MB's Opinion --- Randy Newman

I place him in the Smartass-Songwriter school, with Zevon and Prine

"Sail Away" (the song) is his masterpiece

He's not much of a singer. Check out Nilsson's version if you want to hear a great singer do it. I believe Bobby Darin also cut it.

His solo set at Jazz Fest several years ago was one of the greatest I'd ever seen. I almost skipped it and wasn't a huge fan at the time, but I became one that day.

Forget anything he's had that charted (Short People, I Love L.A.). Listen for the stories and the great songwriting and lyrics; listen for the emotion behind the songs. He's not the greatest singer in the world but is the greatest interpreter of his own compositions.

Good Ol Boys is one of my favorites. Great composer/player.

Read Mystery Train for a deep-dive into that LP. Well worth the read.

I absolutely love Randy Newman. He's a fantastic songwriter. His socially satirical lyrics are usually pretty strong.

Peter Gabriel is a fan, too

That'll Do (from Babe 2)

I Think It's Going to Rain Today

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I love when people try to use that as an insult, not realizing that they are the one who's knowledge it's insulting.

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It's a lyric from the song Rednecks... from the album Good Ol' Boys

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It's a lyric from the song Rednecks... from the album Good Ol' Boys

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I know. I wasn't implying that you were using it as an insult. I've heard other fanbases try to use it against LSU when the whole point of the song is how ignorant self-righteousness is.

I can't tell you how many times I've listened to Good Ol' Boys and Sail Away while fishing.

Wedding in Cherokee County

Easily one of the my top 10 or so favorite all time songs. Not sure why, I guess the absurdity of it. But still hits on an emotional level. Guy is pretty much a cuck, in a backwoods inbred county. With a terrible woman as his wife (who is probably mentally retarded) and evidently a very small penis. Just pure dark comedy. I fricking love this song.

"Today we will be married
And all the freaks that she knows will be there
And all the people from the village will be there
To congratulate us
I will carry her across the threshold
I will make dim the light
I will attempt to spend my love within her
But though I try with all my might
She will laugh at my mighty sword
She will laugh at my mighty sword
Why must everybody laugh at my mighty sword?"

Gets me every time

Still can't get over the fact that he went from writing dark comic masterpieces about redneck culture and beautiful songs about slavery and pedophilia to composing (and singing!) theme music for Disney cartoons.

Two of the best songs ever written and recorded IMHO, both from his Little Criminals LP:

Baltimore (Live, 1978)

In Germany Before The War

I almost choked on my diet coke reading that dionne farris remark- well played baw!!!