Randall Stuart Newman (born November 28, 1943) is an American singer-songwriter, arranger, composer, and pianist known for his non-rhoticSouthern-accented singing style, early Americana-influenced songs (often with mordant or satirical lyrics), and various film scores. Figured we needed a place to talk about the man, the myth, the legend. I've only listened to Sail Away, Good Old Boys, and Little Criminals, but I'm working on expanding my palate. Thinking about going with Dark Matter considering "She Chose Me" was my wedding song.
Trouble in Paradise wasn't as much my thing. Might try Bad Love. Any other favorites (albums or songs) outside of the big three? "Marie" makes me tear up.
Little Criminals is cool too Afield from Randy Newman, there are some other folks in the literate cynic-songwriter lane worth checking out, you’re likely already familiar but stuff like Van Dyke Parks’ Discover America, the shelved Brian Wilson album Adult/Child (its on youtube), Harry Nilssons own albums obv, Warren Zevon, Mike Bloomfield etc Mose Allison plays in a similarly casual mode, jazzier and maybe a bit cornier, but very good. Folks like Ben Sidran and Tom Waits are in the same lane And, if you’re down with an older idiom, the og pop crop is stacked; Cole Porter, the Gershwins, Harold Arlen, Yip Harburg, Billy Rose, Jerome Kern, Johnny Mercer, Rodgers and Hammerstein, PG Wodehouse, Dorothy Fields etc Likewise, the blues influence evident in Randy Newman’s music is worth pursuing. I get a sense people tend to overlook the lyrical wit of artists like Lightnin Hopkins, Fats Waller, Fats Domino, Little Richard, Chuck Berry, Eartha Kitt, Sarah Vaughan, Mance Lipscomb, Allen Toussaint etc
Strange Things > You Got a Friend i’ve only ever listened to his hits but should give him an actual listen soon
Bad Love is really solid, too. Of what I've listened to so far, I'd sort them like this: ESSENTIAL Good Old Boys Sail Away Little Criminals GOOD Bad Love 12 Songs Dark Matter NOT FOR ME Trouble in Paradise
Bump. It's a Randy day and I'm making my way through he ones I haven't heard yet. Dude is slowly invading my Top 5 Songwriters
It was mostly Good Old Boys for me this year, but it's been Little Criminals lately. Those three are just an unreal run