How to Turn People on to Randy Newman

He is an Oscar-winning film composer, a Grammy-winning songwriter, the nephew of two very famous movie music makers from the thirties and forties and, if you know him at all, you probably only know him from the seventies novelty hit, “Short People.” But if you are a fan and know his work, you know there is so much more to his talent. Here are some quick and easy ways to turn people on to Randy Newman.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Find the album “Rednecks.” Then play the song “Marie” for someone who has never heard Randy Newman. If they don’t become fans instantly, move on, cause they’ll never get it if they don’t hear the exquisite simplicity of a love song whose lyric says “I’m drunk right now baby, but I’ve got to be, or I never could tell you what you mean to me." Genius in its purest form.

2. Understand “God’s Song” from the "Sail Away" album is more profound in its expression of theology and religion than any scholarly work you will ever find. And like so much of Newman’s work, it’s a piano, a voice and profundity come to life.

3. Keep in mind that his album “Bad Love” boasts a song that James Taylor called the “Greatest song ever written.” “Shame” is the name of the piece and there is simply no describing it except to say that if William Faulkner or Tennessee Williams had decided to become songwriters, this is how it would have turned out.

4. If you don’t know Newman’s songs, you very likely do know his movie music. He has written the scores for such box office hits as “Ragtime,” “The Natural,” “Toy Story,” “Seabiscuit” and a host of others. Google away or check out Amazon. Each and every score is evocative and poignant, much in the tradition of his Oscar-winning uncles Alfred and Lionel Newman, classic film composers of the early twentieth century.