Preston first came to widespread attention of a U.S. mainstream audience as the organist (and sometimes vocalist) in the house band on the television show 'Shindig,' popular during 1964-66. On tour backing stars Little Richard and Sam Cooke, he met the Beatles (early in their career) in Hamburg, Germany in 1962. He was later invited by George Harrison to join The Beatles in the studio for the filming/recording of 'Let It Be' (1970). Preston's most memorable performance with the Beatles is on the track "Get Back".
The apparent reason for the collaboration was that the project was being done live— without overdubs— and the Beatles wanted a second keyboardist. Preston's soulful style was to compliment the rhythm and blues approach the Beatles had for this album. His was a genre they'd grown up listening to and were reaching back to as well as paying tribute to.
Another apparent reason for Preston's involvement was to buffer the growing tensions between the members of the band (that had started around the time of filming). Everyone set aside their differences to make Preston feel welcome at the sessions. Members of the band have later commented on their joy with working with Preston, whom they respected as a talented musician.
While Preston was never considered for permanent membership in the Beatles (despite stories to the contrary), he did continue working with them through to the end of the 60s: releasing two solo albums on Apple Records (the Beatles' label), collaborating with George Harrison on 'All Things Must Pass', and joining in on the Concert for Bangladesh— one of the first significant benefit concerts of its kind (at Madison Square Garden in 1972). Preston also later made an appearance in the infamous Beatles tribute film 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band' (1978), as the title character— Sgt. Pepper. He's sometimes been referred to as a 'Fifth Beatle'.
In addition to work with said group, Preston also played and toured with The Rolling Stones, playing on significant albums such as 'Sticky Fingers' and 'Exile on Main St.' In the 70s, Preston also worked with Bob Dylan, playing as an accompanist on ' Blood on the Tracks', and Aretha Franklin, on her record 'Young, Gifted and Black'. As the years went on, Preston collaborated with numerous other artists including Barbra Streisand and Miles Davis, also notable touring with Sly and the Family Stone for a time. He also played organ with the Ray Charles big band on tour in the late 60s.
In terms of his solo career, Preston's hit tracks "Will It Go 'Round in Circles" and "Nothing From Nothing" both reached all the way to number one in the U.S. and still remain staples of oldies stations. He won a Grammy Award for best pop instrumental performance for "Outa Space" in 1971, and he received an invitation to the White House no less in 1974. Though perhaps overshadowed by his collaborative work, he devolved a strong and devoted fan-base as album after album made it into the Billboard top 200 album chart.
Preston was also the music director and band leader for the Garry Shandling show in the 80s, returning to the TV work that had given him his start. Yet, in the 80s and 90s, Preston sadly suffered substance abuse and financial issues. He spent three years in prison in 1997 for a drugs possession charge handed out earlier that year (cocaine possession and assault).
His last recordings were on the Red Hot Chili Peppers' album 'Stadium Arcadium' and with Neil Diamond for his "12 songs" record, both produced by Rick Rubin.
A U.S. musical legend, Preston passed away at the age of 59 in a hospital in Scottsdale, Arizona, as a result of "malignant hypertension that resulted in kidney failure and other complications".
That's the Way God Planned It
Billy Preston Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Like the good Lord said
He promised to exalt us
For love is the way
How men be so greedy
When there's so much left
All things are God given
That's the way God planned it
That's the way God wants it to be, didn't He
Well, that's the way God planned it
That's the way God wants it to be, for you and me
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Let not your heart be troubled
Let mourning sobbing cease
Learn to help one another
And live in perfect peace
If we just be humble
Like the good Lord said
He promised to exalt us
For love is the way
That's the way God planned it
That's the way God wants it to be, doesn't He
You better believe me
That's the way God planned it
That's the way God wants it to be, for you and me
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
That's the way, alright
Come on, come on, come on
I hope you get this message
And where you won't others will
You don't understand me
But I'll love you still
That's the way God planned it
That's the way God wants it to be
You better believe me
That's the way God planned it
That's the way God wants, He wants it to be
That's the way God planned it
That's the way God wants it to be
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
That's the way God planned it
That's the way God wants it to be
Oh, yeah
The lyrics of Billy Preston's song "That's The Way God Planned It" focus on human behavior and the way in which people interact with one another. The song speaks to the idea of humility and helping others, which are concepts rooted in various religious beliefs. The first stanza discusses the importance of humility and how it was expressed by God. The second stanza highlights the unnecessary greed that people exhibit, despite God providing for everyone. The lyrics in both stanzas work together to send the message that God has planned for people to be humble and to help others.
