# Who loves Randy Newman? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [October 19, 2001, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-loves-randy-newman/88521 "2001-10-19T23:57:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2001, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-loves-randy-newman/88521/21 "2001-10-22T17:58:45Z")
I’ve always liked _That’ll Do_ (closing titles theme from _Babe: Pig In the City_; performed by Peter Gabriel} _A kind and gentle heart Can make a gray sky blue. And a task that seems impossible Is quite possible for you._ He’s a keeper. ---
**Author:** ![FL\_Blues\_Baby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e36b37/32.png) [@FL\_Blues\_Baby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FL_Blues_Baby)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2001, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-loves-randy-newman/88521/22 "2001-10-22T20:24:01Z")
…yes, baby, I’ve been drinking. Shouldn’t come by, I know. But I found myself in trouble, darlin’, and I had no place else to go. Got some whiskey from the barman, got some cocaine from a friend, and I had to keep on drinking 'til I was back in your arms again. Well, I’m guilty. Yes, I’m guilty, and I’ll be guilty for the rest of my life. How come I never do, all those things I’m supposed to do? And everything I try to do never comes out right?.. Bonnie Raitt recorded this on her live album, and I hunted down the Randy Newman songbook so I could see how he wrote the piano part. He is an amazing songwriter. Love that guy! ---
**Author:** ![lawoot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/35a633/32.png) [@lawoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lawoot)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2001, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-loves-randy-newman/88521/23 "2001-10-22T20:48:52Z")
His musical version of **Faust** , placed in 1990 South Bend, Indiana, is great stuff. The album (with Don Henley, Elton John, Bonnie Raitt, Linda Ronstadt and James Taylor) is quite the kick, and a pretty interesting take on our society (Faust signs the deal with the Devil without reading it, as he ‘doesn’t like to read on his own time’. Ouch. Working with teens, I have heard that very phrase many, many times). ---
**Author:** ![John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/2bfe46/32.png) [@John\_Carter\_of\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Carter_of_Mars)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2001, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-loves-randy-newman/88521/24 "2001-10-23T00:26:29Z")
“Why do they always laugh at my mighty sword?” (From: A Wedding in Cherokee County) ---
**Author:** ![Candlemas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a8b319/32.png) [@Candlemas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Candlemas)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2001, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-loves-randy-newman/88521/25 "2001-10-23T04:01:13Z")
I love you all more than I can say. 🙂 _Would you like to come over for tea?_ ---
**Author:** ![occ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8c91f0/32.png) [@occ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/occ)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2001, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-loves-randy-newman/88521/26 "2001-10-23T04:25:42Z")
“Cleveland, city of light, city of magic Cleveland, city of light, you’re calling me… Cleveland, even now I can remember Because the Cuyahoga river goes smokin’ through my dreams.” Awesome song (unless you’re from Cleveland 😉 ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2001, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-loves-randy-newman/88521/27 "2001-10-23T04:40:38Z")
His film work is pretty good too. He’s been nominated for an Oscar 14 times, but has never won surely some kind of record. The man is simply a genius. ---
**Author:** ![psychogumby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c0e974/32.png) [@psychogumby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychogumby)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2001, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-loves-randy-newman/88521/28 "2001-10-23T21:37:10Z")
Are all his songs as irritating as that ‘left foot right foot’ song from Family Guy? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![danshepherd100](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@danshepherd100](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/danshepherd100)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2010, 12:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-loves-randy-newman/88521/29 "2010-12-03T12:32:27Z")
I’ve been a Randy Newman fan since I first saw him at The Main Point in Bryn Mawr, PA. I had the privilege of going in cold, having never heard him before. He opened with “Lover’s Prayer.” and continued with what was “Randy Newman Live.” He was the headliner with an opening act by a fellow named Ralph McTell (whom I went to see). I admit, I didn’t quite get it until about the third song, and from that point on I was sold, and have been to see him on every occasion I could make. It’s notable that he steps onto the stage in such a humble fashion, not appearing to know that he’s Randy Newman. Also worthy of note is that, in general (unless you’re a Randy Newman fan), people don’t even know they’re listening to him, with snippets appearing in commercials from songs like “You and Me,” “Love to See you Smile,” “Dayton Ohio 1903,” et. al. Mr. Newman, I thank you. ---
