"That's the Way God Planned It" is a song by American musician

Billy Preston William Everett Preston (September 2, 1946 – June 6, 2006) was an American keyboardist, singer and songwriter whose work encompassed R&B, rock, soul, funk, and gospel. Preston was a top session keyboardist in the 1960s, during which he ba ...

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 The Beatles were an English Rock music, rock band, formed in Liverpool in 1960, that comprised John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. They are regarded as the Cultural impact of the Beatles, most influential band of al ...

Apple An apple is an edible fruit produced by an apple tree (''Malus domestica''). Apple fruit tree, trees are agriculture, cultivated worldwide and are the most widely grown species in the genus ''Malus''. The tree originated in Central Asia, wh ...

record label, following his guest role on the band's "

Get Back "Get Back" is a song recorded by the British rock band the Beatles and Billy Preston, and written by Paul McCartney though credited to the Lennon–McCartney partnership. It was originally released as a single on 11 April 1969 and credited to ...

" 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 Samuel Cook (January 22, 1931 – December 11, 1964), known professionally as Sam Cooke, was an American singer and songwriter. Considered to be a pioneer and one of the most influential soul artists of all time, Cooke is commonly referred ...

and

Ray Charles Ray Charles Robinson Sr. (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004) was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. He is regarded as one of the most iconic and influential singers in history, and was often referred to by contemporaries as "The Ge ...

,Wayne Robins, "Billy Preston", ''

Creem ''Creem'' (often stylized in all caps) is a monthly American music magazine, based in Detroit, whose main print run lasted from 1969 to 1989. It was first published in March 1969 by Barry Kramer and founding editor Tony Reay. Influential criti ...

'', May 1974; available a
Rock's Backpages
(subscription required). while musically the track combines the

gospel Gospel originally meant the Christian message ("the gospel"), but in the 2nd century it came to be used also for the books in which the message was set out. In this sense a gospel can be defined as a loose-knit, episodic narrative of the words an ...

tradition with

rock Rock most often refers to: * Rock (geology), a naturally occurring solid aggregate of minerals or mineraloids * Rock music, a genre of popular music Rock or Rocks may also refer to: Places United Kingdom * Rock, Caerphilly, a location in Wales ...

. Produced by

George Harrison George Harrison (25 February 1943 – 29 November 2001) was an English musician and singer-songwriter who achieved international fame as the lead guitarist of the Beatles. Sometimes called "the quiet Beatle", Harrison embraced Indian c ...

in London, the recording also features contributions from

Eric Clapton Eric Patrick Clapton (born 1945) is an English rock and blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He is often regarded as one of the most successful and influential guitarists in rock music. Clapton ranked second in ''Rolling Stone''s list of ...

Keith Richards Keith Richards (born 18 December 1943), often referred to during the 1960s and 1970s as "Keith Richard", is an English musician and songwriter who has achieved international fame as the co-founder, guitarist, secondary vocalist, and co-princi ...

Ginger Baker Peter Edward "Ginger" Baker (19 August 1939 – 6 October 2019) was an English drummer. His work in the 1960s and 1970s earned him the reputation of "rock's first superstar drummer", for a style that melded jazz and Music of Africa, Africa ...

and

Doris Troy Doris Troy (born Doris Elaine Higginsen; January 6, 1937 – February 16, 2004) was an American R&B singer and songwriter, known to her many fans as "Mama Soul". Her biggest hit was " Just One Look", a top 10 hit in 1963. Life and career She ...

. 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 The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...

, and is one of Preston's best-known songs. Backed again by Harrison and Clapton, Preston sang it at

the Concert for Bangladesh The Concert for Bangladesh (or Bangla Desh, as the country's name was originally spelt)Harry, p. 135. was a pair of benefit concerts organised by former Beatles guitarist George Harrison and Indian sitar player Ravi Shankar. The shows were he ...

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 A concert film, or concert movie, is a film that showcases a live performance from the perspective of a concert goer, the subject of which is an extended live performance or concert by either a musician or a stand-up comedian. Early history The ...

. 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 ''Live European Tour'' is the only live album by Billy Preston, released in 1974 in Europe and Japan. It was recorded during his opening act stint for the Rolling Stones 1973 European Tour, featuring Mick Taylor on lead guitar and Preston's own ba ...

