The first time I had ever heard this phrase was from this song and I was a little kid. Coming from New York City and New Jersey, I thought it was the funniest thing I had ever heard. Later I heard that they used the song as hook to spoof overnight radio religious advertising of the era.


Well, I don't care if it rains or freezes,
Long as I have my plastic Jesus
Riding on the dashboard of my car
Through all trials and tribulations,
We will travel every nation,
With my plastic Jesus I'll go far.

By George Cromarty and Ed Rush (The Goldcoast Singers)

There are a million verses from this song but that one is the one that sticks with me - I guess since it was the first one LOL

I think the movie Cool Hand Luke (Paul Newman) from the 60's made it famous.

Kathleen