Tommy James and the Shondells’ ‘Sweet Cherry Wine’ Has a Surprising Christian Meaning
TL;DR:
- Tommy James and the Shondells’ “Sweet Cherry Wine” has metaphorical lyrics.
- It is about a major concept in Christian theology.
- “Sweet Cherry Wine” became a big hit on the pop charts in the United States.
Some classic rock songs have Christian elements. For example, Tommy James and the Shondells’ “Sweet Cherry Wine” is about Jesus Christ. Notably, James discussed the role Christianity plays in his life.
Tommy James and the Shondells’ ‘Sweet Cherry Wine’ is about the blood of Jesus
During a 2009 interview with Songfacts, James was asked if the lyrics of “Sweet Cherry Wine” were metaphorical. “Yes,” he said. “It’s a metaphor for the blood of Jesus.”
In Christian theology, Jesus died to redeem humanity from Adam and Eve’s transgression in the Garden of Eden. Therefore, the blood of Christ is seen as essential to humankind’s liberation from sin. Some Christians believe they are drinking the literal blood of Christ when they have communion wine at church. That’s probably why the song has lyrics about drinking sweet cherry wine.
The lead singer of Tommy James and the Shondells said Billy Graham changed his life
In the aforementioned interview, James was asked about his conversion to Christianity. “Well, I don’t worship every Sunday; I worship every day,” he said. “Every hour of every day. It’s just me, it’s part of me.
“I became a Christian in 1967,” he added. “I was brought up Catholic, but I really didn’t know my faith very well, didn’t know what I believed, why I believed what I believed. And in 1967 I was listening to [popular evangelist] Billy Graham at Shea Stadium on television. And we were writing, as a matter of fact, and I put the guitars down and started listening. And he just gave the most amazingly lucid teaching on why Jesus came. I had never heard it put quite that way before.”
Graham’s teaching had quite an impact on James. “And there’s a moment, I equate it to hitting a champagne glass — a crystal champagne glass with a fork — you know how you get that pure tone?” he said. “That’s kind of how I felt when I heard Billy Graham explain why Jesus came.”
How ‘Sweet Cherry Wine’ performed on the pop charts in the United States
“Sweet Cherry Wine” climbed to No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song stayed on the chart for 10 weeks. It was one of the band’s biggest hits in the United States.
Tommy James and the Shondells included “Sweet Cherry Wine” on the album Cellophane Symphony. The record reached No. 141 on the Billboard 200, staying on the chart for six weeks. The tune also appeared on the compilation album The Best of Tommy James and the Shondells. That record reached No. 21 on the Billboard 200 and remained on the chart for 41 weeks. The album spent more time on the chart than any of the band’s other records.
Tommy James and the Shondells’ “Sweet Cherry Wine” is a classic song with an unexpected meaning.
