re: How did randy Newman get away with saying the n word?

It kind of mocks everybody. Btw, that album has some of the best songwriting of all time and it really is a kind of gothic ode to Louisiana and the South. I mean, nobody wrote that way about Huey P and that whole era of Louisiana, either before or since. It’s on my list of essential albums.

Who built the highway to Baton Rouge?
Who put up the hospital and built you schools?
Who looks after shite-kickers like you?
The Kingfish do
Who gave a party at the Roosevelt Hotel?
And invited the whole north half of the state down there for free
The people in the city
Had their eyes bugging out
Cause everyone of you
Looked just like me
Kingfish, Kingfish
Everybody sing
Kingfish, Kingfish
Every man a king
Who took on the Standard Oil men
And whipped their arse
Just like he promised he'd do?
Ain't no Standard Oil men gonna run this state
Gonna be run by little folks like me and you
Kingfish, Kingfish
Friend of the working man
Kingfish, Kingfish
The Kingfish gonna save this land