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What God Wants, Part I
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Wikipedia article
"'What God Wants, Part I'" is the first song in a series of songs written and released by former Pink Floyd bassist, Roger Waters on his third solo album, 'Amused to Death'. "What God Wants" is separated into three parts, similar to Pink Floyd's earlier "Another Brick in the Wall". "What God Wants, Part I" was released as a lead single from the album backed with Part III.
Lyrics and music
"What God Wants, Part I" deals with the contradictory duality and hypocrisy perceived by Waters in dogmatic religion and its power over man. The following parts, along with other songs on the album, deal with worship not only in religion but also in regard to materialism and consumption. All together, its viewpoint is on the power of simplistic conformity; how people adhere to something, not entirely by volition, but out of submission.
The song features the guitar playing of Jeff Beck.
Music video
A video was released, featuring gorillas watching TV, CGI and stop motion animation of a frog skeleton picking at a piece of cheese on a mouse trap, only to be subdued by electrical wiring and fused with the cheese to create a small television set. The video was directed by Tony Kaye and produced by Sarah Whistler. Animation for the video was contracted out to several studios, including Pacific Data Images (CG) and Will Vinton Studios (stop-motion). Crew members for Pacific Data Images include Raman Hui, the stop-motion animation artists included Chuck Duke, Scott Nordlund, Webster Colcord and Schell Hickel.
On July 21, 2015, Waters and 'Rolling Stone' premiered a remastered version of the original video, featuring updated computer graphics and an all-new transfer of the original 35mm footage of Waters in the studio with guitarist Jeff Beck. The video is being presented exclusively through 'Rolling Stone' by VEVO and Sony Music.
Release
BBC Radio 1 refused to play the single as it was too much of a "touchy" song to be played with such frequency, which angered Waters.
Personnel
* Roger Waters - vocals, EMU synthesizer, bass
* Jeff Beck - lead guitar
* Patrick Leonard - keyboards, choir arrangement
* Geoff Whitehorn - "Arpeggio" guitar
* Andy Fairweather-Low - rhythm electric and acoustic guitars
* Tim Pierce - "Chorus" guitar
* Randy Jackson - bass
* Graham Broad - drums
* Katie Kissoon, Doreen Chanter, N'Dea Davenport, and Natalie Jackson - backing vocals
* London Welsh Chorale conducted by Kenneth Bowen
All credits are according to 2015 reissue liner notes.
Chart performance
{|class="wikitable sortable"
!align="left"|Chart (1992)
!align="center"|Peak
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|US Mainstream Rock Songs ('Billboard')
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References
Category:Roger Waters songs
Category:1992 singles
Category:Songs critical of religion
Category:Songs written by Roger Waters
Category:1992 songs
Category:Columbia Records singles
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