My Record Collection 159

Randy Newman – I discovered Newman through Harry Nilsson (coming very soon) on an early album called Nilsson sings Newman.  Of course, Harry has a beautiful voice, where Randy is – sardonic, quite nasal and not beautiful – but you don’t listen to Randy for the beauty of his voice but for the expression, the emotion in his voice; much like Dylan of course.  A superb musician who as well as releasing a clutch of singer-songwriter albums moved largely into film soundtracks, most famously Toy Story and Shreck.   But he started off in the late 60’s with his eponymous album Randy Newman in 1968.  The album was unusual for the times, being mostly orchestral.  It was in fact a resume of songs he had written for others over the previous few years.  The songs are mostly short (the entire album is just 27 minutes long) but oh, so memorable.  Possibly his best songs are here but that is a retrospective view.  The album flopped so badly he was lucky to record a second.  But it is simply wonderful and includes ‘Love Story’, ‘Living Without You’ and ‘Cowboy’ but really, I love all the songs, even the quite nasty sounding ‘Davy The Fat Boy’.  You see Randy was a master at irony, at taking a hard right-wing view of the world – only to show up how stupid that is.  Often misunderstood, but loved by those of us understood his particular take on the world.   Two years later and he released another short album 12 songs.  This had more conventional rock backings but somehow it doesn’t really work; his vocals seem lost in there and the meaning of the words doesn’t hit home.  A couple of good songs  – ‘Yellow Man’, ‘Mama Told me Not To Come’ and ‘Old Kentucky Home’ – though these were usually better sung by others.  So, possibly my least favourite of his records.  And I might have left him there but in 1972 (possibly the best year ever for music) there were rave reviews for Newman’s third record Sail Away – and I bought it.  And wow – what a record, by far his Masterpeice – it is simply wonderful.  A much more thoughtful production where the backing is sympathetic to his vocals and never overpowering.  And the songs are simply brilliant too, not a poor song or a fill on the record.  Hard to pick a favourite, though the title song is simply sublime; also excellent are ‘Last Night I Had A Dream’, ‘Political Science’ and the closer ‘God’s Song’.  I could and would listen to this record over and over again – it is that good.   Good Old Boys came out 2 years later – and again a very satirical album depicting Rednecks and Southerners with their stupid ideas, though he also pokes his accusing finger at those who think that the blacks have been freed in the North (free to be put in chains in New York City).  Another brilliant album – best songs are ‘Rednecks’, ‘Birmingham’ and ‘Louisiana 1927’ – but again there isn’t a poor song on the album.  Another triumph really, though appreciated by many his albums still sold quite poorly.   I977 saw the release of another superb album   Little Criminals.   His sense of irony being superb – the lead off single ‘Short People’ being a metaphor for blacks was superb.  Again the whole record just rolls along – almost impossible to pick best songs.  The arrangements too are simply sublime and Randy’s melodies seem truly timeless.  Possibly ‘Jolly Coppers On Parade’, ‘Rider In The Rain’, and ‘Sigmund Freud’s Impersonation Of Albert Einstein In America’ stand out.   Born Again came out in 1979 and was somewhat of a disappointment – it sold poorly and had bad reviews.  Saying that it isn’t a bad album, but somehow some of that earlier magic had gone.  The arrangements were more rocky, and at time Randy was shouting rather than singing; maybe trying too hard to be a rock star – who knows.  A handful of good songs  – ‘The Story of  A Rock and Roll Band’ (about ELO) and ‘The Girls In My Life’ and ‘Half A Man’ but a few stinkers.  A pity really.   A welcome return to form in 1983 was Trouble In Paradise.  This was a much more self-aware album, especially the title songs which was really self-critical.  But overall the songs were much better.  The title track was a half-spoken denunciation of the ‘Rock-Star’ lifestyle (even name checking Springsteen – in a good way).  There is a duet with Paul Simon ‘The Blues’ which is very witty and beautifully sung.  There are a couple of sumptuous love songs and some biting satire – but possibly best of all is a wonderful melody and fabulous words which I cant help sing along to – ‘I’m Different’, which is simply charming.  So a very good album only slightly marred by a couple of shouty songs.  A long break from solo albums as he concentrated on film soundtracks.  But he returned in great form with 1988’s Land Of Dreams.  Very autobiographical, about his childhood and love and family break-ups.  A lovely record with some great songs, almost marred by a hiphop parody which is actually superb but quite out of place on the record.  Best songs ‘Dixie Flyer’, ‘Falling In Love’ and sad closer ‘I Want You To Hurt Like I Do.’  My final album of his (though I have just ordered another) Harps and Angels released in 2008 and a much more conventional Newman album.  His voice is in quite good form too, and the production is more suited to it.  But unfortunately, the songs don’t really hack it, they don’t stand out so well; only three songs are in any way memorable – ‘Losing You’ (about his first wife), ‘Feels Like Home’ and ‘A Few Words In Defence Of My Country’ (even though this theme has been addressed several times before.  So, a bit of a disappointment.  I also have a compilation which covers his first stretch of albums; Lonely At The Top is a pretty good collection of his best songs and a pleasure to revisit – a good place for beginners to start.

Biographical article of Randy Newman - Deaduxx