'' album added a live version of "That's the Way God Planned It", recorded during

the Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for six decades, they are one of the most popular and enduring bands of the rock era. In the early 1960s, the Rolling Stones pioneered the gritty, rhythmically d ...

' 1973 European tour.

Background and composition

child prodigy A child prodigy is defined in psychology research literature as a person under the age of ten who produces meaningful output in some domain at the level of an adult expert. The term is also applied more broadly to young people who are extraor ...

had worked as a backing musician for artists such as

Mahalia Jackson Mahalia Jackson ( ; born Mahala Jackson; October 26, 1911 – January 27, 1972) was an American gospel singer, widely considered one of the most influential vocalists of the 20th century. With a career spanning 40 years, Jackson was integral to t ...

Little Richard Richard Wayne Penniman (December 5, 1932 – May 9, 2020), known professionally as Little Richard, was an American musician, singer, and songwriter. He was an influential figure in popular music and culture for seven decades. Described as the " ...

and

, and recorded for

Vee Jay Records Vee-Jay Records is an American record label founded in the 1950s, located in Chicago and specializing in blues, jazz, rhythm and blues and rock and roll. The label was founded in Gary, Indiana in 1953 by Vivian Carter and James C. Bracken, a h ...

, before participating in the January 1969 sessions for

' ''

Let It Be Let It Be most commonly refers to: * ''Let It Be'' (Beatles album), the Beatles' final studio album, released in 1970 * "Let It Be" (Beatles song), the title song from the album It may also refer to: Film and television * ''Let It Be'' (1970 ...

'' film project.Romanowski & George-Warren, pp. 786–87. Having provided a steadying influence during this troubled period in the Beatles' career, Preston received an unprecedented artist credit on their "

" single that April, as well as a recording contract with the band's

record label. In his liner notes to the 2010 reissue of '' That's the Way God Planned It'', Preston's first Apple album, music journalist Andy Davis refers to the American musician's extended "apprenticeship", and quotes from a 1975 interview in which Preston said: "I’ve never asked anybody to help me or give me a break. What I don't have now I believe will come. Why? I have to say it's God … the God in me." Davis describes these sentiments as the "lyrical thrust" behind Preston's composition "That's the Way God Planned It".Liner notes by Andy Davis, '' That's the Way God Planned It'' CD (

Apple Records Apple Records is a record label founded by the Beatles in 1968 as a division of Apple Corps Ltd. It was initially intended as a creative outlet for the Beatles, both as a group and individually, plus a selection of other artists including Mar ...

EMI EMI Group Limited (originally an initialism for Electric and Musical Industries, also referred to as EMI Records Ltd. or simply EMI) was a British transnational conglomerate founded in March 1931 in London. At the time of its break-up in 201 ...

, 2010; produced by George Harrison, Wayne Schuler & Ray Charles). The song fuses the

and

music genres.Leng, p. 60. With regard to the lyrics' humanitarian message, author Simon Leng refers to the song's "unaffected naiveté", while recognising its compatibility with the direction that Beatles guitarist

was pursuing throughout the band's final years. Speaking at a fan convention in 1996, Preston credited

Paul McCartney Sir James Paul McCartney (born 18 June 1942) is an English singer, songwriter and musician who gained worldwide fame with the Beatles, for whom he played bass guitar and shared primary songwriting and lead vocal duties with John Lennon. One ...

's composition "

" as his inspiration for writing "That's the Way God Planned It". Author John Winn notes similarities with both "Let It Be" and the middle-eight section of Harrison's composition "

Something Something may refer to: Philosophy and language *Something (concept) *Something, an English indefinite pronoun Music Albums * ''Something'' (Chairlift album), 2012 * ''Something'' (Shirley Bassey album), 1970 * ''Something'' (Shirley Scott a ...

", which was also introduced during the Beatles' January 1969 sessions.Winn, p. 283.

Recording

After Apple had extricated him from his existing contract, with

Capitol Records Capitol Records, LLC (known legally as Capitol Records, Inc. until 2007) is an American record label distributed by Universal Music Group through its Capitol Music Group imprint. It was founded as the first West Coast-based record label of note ...

