Xtc, "dear God" -

: Partridge initially conceived the song in a skiffle style but moved toward a sound reminiscent of the Beatles' "Rocky Raccoon". The final version features a "Gershwin-y" string section intended to evoke a bluesy, "Summertime" atmosphere.

: Partridge questions why a creator would allow starvation, disease, and "the babes you drown". XTC, "Dear God"

Watch the official music video, which famously uses a child's perspective to frame the song's challenging questions: XTC - Dear God YouTube• 8 Jun 2018 : Partridge initially conceived the song in a

: A central thesis of the song is the idea that mankind created God, rather than the other way around: "Did you make mankind after we made you?". Watch the official music video, which famously uses

: Producer Todd Rundgren suggested having a child sing the first verse and final line to underscore the innocence of the initial inquiry before the lyrics shift into a biting adult critique. Eight-year-old Jasmine Veillette provided the vocals, though a boy was cast to lip-sync them in the music video. Lyrical Themes

The song is structured as a letter to a deity, evolving from humble requests for a "reduction in the amount of tears" to a full-scale rejection of religious dogma.