn! Turn!.”
“Jesus Was Just Alright” was written as a gospel song by Arthur Reynolds and was first done by Reynolds group The Art Reynolds Singers. The Byrds were the first group to cover it- many have over the years most famouly in 1972 by The Doobie Brothers who had a #35 hit with the song.
slicethelife 
I always wrongly assumed the Doobie Brothers wrote this song.
First time hearing this version.
Byrds drummer, Gene Parsons, brought this Art Reynolds song to the Byrds. They would record another Reynolds Gospel tune, “Glory, Glory,” for 1971’s Byrdmaniax. That’s Parson’s father sitting astride his motorcycle on the cover of “Ballad of Easy Rider.”
Thanks- I did not know that– will have to look at that cover again..
Sure. I just mention the “Ballad” cover because that’s the image on the “Jesus Is Just Alright” video.
Wow. I like this better than the Doobie Brothers version.
I’ve heard the Doobie Brothers version more often but prefer The Byrds too