The chorus of the song reinforces the message of the stanzas. The repetition of the lyrics "That's the way God planned it, that's the way God wants it to be" further emphasizes the idea that humans should follow God's plan for them. The bridge talks about peace and how it can only be achieved if everyone learns to help each other. The final stanza acknowledges that some people may not understand the message but that won't stop the singer from loving them. Overall, the lyrics are a call to action to follow God's plan to bring peace, goodwill and love to the world.
Line by Line Meaning
Why can't we be humble
Why can't we be modest and not have a self-centered attitude
Like the good Lord said
Just as the Lord has instructed us to be
He promised to exalt us
He promised to raise us up and make us great
For love is the way
Because the most important thing in life is to love one another
How men be so greedy
How can people have such an insatiable desire for wealth
When there's so much left
When there is so much abundance in the world
All things are God given
Everything we have comes from God
And they all have been blessed
And all things have been consecrated by God's grace
That's the way God planned it
This is God's intended design for the world
That's the way God wants it to be, didn't He
That's exactly the way God desires things to be, doesn't He?
Well, that's the way God planned it
So this is the way God designed everything to be
That's the way God wants it to be, for you and me
This is the way God desires things to be for everyone
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
A repetition of agreement with the message
Let not your heart be troubled
Don't let worry consume your heart
Let mourning sobbing cease
Stop being filled with sorrow
Learn to help one another
Learn to aid those around you
And live in perfect peace
And live in untroubled harmony
If we just be humble
If we take on an attitude of modesty
He promised to exalt us
God has promised to lift us up and make us great
That's the way God planned it
This is the way God has intended it to be
That's the way God wants it to be, doesn't He
This is exactly how God wishes things to be, right?
You better believe me
This message is something to take seriously
I hope you get this message
I hope this message reaches you
And where you won't others will
If you don't understand, hopefully someone else will
You don't understand me
You don't comprehend my message
But I'll love you still
But I will still love you despite this
That's the way God wants, He wants it to be
This is exactly how God desires things to be
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
A repetition of agreement with the message
Oh, yeah
An expression of excitement or enthusiasm
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: BILLY PRESTON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@hbbreakers433
Why can't we be humble
Like the good Lord said
He promised to exalt us
For love is the way
How men be so greedy
When there's so much left
All things are God given
And they all have been blessed
That's the way God planned it
That's the way God wants it to be, didn't He
Well, that's the way God planned it
That's the way God wants it to be, for you and me
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
Let not your heart be troubled
Let mourning sobbing cease
Learn to help one another
And live in perfect peace
If we just be humble
Like the good Lord said
He promised to exalt us
For love is the way
That's the way God planned it
That's the way God wants it to be, doesn't He
You better believe me
That's the way God planned it
That's the way God wants it to be, for you and me
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
That's the way, alright
Come on, come on, come on
I hope you get this message
And where you won't others will
You don't understand me
But I'll love you still
That's the way God planned it
That's the way God wants it to be
You better believe me
That's the way God planned it
That's the way God wants, He wants it to be
That's the way God planned it
That's the way God wants it to be
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah
That's the way God planned it
That's the way God wants it to be
Oh, yeah
@theloniouscoltrane3778
Those who say that Billy is NOT underrated must have been living under a rock during the 60s70s. Billy never got the recognition he deserved. This guy can play toe to toe with the great Stevie and he's definitely way better than Elton or the other Billy (Joel).
@beestonpoet
His tallent is huge..genuis level .. other artists recognised it ..hence he was so loved an respected amongst other artists .most of the best rsted him highly ... but I guess commercially..he didn't have the successful solo carreer someone of his tallent shoulda had ... he was like prince b4 prince existed etc... but people r rediscovering him now with the get back film
I only recently discovered it was billy playing piano on the johnny cash version of PERSONAL JESUS .. he cud just sit down an jam an recreate magic anytime nite or day ..natural musician
@hernanm6
Billy Preston, the real 5th. beatle ... God bless his soul, amazing artist, a wonderful human being. Peace and love forever, Billy, we love you!!!
@chevy4x466
He actually was a member of the band. There is the vid where John even says it, ur in the band.
@mikedag1176
You can see the love of God in this man demeanor in his eyes the way he acted
@mikedag1176
And yes Billy Preston played on so many Beatles Sessions album it's unbelievable how nobody knows this
@adriennecaldwelldogtraining
I think he has more talent in his pinky than all the Beatles put together. They were lucky to have him on their albums.
@JulietSpoto-pn2lx
He's with The Lord.
@FrannoCoolaBoola_
Just watched Get Back. It can’t be emphasised the impact he seemed to have on the cohesion of the music and relationships in the room between the 4 Beatles. He didn’t have to say much. Just sat down - and the warmth of his sound felt like the sun had come out from behind a cloud. Everyone relaxed, everyone was happier, the music was taken deeper. He is a brilliant artist.
@jasonbledsoe4637
Well said! He was the glue that they needed. Amazing talent.