I knew Billy Preston pretty well over the years. He never discussed his personal life, whether he was straight or gay or anything else. He was extremely private and everyone who knew him understood that.
So why for some reason would a filmmaker make an intrusive film about the “Fifth Beatle” call it a tribute? I don’t get. But that’s what Paris Barclay has done with “That’s the Way God Planned It,” opening in very limited locations today.
Billy was a rock star, yes. He was the first musical guest on “SNL” in 1975 after having massive hits like “Will It Go Round in Circles” and “Nothing from Nothing.” He played on Beatles sessions for “Let it Be” and “Abbey Road,” all of which you can see in Peter Jackson’s “Get Back” documentary. He’s the only artist credited with the Beatles, on “Get Back.”
There’s lots more music in Billy’s life. He gave Stephen Stills the title “Love the One You’re With.” Keith Richards credits him for the riff in the Stones’ “Miss You.”
You feel in the documentary that Barclay is less interested in all than whether Billy might have been molested as a child musician, or whether or not being secretly gay turned him into a drug addict. Billy would be mortified to see this movie, and to see people he thought were friends making wild guesses just to satisfy the director. That’s not a way to show respect to a great musician.
It’s not just that Barclay makes these points once, but he keeps circling back to them. I’d have rather seen more clips of Billy singing, and playing the organ, and dancing. His contribution to the Beatles’ stunning last albums was even more than just music. As they say, his presence in the studio made them straighten up and get work done, and not bicker or get sidetracked.
So take “That’s The Way God Planned It” with a container of salt. Don’t forget, Billy co-wrote “You Are So Beautiful” and “With You I’m Born Again,” two incredibly romantic, hopeful songs that represented him the way he wanted, not someone else’s concept of him.
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