God's Song (That's Why I Love Mankind)

"God's Song (That's Why I Love Mankind)"
Song by Randy Newman
from the album Sail Away
Released1972
GenreRock
Length3:36
LabelReprise
SongwriterRandy Newman
Producers

"God's Song (That's Why I Love Mankind)" or simply "God's Song" is a song written by Randy Newman that was first released on Newman's 1972 album Sail Away.

Music and lyrics

Allmusic criitc Matthew Greenwald described "God's Song (That's Why I Love Mankind)" as a New Orleans-style blues that's "built around some simple but highly effective ragtime and blues piano riffs and chord changes".[1] Music professor James E. Perone said that it incorporates elements of the blues and black spiritual traditions.[2] Newman biographer Kevin Courrier noted elements of gospel music.[3]

The lyrics contain much black humor.[1] Music critic Robert Hilburn described the lyrics as "humorous" but with "thought-provoking touches" that could be considered as making fun of some people's faith.[4] Perone commented on the song's sarcasm and nihilism.[2] The song begins with Seth asking God why people must die after Cain kills Abel.[3][4][5][2] It includes a dialogue between religious leaders and God.[6] Christian, Jewish, Buddhist and Hindu religious leaders ask God over satellite TV to let them be if He won't take care of them.[4][7] God announces that "man means nothing" - less than even cactus plants and yucca trees.[3][4][8] He also announces that he laughs at peoples' prayers and thinks people are crazy for having faith in Him after he burns down people's cities and kills their children.[3][4][6][9]

Hilburn summed up the theme of the song as "a kind God overlooking a world in turmoil".[10] Michael Butters of the Daily News pointed out that while on the surface it may appear that Newman is making fun of God, he is actually making fun of man's view of God.[11] Post Crescent critic Bonnie Wagner explained that according to Newman, the reason that God loves mankind is that people are dumb enough to worship him despite all the trouble He dispenses.[12] Courrier suggested that even though God loves mankind because even though people are fool, they are His fools.[3] Music journalist Steve Turner went further, stating that in the song Newman adopts the voice of a deity that thinks it's funny that people worship and adore him despite all the calamities he inflicts on them.[5] Although Turner stated that the song suggests belief in a malicious, he also stated that this is not Newman's actual position; rather, Newman makes the suggestion in order to "expose what he sees as the fallacy" of religions such as Judaism and Christianity.[5] Courrier saw connections between the themes of this song and those of the Kurt Weill's and Bertolt Brecht's 1928 song "What Keeps Mankind Alive?" and with "The Grand Inquisitor" story told by Ivan Karamazov within Fyodor Dostoevsky's 1880 novel The Brothers Karamazov.[3]

Newman stated that the song was not intended to mock religion or insult religious believers.[5] Rather, Newman stated that "I view him like a view the ether. He's just not there. I'm not going to actively go out there and say 'Stop following false idols,' but I don't believe he's there. Flying saucers – God – I don't believe in them."[5]

Reception

Hilburn called "God's Song (That's Why I Love Mankind)" a "premiere moment" of Sail Away.[4] Greenwald praised its "masterful" construction.[1] Allmusic critic Mark Deming called it "one of the most bitter rants against religion that anyone committed to vinyl prior to the punk era."[13] Winston-Salem Journal critic Jim Shertzer called it a "major triumph" and an "arresting and troubling piece of writing" that's "strikingly delivered" and a tune that will generate discomfort for the listener.[6] Anchorage Daily News critic Al Rudis said that "If you are religious and easily offended, 'God's Song' is not for you."[7] Anderson Daily Bulletin critic Michael Main called it a "masterpiece".[9]

"God's Song (That's Why I Love Mankind)" has been released on several of Newman's compilation albums, including Lonely at the Top: The Best of Randy Newman, Guilty: 30 Years of Randy Newman and The Randy Newman Songbook Vol. 1.[14][15][16]

