662 Randy Newman - Sail Away (1972)

Studio Album - Singer-Songwriter

About the Act:

Even if you don't know who he is, you would probably recognise his voice and his piano playing. He has been inescapable after writing "You've Got A Friend In Me" - that song from Toy Story. He has done many more songs and soundtracks for many more films, including "I Love To See You Smile" - the opening song from Parenthood. From the 80s onwards, he has mostly been doing film music, but in the 70s he had a moderately successful career as a singer/songwriter creating albums of his own songs, and back in the 60s he was writing songs for other people. Before that he did normal things like going to school.

He grew up between LA and New Orleans, and maybe considers himself to be from New Orleans more. His style is certainly reminiscent of that. He plays piano in a kind of jelly-roll honky-tonk way that smells like the bayou, with hints of soul and even gospel in it. His voice sounds like he is black but he is from Jewish descent and about as white as can be. He sings songs that have stories, and content to them, and his satirical side has a wicked sense of humour that somehow he gets away with. "Short People" is sung with affection, but describes short people as being rather horrible and hopeless.

You know that song, the one that Tom Jones covered, that was originally a hit for Three Dog Night - Mama Told Me Not To Come? It's a 70s classic. Written by Randy Newman.

About the Album:

This was Randy's third solo studio album. He wrote all of the songs, although some had already been released by other people.

My History with this Album:

None
Review:

So this is I think the third Randy Newman album I reviewed in this list. Let me check. Yes, the third. It has been a joy getting better acquainted with his music. This is another collection of songs that musically encompass kind of vaguely folk and vaguely jazz and vaguely rock, and occasionally vaguely country, but mostly you can imagine a man on a stage playing a piano and singing. The music is pretty good, but it's all about the songs. He sings in a growly kind of soulful way, which made me think for years that he was black.  He is a consummate songwriter, and his subject matter is very varied. He also has a rather legendary sense of humour. I'm not going to go through every song, but certainly going to pick some out and talk about them.

Political Science had me laughing out loud. It is a satirical song about how the rest of the world hates America, so we (they) might as well "drop the big one and see what happens". It suggests that this way they could colonise the world. It is superbly written, and satire of American Jingoism.

God's Song is highly curious, and basically about God being amazed that mankind would worship him, seeing as he makes such a mess of everything. I think. Again I think it is satire, but I'm not quite sure who he is satirising. This is complemented by "He Gives Us All His Love" which is very pro-God, and quite simple but moving. 

Burn On is a song about the river in Cleveland, Ohio being on fire because it was so polluted. This is the Cuyahoga River, and coincidentally, I very recently reviewed an REM album with a track called Cuyahoga, also about the river.

Most people who live in Britain of a certain age range have seen the film "The Full Monty" which is a comedy about some working class men becoming male strippers. It's lead song, famously, was "You Can Keep Your Hat On". It's on this album, Randy wrote it. (The version in the film was recorded by Tom Jones).

In 1967 Alan Price of The Animals had a hit with Simon Smith and the Amazing Dancing Bear. Guess what? Also here, also Randy's.

Pretty much each song is a gem in its own right. This is a great collection of songs.

8.2/10

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/7ojNQckNp7Tj2BkLJCiiUL

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLzv30H0qx5BdmbT24pdzbqaUmfRO87KXw

Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sail_Away_(Randy_Newman_album)