Dear God Guitar Tab

Skylarking Tabs:

Dear God »

#----------------------------------PLEASE NOTE---------------------------------#
#This file is the author's own work and represents their interpretation of the #
#song. You may only use this file for private study, scholarship, or research. #
#------------------------------------------------------------------------------##
From: schnitzi@east.isx.com (Mark J. Schnitzius)
By "Mark J. Schnitzius"
and: EricBe@microsoft.com
with help from: Bill Gallagher
------------
XTC
"Dear God"
From 'Skylarking'
Fmaj7   A7sus4/D     D2
8      0 or 0      0
10      3    3      3
9      0    0      2
10      0    2      0
8      -    0      -
-      -    2      -
A verse consists of three of the Am riff:
Am       Am       Am       Am
----0--------0--------0--------0--
----1--------1--------1--------1--
----2--------2--------2--------2--
----2--------2--------2--------2--
-0--0--0-----0--0-----0--0-----0--
----------1--------3--------2-----
^Thumb   ^Pinky   ^Thumb
Then two the C riff:
C       C/Ab  C/D     C/F#
-----0--------0-----0--------0--
-----1--------1-----1--------1--
-----0--------0-----0--------0--
-----2--------2--0--0--0-----0--
--3--3--3-----3-----------------
-----------4--------------2-----
^Pinky         ^Thumb
Then the falling D riff:
D        D        Bb       E7
-----2--------2--------1--------0--
-----3--------3--------3--------3--
-----2--------2--------3--------1--
--0--0--0-----0--0-----3--0--2--2--
-----------3--------1--1-----------
-----------------------------------
with some changes as noted in the score below.
Dear God
---- ---
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,
C   D
I can't believe in you
Fmaj7                         C      G     C
Did you make disease, and the diamond blue?
Fmaj7                      D2 (or A7sus4/D)
Did you make mankind after we made you?
A/C#  C  C/E  E7
Am riff
And the devil, too?
C  D  (2nd time thru)
bypass Am thing and go to C riff
Dear God, don't know if you've 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
Am/F#
I won't believe in heaven and hell
Bb
No saints, no sinners, no devil as well
Dm
No pearly gates, no thorny crown
Bb
You're always letting us humans down
G
The wars you bring, the babes you drown
Bb
Those lost at sea and never found
Dm
And it's the same the whole world 'round
Bb
The hurt I see helps to compound
G
That Father, Son and Holy Ghost
Bb
Is just somebody's unholy hoax
Dm
And if you're up there you'd perceive
Bb
That my heart's here upon my sleeve
G                                     A
If there's one thing I don't believe in
D2/  D  Bb  C  F  G  E
0   0  0  0  0  0
3   3  3  3  3  3
2   2  2  2  2  2
0   -  -  -  -  -
-   1  3  -  -  -
-   -  -  1  3  0
It's you
Dear God

Source: http://www.guitarmasta.net/x/xtc/360764.html

Tab Discussion, Comments, and Critiques


No Picture John Lead Player	#1 by John Fitch at Oct 5, 1970 at 4:42 AM EST
	Once again, another thread has fell victim to the old "right" and "wrong" trap. The form says "what does this song mean to you?" not "what is the only way this song could possibly be interpreted?" The songwriter has explained his meaning behind the song, that much has been made clear by a few of the contributors here. That doesn't make alternate theories "wrong", it's about our personal interps. Here's what the song is saying to me: Dear God, I know you're up there, or out there, or there somewhere. Things I see and experience all the time indicate that there's something there, some "higher power", but every religion I've encountered has turned you into a cartoon character, an invisible man in the sky with the face of Ted Nugent and the powers of Santa Claus. I can't believe in you, at least not the version of you that I've been spoon-fed. These silly humans handed me this book and said that you wrote it, but so many things that the book claims you said just don't sound like what you'd really say. Heck some of the things this book claims you said flat out contradict other things it claims you also said. If I'm supposed to believe that you just made me, the world, everything, from dust, or from nothingness, doesn't that mean I have to believe that you also created hate and disease and discontent? It would all be so easy if you'd just come down and give us some plain answers instead of wrapping everything in mystery and myth. I don't know what I believe, but I'm starting to figure out what I don't believe.