Cover versions

Etta James covered "God's Song (That's Why I Love Mankind)" on her 1973 album Etta James.[17] Newman considered this one of his favorite covers of any of his songs.[4] Newman said "It took some courage because the song is pretty rough for the community she comes from. And her version really takes God on more than mine does. I didn't hit him hard at all."[4] Allmusic critic Quint Kik called it a "hair-raisingly sarcastic interpretation."[17] The Record critic Allen Macaulay said that James' version is "sufficiently sardonic to suggest sacrilege."[18]

Tracy Nelson covered the song in 1978 on Homemade Songs.[5][19] Mathilde Santing covered it in 1993 on Mathilde Santing Sings Randy Newman (Texas Girl & Pretty Boy).[5][20]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Greenwald, Matthew. "God's Song (That's Why I Love Mankind)". Allmusic. Retrieved 2026-07-15.
  2. 1 2 3 Perone, James E. (2012). "Sail Away (1972)". The Album: A Guide to Pop Music's Most Provocative, Influential, and Important Creations. Vol. 2. Praeger. ASIN B0CD1KB99G.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Courrier, Kevin (2005). Randy Newman's American Dreams. ECW Press. pp. 5, 139–146. ISBN 9781550226904.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Hilburn, Robert (2024). A Few Words in Defense of Our Country: The Biography of Randy Newman. Da Capo. pp. 134–136. ISBN 9780306834691.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Turner, Steve (2018). Turn Turn Turn: Popular Songs Inspired by the Bible. Worthy. pp. 47–48. ISBN 9781945470868.
  6. 1 2 3 Shertzer, Jim (July 16, 1972). "Sly, Sly and Wry, Newman turns out cutting songs". Winston-Salem Journal. p. D7. Retrieved 2026-07-15 – via newspapers.com.
  7. 1 2 Rudis, Al (July 26, 1972). "'Sail Away' is toughest Newman disk". Anchorage Daily News. p. 9. Retrieved 2026-07-15 – via newspapers.com.
  8. ↑ O'Brien, Mike (August 20, 1972). "'Sail Away' with Newman on irreverent record". Springfield Leader and Press. p. B6. Retrieved 2026-07-15 – via newspapers.com.
  9. 1 2 Main, Michael (August 8, 1972). "Randy Newman contributes to a new era". Anderson Daily Bulletin. p. 11. Retrieved 2026-07-15 – via newspapers.com.
  10. ↑ Hilburn, Robert (June 25, 1972). "Newman supplies answers". Evansville Press. p. 14. Retrieved 2026-07-15 – via newspapers.com.
  11. ↑ Butters, Michael (June 3, 1972). "R. Newman: pathos and paradox". Daily News. p. 3. Retrieved 2026-07-15 – via newspapers.com.
  12. ↑ Wagner, Bonnie (June 11, 1972). "Jethro Tull, Randy Newman albums make critics smile". Post Crescent. p. 6. Retrieved 2026-07-15 – via newspapers.com.
  13. ↑ Deming, Mark. "Sail Away". Allmusic. Retrieved 2026-07-15.
  14. ↑ DeGagne, Mike. "Lonely at the Top: The Best of Randy Newman". Allmusic. Retrieved 2026-07-13.
  15. ↑ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Guilty: 30 Years of Randy Newman". Allmusic. Retrieved 2026-07-13.
  16. ↑ Deming, Mark. "The Randy Newman Songbook Vol. 1". Allmusic. Retrieved 2026-07-16.
  17. 1 2 Kik, Quint. "Only a Fool". Allmusic. Retrieved 2026-07-15.
  18. ↑ Macaulay, Allen (September 30, 1973). "Etta James comes back strong". The Record. p. 21. Retrieved 2026-07-15 – via newspapers.com.
  19. ↑ "Homemade Songs". Allmusic. Retrieved 2026-07-15.
  20. ↑ "Sings Randy Newman: Texas Girl & Pretty Boy". Allmusic. Retrieved 2026-07-15.
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