Words by Andy Partridge. Music by Andy Partridge and Colin Moulding. © 1986 Virgin Records Ltd.
Dear God, hope you got the letter and
I pray you can make it better down here
I don’t mean a big reduction in the price of beer
But all the people that you made in your image
See them starving on their feet
‘Cause they don’t get enough to eat from God
I can’t believe in you
Dear God, sorry to disturb you but
I feel that I should be heard loud and clear
We all need a big reduction in amount of tears
And all the people that you made in your image
See them fighting in the street
‘Cause they can’t make opinions meet about God
I can’t believe in you
Did you make disease and the diamond blue?
Did you make mankind after we made you?
And the devil too!
Dear God, don’t know if you noticed but
Your name is on a lot of quotes in this book
And us crazy humans wrote it, you should take a look
And all the people that you made in your image
Still believing that junk is true
Well I know it ain’t, and so do you, dear God
I can’t believe in
I don’t believe in
I won’t believe in heaven and hell
No saints, no sinners, no devil as well
No pearly gates, no thorny crown
You’re always letting us humans down
The wars you bring, the babes you drown
Those lost at sea and never found
And it’s the same the whole world ’round
The hurt I see helps to compound
The Father, Son, and Holy Ghost
Is just somebody’s unholy hoax
And if you’re up there you’d perceive
That my heart’s here upon my sleeve
If there’s one thing I don’t believe in
It’s you
Dear God.
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“Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead, The” by XTC.
Words by Andy Partridge. Music by Andy Partridge and Colin Moulding. © 1992 Virgin Records, Inc. BMI
Peter Pumpkinhead came to town
Spreading wisdom and cash around
Fed the starving and housed the poor
Showed the Vatican what gold’s for
But he made too many enemies
Of the people who would keep us on our knees
Hooray for Peter Pumpkinhead
Who’ll pray for Peter Pumpkinhead?
Oh my!
Peter Pumpkinhead gulled them all
Emptied churches and shopping malls
When he spoke, it would raise the roof
Peter Pumpkinhead told the truth
But he makes too many enemies…
Peter Pumpkinhead put to shame
Governments who would slur his name
Plots and sex scandals failed outright
Peter merely said,
“Any kind of love is all alright”
But he made too many enemies..
Hooray for Peter Pumpkinhead
Who’ll pray for Peter Pumpkinhead?
Oh my oh my oh!
Don’t it may you want to cry, oh?
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Words by Andy Partridge. Music by Andy Partridge and Colin Moulding. © 1992 Virgin Records, Inc. BMI
Books are burning
In the main square, and I saw there
The fire eating the text
Books are burning
In the still air
And you know where they burn books
People are next
I believe the printed word should be forgiven
Doesn’t matter what is said
Wisdom hotline from the dead back to the living
Key to the larder for your heart and your head
Books are burning
In our own town, watch us turn around
And cast our glances elsewhere
Books are burning
In the playground
Smell of burnt books is not unlike human human hair
I believe the printed word is more than sacred
Beyond the gauge of good and bad
The human right to let your soul fly free and naked
Above the violence at the fearful and sad
The church of matches
Anoints in ignorance with gasoline
The church of matches
Grows fat by breathing in the smoke of dreams
It’s quite obscene
Books are burning
More each day now, and I pray now
You boys will tire of these games
Books are burning
I hope somehow, this will allow
A phoenix up from the flames
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Words by Andy Partridge. Music by Andy Partridge and Colin Moulding. © 1989 Virgin Records, Ltd.
Higher! I’m a king, yes, I’m a head of state.
But I’m a kitchen boy who’ll wash your dirty plate.
I had no message and the message was,
We’re all Jesus, Buddha, and the Wizard of Oz!
I’m merely a man and I bring nothing but love for you.
I’m merely a man and I want nothing tat you can’t do.
And you knot it’s true.
That with logic and love we’ll be lifting humanity higher!
Higher!
I’m all religious figures rolled into one,
Gaddafy Duck propelled from Jimmy Swaggart’s tommy gun.
Don’t promise rainbows with some golden pot.
In fact what I can offer I know you’ve already got.
I’m merely a man and I bring nothing but love for you.
I’m merely a man and I want nothing that you can’t do.
And you know it’s true.
That with logic and love we’ll have power enough to raise
consciousness up and for lifting humanity higher!
Higher!
And you know it’s true.
We should chase superstition and fear from our hears it we’re going to survive
and take levels of sanity higher!
Higher!
I’m merely a man and I bring nothing but love for you.
I’m merely a man and I want nothing that you can’t do.
And you know it’s true that with logic and love we’ll have power enough to raise
consciousness up and for lifting humanity higher!
Higher!
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Words by Andy Partridge. Music by Andy Partridge and Colin Moulding. © 1986 Virgin Records, Ltd.
Fire they cried
So evil must die
And yields are good
So men pull back hoods and smile
The scapegoat blood spilled
Spitteled and grilled it crackled and spat
And children grew fat on the meat
Change must be earned
Sacrificial bonfire must burn
Burn up the old
Ring in the new
Assembled on high
Silhouette against the sky
The smoke prayed and danced
And sparks did their dance in the wind
Shadows wore thin with less and less skin
And the clothes that were draped
Was all that told man from ape
Change must be earned
Sacrificial bonfire must reign
Reign over good
Banish the bad
Blair Scott: Synthentral 