, Preston began recording the album with Harrison as his producer. An early version of "That's the Way God Planned It" was taped with Preston on piano and vocal, accompanied by Harrison (on guitar) and two unnamed musicians, on bass and drums. This take features a slower

tempo In musical terminology, tempo (Italian, 'time'; plural ''tempos'', or ''tempi'' from the Italian plural) is the speed or pace of a given piece. In classical music, tempo is typically indicated with an instruction at the start of a piece (often ...

than the official version and incomplete lyrics. The session for the song took place at

Olympic Sound Studios Olympic Studios was a renowned British independent commercial recording studio based in Barnes, London, Barnes, London. It is best known for its recordings of many artists throughout the late 1960s to the first decade of the 21st century, inclu ...

in south-west London in April 1969. Harrison asked

and

to participate,Shea & Rodriguez, p. 261. about which Preston later said: "George said he'd invite some of his friends over to help out on my Apple debut, and I never dreamed he meant lapton, Richards and Baker"Lois Wilson, "The Fifth Element", '' Mojo Special Limited Edition: 1000 Days of Revolution (The Beatles' Final Years – Jan 1, 1968 to Sept 27, 1970)'', Emap (London, 2003), p. 80. Like Harrison, Richards had met Preston earlier in the 1960s, when

appeared on the popular music show ''

Shindig! ''Shindig!'' is an American musical variety series which aired on ABC from September 16, 1964 to January 8, 1966. The show was hosted by Jimmy O'Neill, a disc jockey in Los Angeles,Hammond organ The Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond and John M. Hanert and first manufactured in 1935. Multiple models have been produced, most of which use sliding drawbars to vary sounds. Until 1975, Hammond organs generated s ...

, Harrison contributed the main electric guitar part, Richards played bass and Baker played drums; Clapton contributed the song's guitar solos.Liner notes by Andy Davis, '' Come and Get It: The Best of Apple Records'' CD (

, 2010; produced by Andy Davis & Mike Heatley).Wyman, p. 324. Musicologist Walter Everett highlights the start of the track among notable recordings on which the sustained striking of soft-headed mallets on

crash cymbal A crash cymbal is a type of cymbal that produces a loud, sharp "crash" and is used mainly for occasional accents, as opposed to a ride cymbal. It can be mounted on a stand and played with a drum stick, or by hand in pairs. One or two crash cy ...

s "produce a wonderful soft and shimmering roll", in this case generating "colorful interplay" with the organ part. On the unedited version of the song, released on Preston's album, the track ends with a double-time section in which Preston and Clapton exchange solos, on Hammond organ and guitar, respectively. The song's gospel-style backing vocals were sung by American singers

and

Madeline Bell Madeline Bell (born July 23, 1942) is an American soul singer, who became famous as a performer in the UK during the 1960s and 1970s with pop group Blue Mink, having arrived from America in the gospel show ''Black Nativity'' in 1962, with the v ...

, both of whom had recently supplied a gospel chorus to the Rolling Stones' song "

You Can't Always Get What You Want "You Can't Always Get What You Want" is a song by the English rock band the Rolling Stones on their 1969 album ''Let It Bleed''. Written by Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, it was named as the 100th greatest song of all time by ''Rolling Stone'' ...

". Long a fan of Troy's own recordings, Harrison signed her as an Apple Records artist, producer and songwriter soon after this Preston session.

Release and reissues

Apple issued "That's the Way God Planned It" as a single on 27 June 1969 in the United Kingdom (as Apple 12) and on 14 July in the United States (as Apple 1808).Castleman & Podrazik, p. 78. The

B-side The A-side and B-side are the two sides of phonograph records and cassettes; these terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side usually features a recording that its artist, producer, or record compan ...

was "What About You?",Spizer, p. 340. which Harrison also produced. "That's the Way God Planned It" peaked at number 11 on the

,"Artist: The Beatles with Billy Preston"

Official Charts Company The Official Charts (legal name: The Official UK Charts Company Limited) is a British inter-professional organization that compiles various "official" record charts in the United Kingdom, Ireland and France. In the United Kingdom, its charts inc ...

(retrieved 18 September 2014)."That's the Way God Planned It"

(retrieved 18 September 2014). for two weeks. It reached number 7 on ''

Melody Maker ''Melody Maker'' was a British weekly music magazine, one of the world's earliest music weeklies; according to its publisher, IPC Media, the earliest. It was founded in 1926, largely as a magazine for dance band musicians, by Leicester-born ...