No Picture Michael Average	#2 by Michael Vanderveen at Mar 26, 1974 at 3:13 AM EST
	Andy is a militant atheist. It's amazing how people see what they want want to, no matter how clear the message is. The idea that he must believe in god because it's addressed to god is just silly. It's a lyrical device...take a literature course. For those who refuse to see the song for what it is and how it was meant, here is a quote from Andy about the song: "it [Dear God] failed in part, because it wasn't as caustic as I would've liked it to be. It should've been a nail in throat of the public, but instead some took it as a declaration of faith when I wanted to make it clear that I don't believe in God - and that even if there is a He or a She they have nothing to do with organized religion." Just watch the video for Dear God. Andy is attacking the massive twisted tree (religion) that people are desperately clinging to, which is exactly what he is doing in the lyrics. I really don't see how he could be any clearer.

No Picture SOCIETY DWELLIN Average	#3 by SOCIETY DWELLIN MOTHER FUCKER! at Mar 25, 1975 at 8:19 PM EST
	I think that he does WANT to believe in god, thats why he adressess the letter do Him, but he just can't believe in God, because of such things the song tells us about. That's why he says "I can't believe in you". It's not irony, its just a state of disbelief.

No Picture Derek Lead Player	#4 by Derek O'Kanos at Oct 15, 1976 at 8:26 PM EST
	Well, I'm guessing the reason the kid is singing at the beginning is because he's acting like a kid. This was a good song to me, even if I am a mormon, the song is still well written, lyrics and all.

No Picture David Average	#5 by David Gilmour at May 27, 1977 at 12:08 AM EST
	This whole song is great, pretty self explanitory as to what it means.

No Picture Joonas Wanna Be	#6 by Joonas Luukkainen at Feb 4, 1983 at 6:29 AM EST
	The 'dear god' constantly portrayed in the lyrics is a satire. Great song.

No Picture Conar Wanna Be	#7 by Conar Gillard at Apr 18, 1983 at 11:01 PM EST
	he could just be singing it to "God" so that he deosnt really have to directly name anyone who he may be actually singing it to.. but hey i could be wrong..

No Picture Lee Professional Badass	#8 by Lee the bass player, known as blacktooth90™ at Nov 28, 1988 at 4:58 PM EST
	Yeah, exactly. He doesn't believe in god and never has. The line "did you mankind after we made you" explains that pretty clearly.

No Picture Jp Wanna Be	#9 by Jp Collins at Apr 16, 1991 at 7:23 PM EST
	No it isn't....it's ironic. The song is about the songwriters struggle with his faith. It's ironic. He says he doesn't believe in God but the song is being sung to God, therefore he must believe in God. It examines the conflict and questions that exist when you believe in something not based on fact or proof such as God and how God could let such horrible things happen.

No Picture Alex Average	#10 by Alex P at Sep 30, 1992 at 1:35 AM EST
	i think that most of u are missing the beautiful truth in this song. Dear god, is meant to be Dear nothing. this poem isnt meant for any "god" or religion it is just him speaking to the random of our universe. Speaking to the nothing which has created us. for if god doesnt "hear us" then we are speaking to nothing. we invented god as a larger imaginary friend, which most humans are too weak to live without. to anyone who has come to this songs meaning, and is an atheist or maybe looking into atheism. i sincerely recommend TOOL!! they convey the atheist philosophy so well that actual Phd. proffesors refer to maynards lyrics as substantial philosophical ideas of our time.

No Picture Dr. Jack Average	#11 by Dr. Jack at Mar 21, 1994 at 4:37 PM EST
	This is a great song...I identify with it a lot...I went through a tough point with religion...this song embodies exactly what I was thinking. Genius.

No Picture sharon Wanna Be	#12 by sharon howell at Sep 23, 1997 at 5:27 AM EST
	Nilgun, I believe you're looking to much into the song being "sung to God".

No Picture Lex Average	#13 by Lex Nafrodosze at Sep 17, 2000 at 7:47 AM EST
	i think it's about having believed in god, but after thinking about it all instead of just accepting it blindly, he couldn't believe anymore.

No Picture Erin Rhythm Player	#14 by Erin at Feb 6, 2001 at 11:01 AM EST
	I think if anyone wants to get a handle on what Andy 'believes in', they should listen to Season Cycle. He seems much more in awe of and impressed by the wonders of our natural world than in any man-made concept of a 'greater being'.... but then as an intelligent guy how could he see things any other way?

No Picture IM A MAN WHO C Rhythm Player	#15 by IM A MAN WHO CHANGED INTO A BEAST at Sep 29, 2002 at 8:02 PM EST
	Nilgun is right. It's a letter addressed to God. He can't write a letter to someone he doesn't believe in. He believes God is something totally different than religion has percieved him to be and is wondering why God can't solve the problem. Maybe he is incapable.

