Randy Newman - God's Song (That's Why I Love Mankind)

Written and performed by Randy Newman
From the 1972 album Sail Away

[antonydyatlov]

I'm not even religious, but when he says "I take from you your children and you say 'how blessed are we." That's a real stinger.

[gtattsUS]

When this album came out, I was lucky enough to have a friend who owned it. This is a masterpiece. And today it is even more powerful than ever.

[JonahPleatherbooth]

Lord, a plague is on the world
Lord, no man is free

[fuckyshityfuckshit]

Fuck he’s an amazing lyricist. I’m only 23 so I only remember him as “that guy from toy story” . But god damn this sent a tremble down my spine.

[beckyhittner]

This is the first Randy Newman album I ever owned. Hooked every since.

[cosmicdebris]

2020 and 2021 have taken this and run with it! Too much right now... Seems like we've been left all alone at this point. (Aug. 21')

[misterbonzoid]

Guaranteed to make me cry every time.  

[TIOS]

"Sail Away" is one of, perhaps, three albums I'll listen to from start to finish. I saw Randy at a very small venue in Evanston, IL called "Amazing Grace" sometime in the early '70s and sat about six feet away from him and his piano (No one was farther than 25 feet). He was far from popular then, it was way before "I Love LA" and "Short People." It was a wonderful evening.

[TheMrpatches]

This song needs to be heard because it tells you how insane mankind is

[SimoneSimtel]

hearing this song from my youth, about 50 years ago, goosbumps and tears

[frannieo]

A genius. Randy Newman for President.

[davidroberts]

This is just too great. Thanks Randy Newman.

[Staylogical]

This one is as profound as his Burn Down the Cornfield is enigmatic.Both are brilliant.

[picknfish]

"There are great ideas undiscovered, breakthroughs available to those who can remove one of truths protective layers. There are places to go beyond belief."
Neil Armstrong

[fondren]

Cain slew Abel Seth knew not why
For if the children of Israel were to multiply
Why must any of the children die?
So he asked the Lord
And the Lord said:
Man means nothing he means less to me
Than the lowliest cactus flower
Or the humblest Yucca tree
He chases round this desert
Cause he thinks that's where I'll be
That's why I love mankind
I recoil in horror fro the foulness of thee
From the squalor and the filth and the misery
How we laugh up here in heaven at the prayers you offer me
That's why I love mankind
The Christians and the Jews were having a jamboree
The Buddhists and the Hindus joined on satellite TV
They picked their four greatest priests
And they began to speak
They said, "Lord, a plague is on the world
Lord, no man is free
The temples that we built to you
Have tumbled into the sea
Lord, if you won't take care of us
Won't you please, please let us be?"
And the Lord said
And the Lord said
I burn down your cities-how blind you must be
I take from you your children and you say how blessed are we
You all must be crazy to put your faith in me
That's why I love mankind
You really need me
That's why I love mankind

[taddavis]

Lord, if you won’t take care of us, would you please, please let us be?

[dub]

I "discovered" Randy Newman in the college in the early 80's .  I think it was one of those top 100 albums in rock in Rolling Stone.  I have always regarded this album as one of the greatest examples of American music.  I am drawn to this song because of the shootings at Umpqua Community College and some thing similar that happened about the time I was listening to this song in particular.  A man walked into a McDonald's in San Ysidro Calif. and killed about 20 people in a bloody shooting spree.  As kind of a cathartic act, I Xeroxed the picture of a survivor, a teenage girl who was looked straight out of the 80's except for the bloody arms and legs, onto a sheet of paper and typed the lyrics to this song onto the page, and then I taped it up on my wall.  I see now it was kind of macabre thing to do, but I was young and learning how things ain't always like we were told.  It was kind of a reminder that the world can be scary and that maybe I shouldn't bitch so much about my own life.  I feel old and tired to think that 31 years later, this kind of insanity is still a thing in American society with no real end in sight.

[SuperDevolution]

The older I get, the more I think this song is far too kind to him.

[wellingtonsboots]

just thought of typing Randy Newman in the search box and after all these years here we go, perfection

[Kleermaker]

Cain slew Abel Seth knew not why
For if the children of Israel supposed to multiply
Why must any of the children die?
So he asked the Lord
And the Lord said:

"Man means nothing, he means less to me
than the lowliest cactus flower
or the humblest yucca tree
he chases round this desert
cause he thinks that's where i'll be
that's why I love mankind

I recoil in horror from the foulness of thee
from the squalor and the filth and the misery
How we laugh up here in heaven at the prayers you offer me
That's why I love mankind"

The Christians and the Jews were having a jamboree
The Buddhists and the Hindus joined on satellite TV
They picked their four greatest priests
And they began to speak
They said "Lord the plague is on the world
Lord no man is free
The temples that we built to you
Have tumbled into the sea
Lord, if you won't take care of us
Won't you please please let us be?"

And the Lord said
And the Lord said

"I burn down your cities - how blind you must be
I take from you your children and you say how blessed are we
You all must be crazy to put your faith in me
That's why I love mankind
You really need me
That's why I love mankind"