''s national chart and on ''

Disc and Music Echo ''Disc'' was a weekly British popular music magazine, published between 1958 and 1975, when it was incorporated into ''Record Mirror''. It was also known for periods as ''Disc Weekly '' (1964–1966) and ''Disc and Music Echo '' (1966–1972). ...

''s chart."Disc and Music Echo Top 30", ''

'', 2 August 1969, p. 3. The song also placed in the top 30 on singles charts in Ireland, Australia, the Netherlands and New Zealand, and peaked at number 62 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 in America and number 61 on Canada's ''

RPM Revolutions per minute (abbreviated rpm, RPM, rev/min, r/min, or with the notation min−1) is a unit of rotational speed or rotational frequency for rotating machines. Standards ISO 80000-3:2019 defines a unit of rotation as the dimensionl ...

'' listings. In a 1979 interview, Preston attributed the single's comparative lack of success in North America to inexperience on the part of Apple Records, saying: "At that time, the company didn't really know how to promote – because you didn't have to promote a Beatle record!" The song appeared as the final track on ''That's the Way God Planned It'',Castleman & Podrazik, p. 80. released in August 1969. Titled "That's the Way God Planned It (Parts 1 & 2)", this version extended to 5:34 in length compared to the 3:22 edit on the single. In his liner notes for the album, Apple press officer

Derek Taylor Derek Taylor (7 May 1932 – 8 September 1997) was an English journalist, writer, publicist and record producer. He is best known for his role as press officer to the Beatles, with whom he worked in 1964 and then from 1968 to 1970, and was one ...

described Preston as "the best thing to happen to Apple this year", adding: "He's young and beautiful and kind and he sings and plays like the son of God." Apple reissued the single in the United States in 1972, by which point Preston had left the label for

A&M Records A&M Records was an American record label founded as an independent company by Herb Alpert and Jerry Moss in 1962. Due to the success of the discography A&M released, the label garnered interest and was acquired by PolyGram in 1989 and began distr ...

and was enjoying his first major US chart success. The release took place on 26 June 1972 and the song returned to the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, peaking at number 65. After an initial release on CD in November 1991, ''That's the Way God Planned It'' was remastered and reissued in October 2010, as part of the ''Apple Box Set''.Joe Marchese
"Review: The Apple Records Remasters, Part 4 – Harrison's Soulful Trio"
The Second Disc, 18 November 2010 (retrieved 18 September 2014). Both of these reissues added the slower, early version of "That's the Way God Planned It". The original single edit also appeared on Apple's multi-artist compilation '' Come and Get It: The Best of Apple Records''. In 2012, the song was covered by Ivan Kelley, Jr. in the film '' Joyful Noise'', starring

Dolly Parton Dolly Rebecca Parton (born January 19, 1946) is an American singer-songwriter, actress, philanthropist, and businesswoman, known primarily for her work in country music. After achieving success as a songwriter for others, Parton made her album d ...

and

Queen Latifah Dana Elaine Owens (born March 18, 1970), known professionally as Queen Latifah, is an American rapper, actress, and singer. Born in Newark, New Jersey, she signed with Tommy Boy Records in 1989 and released her debut album ''All Hail the Que ...

Reception

Writing in the ''

NME ''New Musical Express'' (''NME'') is a British music, film, gaming, and culture website and brand. Founded as a newspaper in 1952, with the publication being referred to as a 'rock inkie', the NME would become a magazine that ended up as a f ...

'' in July 1969, Richard Green described the single as an "amazing record", adding: "If ever there was a 'natural' for the charts, Billy Preston's 'That's The Way God Planned It' … is it." In ''Melody Maker'',

Chris Welch Chris Welch (born 12 November 1941) is an English music journalist, critic, and author who is best known for his work from the late 1960s as a reporter for ''Melody Maker'', ''Musicians Only'', and ''Kerrang!''. He is the author of over 40 mu ...

wrote: "this is superb, with Clappers and Peter Edward

aker Aker may refer to: Places * Aker, Norway, a geographic area in Oslo and a former municipality in Norway * Vestre Aker, a district of Oslo within former Aker municipality * Nordre Aker, a district of Oslo within former Aker municipality * Aker Br ...

playing in relaxed but heavy style, and Billy singing with full maturity. Destined to be a mammoth hit." ''

Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...

