We continue our look back at the music of 50 years ago……
Before he was winning Oscars for songs in animated hit films, singer-songwriter Randy Newman was delivering satirical, sardonic insights into the human condition and answering what he saw as rampant hypocrisy in the USA.
His 1972 Lp “Sail Away” was filled with his quirky, over the top, but thought provoking takes on religion, ecology, politics, aging, love & sex…all of the main topics of the early 70’s….but from a fairly skewed perspective. Back up those lyrics with piano based music that wouldnt have been out of place in a late 1880’s western saloon or early 1900’s city bandshell, and it’s a wonder that he was embraced at all.
And yet, other people flocked to do his songs…in fact some of these had either already been done by others or soon would be.
If you have seen the movie ‘Major League”, you are familiar with the song “Burn On”, Newman’s ecological anthem. The song “Old Man”, a scathing look at an end of life father-son relationship, was also used in the film “The Meyerowitz Stories” in 2017.
Joe Cocker had a hit with “You Can Leave Your Hat On” used in the film 9 1/2 Weeks ( and a Tom Jones version was used in the film “The Full Monty”) and Linda Ronstadt did a solid version of the title track. Harry Nillson covered “Simon Smith and the Amazing Dancing Bear”.
‘Lonely At The Top” was written for Frank Sinatra…but he never cut it.
But for me, the three tracks that stand out are “Political Science”, “God’s Song” and the title track. The first is a firmly tongue-in-cheek look at the world condition at the time and the second rips at the heart of organized religion while giving you an interesting twist at the end. And “Sail Away” could be a Madison Avenue ad campaign for slave traders (who would think of this stuff!?)
Newman’s piano work is interesting in it’s nod to American historical music. He’s joined on the LP with a load of solid pros like Ry Cooder, Jim Keltner, Gene Parsons, Earl Palmer, Chris Ethridge, Wilton Felder and Milt Holland. His father Emil, a noted film conductor, directs the orchestra on the title track and ‘Burn On”
If you only know Newman for his film work (Toy Story, Monsters Inc, Cars etc) (also straight films like Ragtime, The Natural and SeaBiscuit)…this ain’t that. It’s sometimes hard to reconcile that the same guy who did those songs…also wrote these.
Newman was always hard to figure… and he liked it like that.
I’m taking Friday off…the next musical blog will be on Monday. Have a great weekend!
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