God Part 2
This song was written in 1971 as a response to John Lennon's song God, but Larry never released it as he didn't want people to think he was attacking John. Years later the band U2 released a response, titled God Part II, prompting Larry to rewrite and release his song, now titled God Part III (on the album Stranded In Babylon). Larry eventually released his 1971 version, over thirty years after it was written
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Version 1 is a studio demo, with just Larry's voice and acoustic guitar
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lyrics version 1
Yeah I'll do it right there, get going. Take two [Spoken]
[Clears throat]
I don't believe in Beatles, I don't believe in rock
I don't believe in the primal scream, that's just psychological talk
I don't believe in love and peace when it comes with a dovetail joint
I don't believe in heroin chic, it's hard to see the point
I don't believe in the upheld fist unless your finger points toward heaven
Don't wanna talk about six six six but I'm rather fond of seven
I don't believe in Reich or Jung or the twisted words of Freud
I don't believe in dianetics, operating thetans talk like 'droids
I don't believe in politicians who campaign on promises and fear
They spend millions to get elected, they get paid sixty thousand a year
Do you really wanna put your faith in them when they can't do simple math
Are you really gonna follow that kind of person when they're leading you up the path
[Coughs]
I don't believe in Camelot, great society, new frontier
I don't believe that any man here on earth can help us get out of here
I've always heard thou shalt not kill, what are we doing in Vietnam
Why do we have the electric chair, why did we build the neutron bomb
I don't believe in the moonshot, how many billions was that worth
If you wanna show up the Russians then just feed all the poor on earth
I don't believe in evolution, I didn't slither from the sea
Ain't gonna let no palaeontologist make a monkey out of me
I don't believe that we're evolving into some smarter kinda race
I believe we're going backwards towards some kind of final phase
I think this world is running toward hell and that's not the way it needs to be
We're sleeping in the light, to tell black from white
You've gotta open your eyes to see
Lead guitar [Spoken]
I don't believe in Mohammed or the dreams of Babylon
I don't believe in Buddha or the tao he sat upon
I don't believe in Maharishi or the things for which he says he stood
I don't believe what Confuscious say but his cookies are pretty good
I don't believe you can pray to Mary 'cause she's sleeping in the ground
And I don't believe you'll see Jesus on the cross the next time he comes around
Ow-now-now-thou-nah
Wa-ow pow pow pow pow
Pa-ow pow pow pow pa-ow
Pa-ow pa-ow
Well I don't believe that education is the path to enlightenment
I don't believe that the rights of man are represented by the government
And I don't believe the real voice of God can be heard clearly in American church
If you wanna find the truth get on your knees, start praying, baby it's a life-long search
I don't believe I can explain myself by trying to say all of these things quicker
But I do believe there's really nothing worth knowing that can be printed on something the size of a bumper sticker
[Clears throat]
I don't believe in Beatles, I don't believe in rock
I don't believe in the primal scream, that's just psychological talk
I don't believe in love and peace when it comes with a dovetail joint
I don't believe in heroin chic, it's hard to see the point
I don't believe in the upheld fist unless your finger points toward heaven
Don't wanna talk about six six six but I'm rather fond of seven
I don't believe in Reich or Jung or the twisted words of Freud
I don't believe in dianetics, operating thetans talk like 'droids
I don't believe in politicians who campaign on promises and fear
They spend millions to get elected, they get paid sixty thousand a year
Do you really wanna put your faith in them when they can't do simple math
Are you really gonna follow that kind of person when they're leading you up the path
[Coughs]
I don't believe in Camelot, great society, new frontier
I don't believe that any man here on earth can help us get out of here
I've always heard thou shalt not kill, what are we doing in Vietnam
Why do we have the electric chair, why did we build the neutron bomb
I don't believe in the moonshot, how many billions was that worth
If you wanna show up the Russians then just feed all the poor on earth
I don't believe in evolution, I didn't slither from the sea
Ain't gonna let no palaeontologist make a monkey out of me
I don't believe that we're evolving into some smarter kinda race
I believe we're going backwards towards some kind of final phase
I think this world is running toward hell and that's not the way it needs to be
We're sleeping in the light, to tell black from white
You've gotta open your eyes to see
Lead guitar [Spoken]
I don't believe in Mohammed or the dreams of Babylon
I don't believe in Buddha or the tao he sat upon
I don't believe in Maharishi or the things for which he says he stood
I don't believe what Confuscious say but his cookies are pretty good
I don't believe you can pray to Mary 'cause she's sleeping in the ground
And I don't believe you'll see Jesus on the cross the next time he comes around
Ow-now-now-thou-nah
Wa-ow pow pow pow pow
Pa-ow pow pow pow pa-ow
Pa-ow pa-ow
Well I don't believe that education is the path to enlightenment
I don't believe that the rights of man are represented by the government
And I don't believe the real voice of God can be heard clearly in American church
If you wanna find the truth get on your knees, start praying, baby it's a life-long search
I don't believe I can explain myself by trying to say all of these things quicker
But I do believe there's really nothing worth knowing that can be printed on something the size of a bumper sticker