'' magazine's reviewer said: "Preston's move to the Apple label proves a strong one via this blockbuster blues item with meaningful lyric line. Driving rhythm backs the potent vocal workout." In his role as "Hit Talk" columnist for ''Disc and Music Echo'' in August,

Desmond Dekker Desmond Dekker (16 July 1941 – 25 May 2006) was a Jamaican ska, rocksteady and reggae singer-songwriter and musician. Together with his backing group The Aces (consisting of Wilson James and Easton Barrington Howard), he had one of the earlie ...

described the song as "catchy" and said Preston was "very talented" and a "good Beatles discovery". More recently,

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...

critic Bruce Eder has written of "That's the Way God Planned It": "one of the best production jobs that Harrison ever delivered; aglow in a swelling gospel-style organ and rippling with bluesy electric guitar, a chorus soaring high over all of that, and Preston's career-defining vocal performance at its center, the song was irresistible."Bruce Eder
"Billy Preston ''That's the Way God Planned It''"

(retrieved 18 September 2014). Reviewing the 2010 reissue of ''That's the Way God Planned It'', Joe Marchese of The Second Disc describes the song as an "anthemic title track" that "quickly establishes its own identity" after the initial similarity with "Let It Be". Writing in ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...

'' that year,

David Fricke David Fricke is an American music journalist who serves as the senior editor at ''Rolling Stone'' magazine, where he writes predominantly about rock music. One of the best known names in rock journalism, his career has spanned over 40 years. I ...

opined: " restonwould have bigger hits in the Seventies but never make a better one than this album's rapturous title track …"David Fricke
"Apple Records' Top Five Albums"
,

rollingstone.com ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...

, 10 July 2010 (retrieved 18 September 2014). In ''

Blues & Soul ''Blues & Soul'' is a British music magazine, established in 1967 by John Abbey. ''The Independent'' has noted ''Blues & Soul'' as being the equal of magazines such as ''NME'' and '' Q''. ''Billboard'' magazine has called ''Blues & Soul'' "a r ...

'' magazine, Sharon Davis wrote that, from Preston's beginnings as a child prodigy, the song "really elevated Billy into the mainstream record market, bringing to the fore his remarkable pedigree".Sharon Davis
"That's the Way God Planned It: Billy Preston (Apple/EMI)"
''

'', October 2010 (retrieved 11 June 2015).

Live versions

Performance at the Concert for Bangladesh

Although he left Apple midway through 1971, as a result of business issues related to

the Beatles' break-up From August 1962 to September 1969, the Beatles had a lineup that consisted of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr. Their break-up was a cumulative process attributed to numerous factors. These include the strain of the ...

,David Nathan, "Billy Preston: Working the Way God Planned It!", ''

'', 4 February 1972; available a
Rock's Backpages
(subscription required). Preston continued to work with Harrison throughout the 1970s. In response to a request from the former Beatle, Preston agreed to play at the

Concert for Bangladesh The Concert for Bangladesh (or Bangla Desh, as the country's name was originally spelt)Harry, p. 135. was a pair of benefit concerts organised by former Beatles guitarist George Harrison and Indian sitar player Ravi Shankar. The shows were ...

on 1 August 1971, to raise funds and awareness for refugees of the

Bangladesh Liberation War The Bangladesh Liberation War ( bn, মুক্তিযুদ্ধ, , also known as the Bangladesh War of Independence, or simply the Liberation War in Bangladesh) was a revolution and War, armed conflict sparked by the rise of the Benga ...

. Preston joined a large band that included Harrison, Clapton,

Ringo Starr Sir Richard Starkey (born 7 July 1940), known professionally as Ringo Starr, is an English musician, singer, songwriter and actor who achieved international fame as the drummer for the Beatles. Starr occasionally sang lead vocals with the ...

Leon Russell Leon Russell (born Claude Russell Bridges; April 2, 1942 – November 13, 2016) was an American musician and songwriter who was involved with numerous bestselling records during his 60-year career that spanned multiple genres, including rock and ...

and backing singers such as

Claudia Lennear Claudia Lennear (born Claudia Joy Offley; 1946) is an American soul singer and educator. Lennear began her performing with the Superbs before becoming an Ikette in the Ike & Tina Turner Revue. She was also a background vocalist for various acts ...

and

Joe Greene Charles Edward Greene (born September 24, 1946), better known as "Mean" Joe Greene, is an American former professional football player who was a defensive tackle for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League (NFL) from 1969 to 1 ...

