Song Stories: The Stone Roses: I Am the Resurrection

When you think about defining moments in British music, particularly the Madchester scene of the late 1980s, The Stone Roses inevitably comes to mind.

At the heart of their self-titled debut album lies the climactic anthem, “I Am the Resurrection.” This eight-minute masterpiece isn’t just a song—it’s a declaration, a declaration of intent.

“I Am the Resurrection” was released in 1989 as the closing track on The Stone Roses' debut album, and it quickly became a fan favorite. The song captures everything that made The Stone Roses iconic: melodic genius, infectious groove, and a bold attitude. By the time you reach this final track, the album has already taken you through a kaleidoscope of sounds, but "I Am the Resurrection" takes things to a whole new level.

Regarding the song's origin, drummer Reni revealed the track originated when bassist Mani played the riff of The Beatles' "Taxman" backwards. Reni said, "Mani would play the riff backwards during sound-checks and we played along over the top for a laugh. Finally we said, Let's do this joke-song properly and see what happens. The music was recorded with legendary producer John Leckie who had previously worked with Pink Floyd, The Human League and even The Beatles. 

The song is one of the times that the band combined all of their influences to create something totally new. After four and a half minutes of sharp vocals and lyrics, “I Am the Resurrection” takes an unexpected turn. The song transitions into an instrumental outro that lasts another four minutes, transforming from a rock anthem into a euphoric, almost danceable jam session. The iconic outro, lasting four minutes, features Mani, Reni, and Squire bringing The Stone Roses' landmark debut album to a powerful closeSpeaking to NME about the instrumental, Mani revealed: "The end section was recorded in one take by me, John and Reni."

It’s here that the band’s influences from dance music and the burgeoning acid house scene come to the forefront.

This juxtaposition—the lyrical defiance of the first half and the joyous freedom of the second—that makes “I Am the Resurrection” so powerful. The songs most famous line "I am the Resurection and I am the life. Is a direct quote from the Bible. The Gospel According To St John, in fact - and a major event in the life of Jesus Christ. In John Chapter 11, Jesus goes to see the sister of his friend Lazarus, who had died four days earlier.
Jesus tells Martha that her brother will “rise again”, adding: “I am the resurrection and the life. 

Over three decades later, “I Am the Resurrection” remains one of The Stone Roses’ most beloved songs. It's regularly cited as a highlight of their discography and was pivotal in cementing their reputation as one of the greatest British bands of their era. The song's legacy extends beyond the 1989 album—it became the closing track for their 2012-2017 reunion tour, providing the perfect ending for their live performances, just as it had done on their debut album.

The song can be argued to be The Stone Roses greatest musical moment, written at the time where the band had the world in their hands. It is one of the greatest musical offerings from any British band. A song an album that really struck a chord with indie kids and terrace scallies alike, the album paved the way for the next generation of British guitar bands. Most notably fellow Mancunians Oasis.

Thank you for reading

Jack