That's The Way God Planned It

Album

That's the Way God Planned It

Label

Apple Records

Genre

Soul

Media Type

AC

Composer(s)

Billy Preston

Entered Chart

Aug 2, 1969

Peak Date

Aug 23, 1969

Released

27 June 1969

Recorded

Unknown

Catalog #

Apple 1808

B-Side

What About You?

"That's the Way God Planned It" is a song by American musician Billy Preston and the title track to his 1969 album of the same name. Issued as a single, the song was Preston's first release on the Beatles' Apple record label, following his guest role on the band's "Get Back" single. The lyrics to "That's the Way God Planned It" partly reflect the long musical apprenticeship Preston had served since childhood, mentored by artists such as Sam Cooke and Ray Charles, while musically the track combines the gospel tradition with rock. Produced by George Harrison in London, the recording also features contributions from Eric Clapton, Keith Richards, Ginger Baker and Doris Troy. Having been edited down to three minutes for its single release, the full version appeared on the album, as "That's the Way God Planned It (Parts 1 & 2)". "That's the Way God Planned It" became an international hit, peaking at number 11 on the UK Singles Chart, and is one of Preston's best-known songs. Backed again by Harrison and Clapton, Preston sang it at the Concert for Bangladesh in August 1971 – a high-spirited performance that several commentators regard as a highlight of that historic show, after its inclusion in the 1972 concert film. The single then charted for a second time on the Billboard Hot 100 when reissued by Apple in the United States. An early recording of the song, also from Preston's 1969 sessions in London, was included as a bonus track on the 1991 and 2010 remastered That's the Way God Planned It album. The 2002 reissue of Preston's Live European Tour album added a live version of "That's the Way God Planned It", recorded during the Rolling Stones' 1973 European tour.

Why can't we be humble
Like the good lord said?
He promised to exalt us
????
 
How man be so greedy
When there's so much land?
All things are God give
And they all have been blessed
 
That's the way God planned it
That's the way God wants it to be
That's the way God planned it
That's the way God wants it to be
 
Let not your heart beat trotta
God sees
Learn how to help each one another
And live in perfect peace
 
If we'd all just be humbler
Like the good lord said
He promised to exalt us
But failed in the way
 
That's the way God planned it
That's the way he wants it to be
You've got to believe me
That's the way God planned it
That's the way God wants it to be
 
I hope you get this message
When you
You may not understand me
But
 
That's the way God planned it
That's the way God wants it to be
Come on, come on, come on now
You've got to believe me
 
That's the way God planned it
That's the way God wants it to be
Come on, yeah, yeah, come on now
That's the way God planned it
That's the way God wants it to be
Yeah yeah yeah
 
That's the way God planned it
That's the way God wants it to be
Yeah yeah yeah
That's the way God planned it
That's the way God wants it to be