, the last of whom co-wrote some of the songs on Preston's first A&M album, ''

I Wrote a Simple Song ''I Wrote a Simple Song'' is the sixth studio album by American soul musician Billy Preston. Released in November 1971, it was his first album for A&M Records and marked the start of a run of commercial success in the United States that lasted th ...

''. Two shows were held that day, at

Madison Square Garden Madison Square Garden, colloquially known as The Garden or by its initials MSG, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in New York City. It is located in Midtown Manhattan between Seventh and Eighth avenues from 31st to 33rd Street, above Pennsylva ...

in New York, at each of which Preston performed a rousing version of "That's the Way God Planned It".Nancy Lewis, "George Creates Greatest Rock Spectacle of Decade", in Chris Hunt (ed.), ''

NME Originals The NME Originals is a collection of articles and reviews from the ''NME'' and '' Melody Maker'' magazines about one band or genre. The first issue was about the Beatles, published on 3 April 2002. Many issues in the series were produced by ''NME'' ...

: Beatles – The Solo Years 1970–1980'', IPC Ignite! (London, 2005), p. 40. The performance from the evening show, which appeared on the live album of the event and in the 1972 concert film,Spizer, p. 243. ended with Preston leaving his seat behind the Hammond organ and dancing across the front of the stage,John Pidgeon, "''Bangla Desh''", ''

'', 15 July 1972, p. 24; available a
Rock's Backpages
delighting the New York audience. Preston later recalled of this spontaneous act: "I got happy … The band was jamming and it was pumping, the people were with us – and, you know, I just had to rejoice!" In his review of the live album, for ''Rolling Stone'',

Jon Landau Jon Landau (born May 14, 1947) is an American music critic, manager, and record producer. He has worked with Bruce Springsteen in all three capacities. He is the head of the nominating committee for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and recei ...

described "That's the Way God Planned It" as "sheer delight" and remarked: "The song is beautiful and while some of its musical force is lost at the end, when Preston was too busy playing with the song visually to sustain his vocal, it nonetheless remains one of the true highpoints of the album."Jon Landau
"George Harrison, ''Concert for Bangla Desh''"
''

'', 3 February 1972 (retrieved 18 September 2014). In ''Melody Maker'', Richard Williams wrote that Preston "whips the band into a feverishly exciting" performance, adding: "Towards the end, as Billy dances across the stage the band speeds up and the audience goes absolutely wild."Richard Williams, "''The Concert for Bangla Desh'' (album review)", ''

'', 1 January 1972; available a
Rock's Backpages
(subscription required). Referring to the song's segment in the concert film, Justin Gerber of

Consequence of Sound ''Consequence'' (previously ''Consequence of Sound'') is an independently owned New York-based online magazine featuring news, editorials, and reviews of music, movies, and television. In addition, the website also features the Festival Outlook ...

praises Preston's showmanship and suggests that this "powerful" live version "could cause pause for a non-believer" as the singer undertakes "a full-on dance of someone who has seen the light". Similarly impressed, Nigel Williamson of ''

Uncut Uncut may refer to: * ''Uncut'' (film), a 1997 Canadian docudrama film by John Greyson about censorship * ''Uncut'' (magazine), a monthly British magazine with a focus on music, which began publishing in May 1997 * '' BET: Uncut'', a Black Enter ...

'' writes of Preston "giving the performance of his life" on the song.Nigel Williamson, "George Harrison and Friends ''Concert For Bangla Desh''", ''

'', November 2005, p. 132. In his book ''

1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die Onekama ( ) is a village in Manistee County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 411 at the 2010 census. The village is located on the shores of Portage Lake and is surrounded by Onekama Township. The town's name is derived from "On ...

'', Tom Moon opines that the triple live album "is worth the retail price just for that track", which he describes as "pure bolts of energy, live on stage".

''Live European Tour''

The song continued to be a highlight of Preston's concert performances. In a report for ''Blues & Soul'' on the London press launch for ''I Wrote a Simple Song'', David Nathan wrote: "No restonshow would be complete without his British hit, 'That's The Way God Planned It' …" Nathan remarked of this song and Preston's cover of the Harrison-written "

My Sweet Lord "My Sweet Lord" is a song by English musician George Harrison, released in November 1970 on his triple album ''All Things Must Pass''. It was also released as a single, Harrison's first as a solo artist, and topped charts worldwide; it was the ...

