Composition
"Jesus Freak" begins with acoustic strumming of the main riff written in the key of E minor, followed by guitar distortion as the vocals enter. During this transition, the song moves to the key of F minor. During the verses, which are sung by Michael Tait and Kevin Max respectively, a sparse electric guitar pattern, which outlines the chord progression, is played. During each pre-chorus, McKeehan begins rapping about various people who have been retrospectively labeled as "Jesus Freaks", such as John the Baptist. After the second chorus, a melodic breakdown is followed by a dissonant guitar solo. Following the repetition of the chorus, the feedback-laden conclusion ends abruptly.
Musically, the song has been described as alternative rock and grunge, with many reviews noting a similarity with the sound of Nirvana. According to the Encyclopedia of American Gospel Music, "Jesus Freak" is believed to be one of the first songs to link alternative rock and rap rock in CCM.
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