There were a couple of songs on a similar theme I was writing around the same time, so like many good progressive rock songs, I took them and smushed them together into one big song, and fiddled around with the lyrics until it fit properly.

I don't usually do songs of political commentary, and I'm not sure this is one either. I guess it's more an observation that it's relatively easy to get people to do horrific things in the name of a god. And that if he/she finds out, they might not be very pleased about it. (I still haven't decided which god this is, I might retcon it to be one of Merlin's).

Recording-wise, I'm rather pleased with the way the chorus came out. It was tracked over four tracks on the TASCAM, allowing for three-part harmony plus the guy at the back chanting 'tears of joy'. The harmonies themselves were recorded with the machine running 15% slow so that they sounded sped-up and a little creepy when played back at normal speed. The first chorus was totally improvised and as such the harmonies are quite strange - in the later choruses I used more conventional modes of harmony by going back over and over again until it sounded best... one of the few times I could have done with some formal music theory.
I was tempted to go back and redo the first one but I asked around first since I'd probably not be able to get it back how it was originally if I decided it was better. People liked the creepy, odd harmonies so I kept it.

This is also one of the few times I've played around with 5ths on the minimoog. I need to do more of that.

I haven't yet recorded a complete bass track for this, just some spot work where it needed it most. That is something I may or may not fix for the final version, depends how much I like it the way it is now.

I am less pleased with the harpsichord sound on the SK1. Sounds too much like a lute or something. I might rerecord that on the JV1010 or something.

Equipment used:
Soundcraft MFX20
Otari MX80 24-track recorder
TASCAM TSR-8 8-track recorder
Studer A807 stereo recorder
Watkins Copicat (c. 1966)
Zoom RFX-2000 (tremolo effect on last verse, misc. delays)
Strymon Blue Sky reverb

Hammond XM-1 organ module with Rotosphere Mk2
Hammond SK-1 (pipe organ, piano, harpsichord)
Raspberry Pi running Aeolus (pipe organ bass pedals)
Roland MVS-1
Manikin Memotron
Moog Voyager
Alesis DM10
Waldorf Streichfett string machine
Epiphone Thunderbird Gothic bass

I gazed down from Heaven on a bright and sunny day
Just to find out what My Faithful do when god has looked away
They decreed a day of rest where none would work and none would play
And they gathered all together on that shining sunny day

And the people stood as one
Every woman, man and boy
And they each shed a tear, and the tear was a tear of joy
(Tears of joy, tears of joy)

First they slew the ones who dared to speak my Holy Name
Then they slaughtered all their children (since they'd just grow up the same)
They beheaded all the men who were in love with other men
Then they piked their heads to warn the others - don't try that again
Next they took the priests who didn't worship as they say
And they branded them as heretics and did their best to drive them all away

And the people stood as one
Every woman, man and boy
And they each shed a tear, and the tear was a tear of joy
(Tears of joy, tears of joy)

The Heresiarch of the northern rise
Is the only one whose words aren't lies
The Heresiarch of the northern hill
Is they only one who does My will

The Heresiarch of the northern rise
Is the only one whose words are wise
The Heresiarch of the northern hill
Is they only one who does My will

I came down from heaven as the moon obscured the sun
Demonstrating My displeasure at the things that they had done
First I slew the ones who'd killed and tortured in My name
And the people prayed and worshipped as I stood forth to proclaim

And the people stood as one
Every woman, man and boy
And they each shed a tear, and the tear was a tear of joy
(Tears of joy, tears of joy)

And I decree that
The Heresiarch of the northern land
Has assumed control at my command

And they each shed a tear
And the tear was a tear of joy...