": "Billy Preston is one of the very few artists who manage to draw out all the power of gospel music and pour it into their stage performance, and religious beliefs completely transcend the whole impact of his work …" A regular keyboard player with the Rolling Stones during the 1970s, Preston included "That's the Way God Planned It" in his solo spot on the band's 1973 European tour. Among his backing musicians, collectively titled "the God Squad", was

Mick Taylor Michael Kevin Taylor (born 17 January 1949) is an English guitarist, best known as a former member of John Mayall & the Bluesbreakers, John Mayall's Bluesbreakers (1967–1969) and the Rolling Stones (1969–1974). As a member of the Stones, h ...

, the Rolling Stones' lead guitarist. Although it did not appear on Preston's ''

'' album, released the following year,Listing
"Billy Preston – Live European Tour"

Discogs Discogs (short for discographies) is a database of information about audio recordings, including commercial releases, promotional releases, and bootleg or off-label releases. While the site was originally created with a goal of becoming the la ...

(retrieved 20 September 2014). a live version of the song was included on A&M Japan's 2002 reissue of that album.Bruce Eder
"Billy Preston ''Live European Tour''"

(retrieved 20 September 2014).

Personnel

– vocals, piano,

Hammond organ The Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond and John M. Hanert and first manufactured in 1935. Multiple models have been produced, most of which use sliding drawbars to vary sounds. Until 1975, Hammond organs generated s ...

– electric guitar *

– bass *

– drums *

– backing vocals *

– backing vocals

Chart positions

References

Sources

* Keith Badman, ''The Beatles Diary Volume 2: After the Break-Up 1970–2001'', Omnibus Press (London, 2001; ). * Harry Castleman & Walter J. Podrazik, ''All Together Now: The First Complete Beatles Discography 1961–1975'', Ballantine Books (New York, NY, 1976; ). * Alan Clayson, ''George Harrison'', Sanctuary (London, 2003; ). * Stephen Davis, ''Old Gods Almost Dead: The 40-Year Odyssey of the Rolling Stones'', Broadway Books (New York, NY, 2001; ). * Peter Doggett, ''You Never Give Me Your Money: The Beatles After the Breakup'', It Books (New York, NY, 2011; ). * Walter Everett, ''The Foundations of Rock: From "Blue Suede Shoes" to "Suite: Judy Blue Eyes"'', Oxford University Press (New York, NY; ). * Simon Leng, ''While My Guitar Gently Weeps: The Music of George Harrison'', Hal Leonard (Milwaukee, WI, 2006; ). * Barry Miles, ''The Beatles Diary Volume 1: The Beatles Years'', Omnibus Press (London, 2001; ). * Tom Moon, ''1,000 Recordings to Hear Before You Die'', Workman Publishing (New York, NY, 2008; ) . * Robert Rodriguez, ''Fab Four FAQ 2.0: The Beatles' Solo Years, 1970–1980'', Backbeat Books (Milwaukee, WI, 2010; ). * Stuart Shea & Robert Rodriguez, ''Fab Four FAQ: Everything Left to Know About the Beatles … and More!'', Hal Leonard (New York, NY, 2007; ). * Patricia Romanowski & Holly George-Warren (eds), ''The New Rolling Stone Encyclopedia of Rock & Roll'', Fireside/Rolling Stone Press (New York, NY, 1995; ). *

Bruce Spizer David "Bruce" Spizer (born July 2, 1955) is a tax attorney in New Orleans, Louisiana, who is also recognized as an expert on the Beatles. He has published thirteen books, and is frequently quoted as an authority on the history of the band and ...

, ''The Beatles Solo on Apple Records'', 498 Productions (New Orleans, LA, 2005; ). * John C. Winn, ''That Magic Feeling: The Beatles' Recorded Legacy, Volume Two, 1966–1970'', Three Rivers Press (New York, NY, 2009; ). * Bill Wyman, ''Rolling with the Stones'', Dorling Kindersley (London, 2002; ). {{Billy Preston 1969 songs 1969 singles Billy Preston songs Songs written by Billy Preston Song recordings produced by George Harrison Apple Records singles Gospel songs