No Picture Satan SAF! Rhythm Player	#16 by Satan SAF! Lucifer at Apr 30, 2004 at 6:32 AM EST
	Isn't it interesting that Andy accuses God of not giving His people enough food? The funny part is that the Bible is referred to as spiritual food. So whose fault is it that we're not getting fed? Then he questions God... something that Job did and God finally asked Job where he (Job) was when he created everything. Andy claims that the Bible isn't true and that God also knows it's not true. So this is just one big self-defeating song because he's writing to a God who isn't there about, among other things, how the Bible isn't true, which is just ONE of the evidences that there is a God that we can know personally. Finally, whether someone does or doesn't believe the Bible won't change the factual objective absolute truth that God is real and the Bible is His Word. I could name the five essential doctrines, but I'll just direct y'all to wwx.carm. o r g . But I do want to address the issue of suffering. It only came about after Adam and Eve ate the apple in the Garden of Eden. The only way to relieve ourselves of suffering is then to repent of the sins we commit against God and ourselves.

No Picture nick Professional	#17 by nick Sutliff at May 16, 2004 at 8:25 AM EST
	He just saying that this god he must have believed in at one point had let him down. and they he my not belive in the bible god or the god that humans have created but he believes in something.

No Picture Austin Rhythm Player	#18 by Austin at Sep 9, 2004 at 7:47 PM EST
	shooty's groove does a really good cover of this song

No Picture kostas Rhythm Player	#19 by kostas kouveliotis at Oct 6, 2007 at 11:41 AM EST
	yah :)

No Picture Austin Average	#20 by Austin Schrauben at Oct 7, 2007 at 1:39 PM EST
	I once saw Andy in an interview and he stated the band was atheist or atleast he was, listen to Smartest Monkeys he talks about Adam and Even not happening but anyways. I agree its not clear if the kid in the song does/does not beleive in god, but its easy to see he doubts god. Since Andy is atheist could this not be why he became an atheist, andy as young child. Either way i love the song, and its very true. It is why i became atheist. Not the song but the reasons he pints out, why i could see the kid being atheist.

No Picture The Mexican Who Average	#21 by The Mexican Who's Living Under Satan's Wing at Oct 9, 2007 at 5:46 AM EST
	To Me, this song is very sad. It is sad because of the letter writer's ignorance. He thinks of God as some kind of cosmic bellboy for whom we can press a button and have all our problems solved. The letter writer acts like a spoiled kid and thinks God should fix mankind's screwups just like his mommy and daddy fixed all his. He looks 100% at what God doesn't do and dismisses the things that God does do. For instance, the gift of freewill. I love this song. But TO ME it is sad because of this. But that is why I like it, I guess. BTW - Tool are not aetheists, they are just anti Christian.

No Picture Guitar Master Wanna Be	#22 by Guitar Master J at Oct 10, 2007 at 10:12 AM EST
	I agree with zenwizard''s view of the song. We never read the Bible, we never pray, we don''t believe in the amazing grace Christ gives, but when something bad happens, let''s call the Almighty in to the defense stand...surely he owes us an explanation as to why things don''t always go our way What about personal responsibility?What about God''s use of tragedy to bring mercy and enlightenment? I in no way minimize the pain and suffering of the world. It is very real. But there is hope, and there is strength, if we''ve got the guts to try, as Rich Mullins would say....

No Picture Daniel Average	#23 by Daniel Gordon at Oct 13, 2007 at 2:29 AM EST
	I'm not sure whether Andy Partridge believes in God. However, XTC did another song after this called "The Ballad of Peter Pumpkinhead;" the main character in it bears a strong resemblance to Jesus. Who knows? Maybe Andy justs wants us all to think about this stuff more.

No Picture Brandon Average	#24 by Brandon Weathers at Oct 13, 2007 at 11:08 PM EST
	I agree with diogo, its not the he thinks god isnt real, its just hard for him to believe that he is, because he looks at the state the world is in. Although he wants to have faith, he just can't.

No Picture R.I.P Dimebag D Professional	#25 by R.I.P Dimebag Darrell at Oct 14, 2007 at 12:33 PM EST
	a few religious backers, which is fine. I have a problem with zenwizard's point: "The letter writer acts like a spoiled kid and thinks God should fix mankind's screwups just like his mommy and daddy fixed all his." I think it's a little much to chalk up someone's disappointment with hunger and war as 'whining'. Why would God make in inferior product that had to cope with such suffering? If that's not a legit complaint, then nothing is.