Randy Newman

A Few Words In Defense Of Our Country

I’d like to say a few words 
In defense of our country 
Whose people aren’t bad nor are they mean 
Now the leaders we have 
While they’re the worst that we’ve had 
Are hardly the worst this poor world has seen 

Let’s turn history’s pages, shall we? 

Take the Caesars for example 
Why within the first few of them 
They were sleeping with their sister 
Stashing little boys in swimming pools 
And burning down the City 
And one of 'em, one of 'em 
Appoin... MORE

I don't have anything to add to this. Except that I was so jazzed to find it on Daily Swarm this morning.

This was an itunes exclusive and all I can say is wow. Maybe if Disney didn't keep giving him paychecks he would put out more topical gems like this. Unfortunately it won't let me upload the song so here's the next best thing, a video performance of it:

And here's one I'm sure a lot of people thought of when the whole Katrina catastrophe happened:

As part of an on-going discussion of Something Else Entirely, David G. Bell wrote:

I'm trying to get the Disney version of Saving Private Ryan out of my Monday morning.

To which i responded:

You are an Evil Man.

And he, in turn, said:

Cut out the cemetery scenes, Omaha Beach, and the end battle, and I can see how the basic plot could be a Disney movie. A bunch of ordinary guys have to go and find the Prince, after his two brothers are killed in a war.
Frightening, isn't it.

W... MORE

It really means something to me.

Some credit Harry Nilsson for introducing Randy Newman to a larger audience. Probably true - rough vocals, sometimes overtly political lyrics, I guess it's really no wonder he wasn't big early. Harry sticks mostly away from the political fare on Nilsson Sings Newman and gives us instead a light hearted tenor blessed with a beautiful double tracked voice. Unfortunatley you're not getting a song off of Nilsson Sings Newman, instead here is Harry singing another fun Newman... MORE

I don't get the reportage on the MTV/Real merger, or, as it is known in my house, the URGE/Rhapsody merger. Everyone is writing about it as a challenge to iTunes. I never use these subscription services as a place to buy songs. I use them because they give me access to an enormous catalog that I can "rent." If I am going to buy digital music tracks, there are surely better places to go than to places that charge 99 cents for a song. So I'm confused because I don't think ... MORE

OK so slightly bumming as this is the first fathers day since my dad passed of cancer. Not that its any different because I did not have a "normal" relationship with my dad and a tremendous amount of hurt and disapointment on both ends. Our relationship was mostly surface "Hi,how are you"? nothing too deep. So leave it to cancer for a chance to mend things before it was too late and for that I am most greatfull!! All I can say without sounding like Oprah is DON'T! sweat ... MORE

To paraphrase the more obvious serial murderers of history, stop me before I thrill again! Oh yes, my fellow chirpmeisters, Tel Boy is still brimming over with unbridled joy. Three more ultra-happy happenings, to put a smile on your face, a spring in your step, a god in your heaven, and a groove in your heart. Speaking of which, let's start with a Turtle eclipse of the heart... ...before painting our faces and giving praise to the Spectoresque sunniness of Mr R... MORE

This Randy Newman song was released online last week, and the lyrics ran as an op-ed piece in The New York Times. In case you haven't heard it, or didn't see it in the paper, here are the lyrics: I'd like to say a few words In defense of our country Whose people aren't bad nor are they mean Now the leaders we have While they're the worst that we've had Are hardly the worst this poor world has seen Let's turn history's pages, shall we? Take the Caesars for example W... MORE

Last Night I went and saw/heard Randy Newman play 35 songs. He was great, powerful and funny. He was the master I imagined him to be-in control and joking and productive. Before I went to the concert I spent a little time on line looking for a set list from a previous show on this tour and couldn't dig one up so I vowed to write the songs all down and post it. It would be quicker to write down the songs he didn't do! But, actually, because Randy is so prolific and amazin... MORE

Just got back from the City Of Angels, went there to attend the Ascap Songwriter's Expo. On the first night of the conference, Randy Newman did a "piano-side chat", where he was interviewed about all his great songs, and played them spontaneously. He was incredibly funny and insightful, telling all these great stories and breaking the interviewer's balls. It was a really unique setting to see him perform in, only a couple hundred people there. He spent a fair bit of time... MORE

I like Randy Newman --- always have. Just saying. Here's the Daily OM Music (copy and paste) review of his album, "Sail Away," (1972) and a website to check out more of his stuff. http://www.randynewman.com/ February 27, 2007Sail AwayRandy Newman 1972 "Randy Newman, born in New Orleans and raised in Los Angeles, still has the Big Easy in his dark soul. Although his uncles were major film composers from the 1930s on, and Newman studied music at UCLA, his own playing ... MORE