The Righteous Gemstones offers a satirical glimpse into the lives of the Gemstone family, an exorbitantly wealthy and morally questionable group of televangelists. Led by patriarch Eli Gemstone (John Goodman) and his three adult children, Jesse (Danny McBride), Judy (Edi Patterson), and Kelvin (Adam Devine), the Gemstones present a facade of religious righteousness while engaging in all kinds of debauched and hilarious activities. Despite having souls so thoroughly corrupted, the series finds a way to make us root for the full-grown children. Maybe we find ourselves cheering on these reprehensible people because they're funny. Or maybe it's because they're just so damn sad. Either way, like the Good Lord above, we forgive them for their sins.
The dark comedy series is created by McBride and serves up crass humor, violence, and surprising sentimentality as it points a caustic finger at real-world megachurches with their greed and excess and private jets. But it's also known for its fantastic soundtrack. Every episode is jam-packed with soulful gospel melodies, vintage hits, and backcountry ramblin' tunes. It also has a long list of original earworms performed mainly by country star Jennifer Nettles, who plays the genuinely goodhearted and deceased matriarch of the family, Aimee-Leigh Gemstone, as well as Walton Goggins, who plays Aimee-Leigh's money hungry brother, Baby Billy.
Here's our ranking of the best songs from the prestige HBO series.
16. "Gonna Build A Mountain," Sammy Davis Jr. (1962)
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Davis Jr. croons this uplifting track about the power of hope, determination, and dreaming big. The song appeared in the trailer for the debut season, and perfectly captures the religious themes of the show as well as the Gemstone rise from humble church (a little hill) to sprawling empire (a mountain).
15. "Love for the Sake of Love," Claudja Barry (1976)
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Jesse and Amber vibe to this soulful ballad on the bus in season 2, episode 4. Barry, a Jamaican-born Canadian singer, hit the Billboard Hot 100 in the late '70s with her songs "Down and Counting" and "Boogie Woogie Dancin' Shoes".
14. "Sinner Man," The Travelers Three (1962)
This twangy rendition of "Sinner Man" rolls the credits on season 2, episode 3, as the question of who killed investigative journalist Thaniel (Jason Schwartzman) looms over viewers' heads. The African American traditional spiritual song has been recorded by a number of performers including Les Baxter and Nina Simone.
13. "Chug-a-lug," Roger Miler (1964)
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This throwback party song is the perfect track for a montage of young Jesse getting absolutely hammered drunk at Judy's birthday party in season 1, episode 5, one of the series' occasional flashback episodes.
12. "Last Night the Devil Learned My Name," Moondog Matinee (2015)
The howling vocals and garage rock/psychedelic blues sound were the exclamation point on season 2, episode 1, where we learned about Eli Gemstone's decidedly unrighteous past. The flashback shows a young Eli acting as a henchman for his shady boss, snapping the thumbs of someone who owes boss man money — the devil learning his name in the process.
11. "Rock My Boy's Body," Joseph Stephens
This closing credits song for season 2, episode 4, was written and performed by the show's composer, Joey Stephens. The lyrics refer to Eli breaking Kelvin's thumbs — just like he did in his henchman days — after Kelvin chucks a bottle at his father and calls him a "false prophet". And the cool bass line and ominous tones embody the slick look of the neon-and-leather bike mercenaries who shoot up the Gemstones' shuttle bus in the final scene.
10. "Black Metal," Reverend Beat-Man and Izobel Garcia (2019)
The series loves its slow-motion walking shots. And this funky and subdued cover of Venom's pioneering thrash metal song accompanied rival preacher family, the Simkins, as they made their way onto the racetrack in season 3, episode 1.
9. "Mr. Grieves" — TV on the Radio (2003)
This a cappella reconstruction of The Pixies track meshes with the church choir vibe the soundtrack often evokes. The cover is a bit of a departure for TV on the Radio, who are best known for their indie rock and electronic sound.
8. "Stand on the Word (Larry Levan Mix)," The Joubert Singers (2019)
This fill-up-your-soul gospel song was originally recorded in 1982 and remixed for the pilot episode of the series. It was first remixed in 1985 to give it an extra dash of funk that would propel it to the dance floors of discos across the country.
7. "Every Christian Lion Hearted Man Will Show You," The Beegees (1967)
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An early Beegees song from before their disco days and arguably their most psychedelic effort. It's also a jarring track, switching on a dime from the droning bass of a men's choir to upbeat distorted guitar — a perfect curtain-closer on Peter Montgomery's ill-fated bank robbery attempt in season 3, episode 5.
6. "Holly Holy," Jr. Walker & The All Stars (1970)
Another hand-raising gospel standout from the pilot episode that plays as the church counts stacks on stacks of tithe money and the family files into the steakhouse. Setting religious music to a cash-counting operation that would put Tony Montana to shame introduces the Gemstone way: yes, they serve the Lord, but they also serve themselves.
5. "Sassy on Sunday," Aimee-Leigh Gemstone (Jennifer Nettles) (2022)
As a satire on Christian pop music, this song had no right to be such an absolute banger. But it is. Real-life country star Jennifer Nettles lends her pipes to the track, the idea of which was suggested by McBride and then brought to fruition by the show's songwriter and composer, Joseph Stephens.
4. "Smokies" — Barefoot Jerry (1971)
This track fittingly plays in season 1 as Aimee-Leigh makes the picturesque drive to see her brother, Baby Billy, with the Smoky Mountains looming above. Barefoot Jerry is a country rock band from Nashville that has been described as "seminal southern rock".
3. "Lay Down (Candles in the Rain)," Melanie Safka (1970)
This hauntingly beautiful song may sound like a religious hymn, but it's actually an ode to the Woodstock festival. A religious frontage concealing a drug- and sex-fueled party? That fits the Gemstones to a T.
2. "There'll Come a Payday," Baby Billy (Walton Goggins) (2023)
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Baby Billy (Goggins) sings a cover of Red Sovine's 1978 gospel hit poolside at Zion's Landing, the family's garish Christian-themed beach resort — and we actually like Goggins' rendition better than the original. The song is about being rewarded with the kingdom of heaven — a spiritual "payday" — when a faithful Christian dies. But knowing the perpetually-scheming Baby Billy, he wants a far more literal payday — and he wants it well before he meets his maker.
1. "Misbehavin',"Aimee-Leigh Gemstone and Baby Billy (Jennifer Nettles and Walton Goggins)
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Aimee-Leigh and Baby Billy started performing "Misbehavin'" when they were kids, touring the country as a Christian musical duo. And when they're adults years later, a down-on-his-luck Billy comes to Aimee-Leigh and begs her to perform their old songs so he can earn some scratch. To the chagrin of Eli, she agrees, and the results are peak camp — but also undeniably catchy. We are amazed this earworm — and all the others — didn't earn Righteous Gemstones an Emmy nom for Outstanding Original Music and Lyrics.
