And I’m not talking about those movie scores and Disney tunes he does…sure, those are nice, but I’m talking about his ALBUMS.
I’ve got to say - - I LOVE RANDY NEWMAN!!!
I always have and always will. He is my single favorite of all time. But for as much as I love the guy, everyone I meet can’t stand him. Most people I meet actually despise him and refuse to be in the room while a Randy Newman album is playing.
Please tell me if you love Randy too! I’m feeling very alone here.
We’re rednecks
We’re rednecks
And we don’t know our ass from a hole in the ground
Yes I love Randy Newman
I loved you the first time I saw you
And I always will love you Marie.
Ah yes!
yup…I am a big Randy Newman fan…I know not cool to admit but I am…I saw him in concert in 1904…just him and his piano, it was the funniest concert I have been to.
I just want you to hurt like I do
I just want you to hurt like I do
I just want you to hurt like I do
Honest I do, honest I do, honest I do"
I love Randy Newman, and have ever since “12 Songs.” My housemate in grad school, a self-confessed hillbilly, used to sing “My Old Kentucky Home” all the time:
Turpentine and dandelion wine
I’ve turned the corner and I’m doin’ fine
Shootin’ at the birds on the telephone line
Pickin’ em off with my gun of mine
I got a fire in my belly
And a fire in my head
Goin’ higher and higher
Until I’m dead
I was privileged to see him perform live in 1975, just after the “Rednecks” album came out.
On of my favorites has always been “You Can’t Fool the Fatman”
Sittin’ with the fat man
Tryin’ to get a loan
Talkin’ about horses
And the women that we’ve known
Spittin’ on the sidewalk
Squintin’ into the sun
Greetin’ all the people
Smilin’ at everyone
“Sing a song of long ago, when things were green, and the days rolled quietly, the air was clean and you could breathe, and folks were nice to you…”
Personally, I really do like the songs he’s done for disney and others. I wish they’d release a collection of all those.
“Short People” and “I Love L.A.!” 
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Odieman *
yup…I am a big Randy Newman fan…I know not cool to admit but I am…I saw him in concert in ** 1904 **…just him and his piano, it was the funniest concert I have been to.
Why Keith, I had no idea you were that old
I first heard of Randy Newman in 1969 or thereabouts. I was sitting in on a class at the University of Texas called “English and the Electronic Media” and the teacher (Dr. Kruppa, IIRC) was discussing Newman’s and Leonard Cohen’s lyrics. I’ve loved them both (RN and LC - not Kruppa) ever since.
Like him a lot. I think a lot of people have trouble with his sarcasm–it’s amazing how many people take his lyrics at face value.
Yeah, 1974’s GOOD OLD BOYS is one of my favorite albums.
Not the entire album, actually, just the aforementioned “Rednecks,” plus “Louisiana 1927,” and “Kingfish.” The rest of the record I can take or leave. Well, “Birmingham” is pretty good.
But those three songs are SO GOOD, it still counts as one of my favorite albums.
One of the greatest lyricists out there. Many probably don’t get the irony. A couple of my fave verses:
And how about
Moving this to Cafe Society.
I like him, especially the song *In Germany before the war *. Beautiful!
We give them money - But are they grateful?
No, they’re spiteful and they’re hateful
They don’t respect us - so let’s suprise them
We’ll drop the big one and pulverize them
Asia’s too crowded and Europe’s too old
Africa is far too hot
And Canada’s too cold
And South America stole our name
Let’s drop the big one
There’ll be no one left to blame us
A more sarcastic comment on US foreign policy isn’t possible. The man is a genius.
Would you like to come over for tea
With the missus and me?
It’s a real nice way to spend the day in Dayton, Ohio
On a lazy Sunday afternoon in 1903
Randy Newman is amazing. Those sweet little sentimental melodies, juxtaposed with scathing sarcasm, satire, amd political commentary. Fabulous.
“Sigmund Freud’s Impersonation Of Albert Einstein in America”
A couple of the songs already mentioned in this thread are on “Little Criminals”, which contains:
Short People
You Can’t Fool the Fat Man
Little Criminals
Texas Girl at the Funeral of her Father
Jolly Coppers on Parade
In Germany Before the War
Sigmund Freud’s Impersonation Of Albert Einstein in America
Baltimore
I’ll Be Home
Rider in the Rain
Kathleen (Catholicism Made Easy)
Old Man on the Farm
It’s probably a good one to pick up if you’re interested in Newman.
BTW, did you know that piano and guitar snippet that “Car Talk” uses in the middle of their show is from a Randy Newman album? The guitar sounds like Mark Knopfler because it is - the song is “Dixie Flyer”, from a Newman album called “Land of Dreams”, which Knopfler produced and played on. I need to pick that one up sometime - Newman-written material with Knopfler guitar work is a potent-sounding combination.
I’m not a die-hard Newman fan, but between “I Love L.A.” and “When She Loved Me” (from Toy Story 2), I can definitely say I appreciate the guy.
There’s a red moon risin’ on the Cuyahoga river,
Rollin’ into Cleveland thru the lake…
Burn on, big river, burn on.
Yep! gotta love him.
Git 'em Dan.
I heard the song “Real Emotional Girl” once and then searched for years to find it (this was before the web, of course).
I also love “I Love L.A.” and “You’ve Got A Friend In Me”.
Randy Newman is cool.