**Author:** ![campp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@campp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/campp)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2010, 1:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-loves-randy-newman/88521/30 "2010-12-03T13:39:52Z")
I played my Sail Away LP just yesterday. ---
**Author:** ![Made\_in\_Macau](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eada6e/32.png) [@Made\_in\_Macau](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Made_in_Macau)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2010, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-loves-randy-newman/88521/31 "2010-12-03T17:20:40Z")
Me. I love Randy Newman. MiM ---
**Author:** ![Labdad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Labdad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labdad)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2010, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-loves-randy-newman/88521/32 "2010-12-03T22:40:42Z")
I’ve loved Randy Newman since 1968, when I heard “Just One Smile” on Blood Sweat and Tears’ first album, _Child is Father to the Man_. What a great song! Then, in 1970, Warner Reprise put out [_The Big Ball_](http://allmusic.com/album/the-big-ball-r839562/review), which included Randy Newman doing “Mama Told Me Not to Come.” Of course, Three Dog Night had already had a huge hit with it, but Newman’s version was completely different. I immediately picked up a copy of _12 Songs_ and have been a fan ever since. I heard Newman being interviewed on the Bob Edwards radio show a few years ago. Talking about other composers, he said “Irving Berlin was the greatest Jew since Moses. He wrote songs about the two biggest Christian holidays and made one of them a fashion show, and the other a weather report!” ("Easter Bonnet "and “White Christmas.”) He is so clever! ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2010, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-loves-randy-newman/88521/33 "2010-12-03T22:46:28Z")
Yeah, it’s lonely at the top. All the applause, All the parades, All the money that I have made. Yeah, it’s lonely at the top. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2010, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-loves-randy-newman/88521/34 "2010-12-03T22:50:40Z")
I’m not a big fan, but I can definitely recommend [Nilsson Sings Newman](http://www.amazon.com/Nilsson-Sings-Newman-Harry/dp/B0000457FT). ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2010, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-loves-randy-newman/88521/35 "2010-12-03T22:52:34Z")
> [@don\_t\_ask](#): > > His film work is pretty good too. > > He’s been nominated for an Oscar 14 times, but has never won surely some kind of record. As much as we might wish it never happened, [he did win](http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0198781/awards), for the worst song he ever wrote. Typical, they gave it to him to make up for not giving it to him for “When She Loved Me”. ---
**Author:** ![Truman\_Burbank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ecc23a/32.png) [@Truman\_Burbank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Truman_Burbank)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2010, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-loves-randy-newman/88521/36 "2010-12-04T05:35:27Z")
And the best part about listening to Randy Newman - you can leave your hat on! ---
**Author:** ![oliversarmy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/eb8c5e/32.png) [@oliversarmy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oliversarmy)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2010, 6:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-loves-randy-newman/88521/37 "2010-12-04T06:48:47Z")
If, for nothing else, he is one of America’s greatest songwriters simply because of “Sail Away.” ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2010, 7:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-loves-randy-newman/88521/38 "2010-12-04T07:44:52Z")
> [@oliversarmy](#): > > If, for nothing else, he is one of America’s greatest songwriters simply because of “Sail Away.” I remember the shock I felt when I understood what that song is about. ---
**Author:** ![outlierrn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/outlierrn/32/3005_2.png) [@outlierrn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/outlierrn)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2010, 9:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-loves-randy-newman/88521/39 "2010-12-04T09:35:36Z")
I hear there’s a big nasty redhead that loves him. ---
**Author:** ![postcards](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8e8cbc/32.png) [@postcards](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/postcards)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2010, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-loves-randy-newman/88521/40 "2010-12-04T14:53:31Z")
The Lord can make you tumble The Lord can make you turn The Lord can make you overflow But the Lord can’t make you burn [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-loves-randy-newman/88521.md?page=1)