Customer Reviews

The Randy Newman Songbook, Vol. 1

5 star:		(25)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is the way things were the last time I saw Randy Newman in concert -- just the man and his piano, and it was fine. It's also the way these songs were written, on the piano. Randy is such a spellbinding songwriter that his songs have great power even without a band accompanying him. His craggy and clipped singing style is not the most beautiful around, but it's grown comfortable and familiar with the years. Many of the musical heroes of my youth have fallen away, but my affection for Mr. Newman's music just keeps getting stronger.

Hearing Randy's tunes in this solo setting is especially good for the slow, sad songs such as "Marie" and "Sail Away." If I had to list my favorite songs of all time, the lovely "Marie" would be in the top five. A romp like "You Can Leave Your Hat On" may sound better with a band -- it's hard to top those horns on the chorus (Joe Cocker style) -- but this solo version is good too. His rumbling, bouncing piano lines aren't a bad substitute.

The song selection on Songbook Vol. 1 is interesting. Some of the big songs are missing -- "Short People" and "I Love L.A." for two -- but this is not a "greatest hits" CD. That has already been done elsewhere. Besides, he has to save a few tunes for Vol. 2. There are several short instrumental versions of his movie themes that serve as wonderful interludes ("Avalon," "When She Loved Me," and "Ragtime"). In sum, Songbook Vol. 1 is a treat, an an excellent way to hear an American treasure in the raw. By the way, I do not usually hand out five-star ratings. I think a CD should earn a five-star. I'm not just going to give five stars to everything I like even a little. However, this CD deserves the highest rating.

"Most of my songs aren't autobiographical, or I'd be in an institution," Mr. Newman said after he had played half a dozen of them, getting an appreciative laugh. The audience was fully aware that his music enacts a tug of war between honesty and fallacy, and that his tone can oscillate from steeply ironic to disarmingly sincere." New York Times

Every once in awhile, you come across an artist that speaks to you, personally, intellectually, intuitively and gracefully. Someone you think, "I would love to have a conversation with, and what a great friend he would be." That person for me is Randy Newman. My best friend re-introduced me to him. We had the pleasure of seeing him in concert at Carnegie Hall, recently. Randy Newman walked on stage and it was his; his and the piano. He sat down and the evening became him. The songs are his and he speaks to us, and he brings us into the music. The Randy Newman Songbook, Vol.1 has taken awhile and as he says "Interviewers will ask why it took me five years to make an album and I'll say, `It didn't take five years -- I didn't do anything for five years,I watched tv like you do."

"It's Lonely at the Top", starts the CD and he is more reflective and mature. On this evening, Barbra Streisand was playing at "The Garden", and Randy had played this song to her. "She may be singing it this evening he mused." We all recognize his satire in "God's Song" - in which the Gods has contempt for all faiths. "Political Science" is even more to the point as it was in the Vietnam era, with its US view of the rest of the world. He may still be playing a devil in "Sail Away", and "Rednecks" which speaks about Lester Maddock and the wonderful self deprecating" It's Money That I Love". "Living Without You" and "I Think It's Going To Rain Today" shows us his poignant and tender songs. As with his would-be ladies man "You Can Leave Your Hat On" he makes these characters sound so human and we recognize them as us. It was Joe Cocker, he says, that put the beat and rhythm to the song that made it so popular. "Lousiana Rain" is as poignant and meaningful now as it was in the 1920's.

The intelligence, grace, and craft of Newman's songs are shown here at his peak. And while there's a little flash in his piano playing, a little boogie, alot of blues, he is recognized by me and others as a down to earth man, one we would like to know. This CD starts to summon his songs written over the years, and this is the first of three. It appears that Randy is not in any hurry to finish these songbooks, but we do know the best is yet to come.

The Guardian sums up Randy Newman; "He may well be the greatest contemporary American songwriter; he's easily the cleverest. And, by a long shot, the funniest. If you like wry on the rocks, Randy's your man."

Intelligently, Gracefully, Heartily, and Wryly Recommended. prisrob 10-15-06

This disc fits the genius of Randy Newman perfectly. An extremely well-recorded disc of just Randy and a good piano, playing and singing some of his best. "Political Science" and other songs on this disc ring true more now than they even did when they were written. Randy still has a great voice, and hearing him provide lush arrangements with just his piano gives you added respect for his abilities as a keyboardist. Highly recommended for long time fans as well as those looking for a sampler of Randy Newman's work.

The first thing you notice about this retrospective is that Randy Newman's voice has really grown quite gutteral and craggy, more so than usual. That's not to say that it takes away from the music, but it certainly gives a sense of looking back on a great career - Newman has been writing songs for 40 years now and has achieved the position of a real statesman in the business. For a Newman fan like myself, this release has a kind of 'photo album' feel to it. Newman revisits most of his classics, just him at the piano, and intersperses the songs with short instrumental selections from 'Awakenings', 'Parenthood', 'Avalon' and 'Ragtime'. It is a laid back and beautiful listen.

I've seen Randy Newman in concert 4 or 5 times, and have wished for some time that he'd put out a second live album that included some of his later work. Well, it looks like that's not going to happen, but this CD (the first of three volumes, reportedly) is the next best thing.

I love hearing these "piano-and-vocal-only" versions of Newman classics. Although the orchestra is a little missed on favorites like "Sail Away" and "In Germany Before The War," other songs like "Living Without You" (from his first album) actually play much better this way. Newman's performances of technically difficult pieces like "Rednecks" and "It's Money That I Love" really make one appreciate Newman's skill as a performer. "Let Me Go" was previously only available on the 4 disc Newman anthology that came out in 1998.

Eerily, "Political Science" (from the "Sail Away" album originally) seems to have more relevance today than it did in the mid 70s! This album is nothing new, really, but it's a really smooth listen and includes some nice alternate takes on his songs and film themes.

For more than 20 years the brilliant songwriting of Randy Newman has captivated me. I've even had the sublime pleasure of two solo concerts in a 300-seat museum. And I can say without reservation that he's the best lyricist/tunesmith of his generation. I know a lot of folks will argue for Dylan and John Prine and lotsa others. But note-for-note, nobody is such a superb satirical wit. Stripped down, unplugged, call this what you will. But don't miss this CD. Guaranteed to be amongst my Top 5 of 2003.

It seems now we're ready to understand Randy Newman's genius. He's been hiding out, writing movie scores, earning an Oscar and undoubtedly a fair share of loot. So now he resurfaces with this fragile yet funky collection of the beautiful tongue-in-cheek songs that have been his hallmark. And we're ready to listen because his songs are so much better than we're used to these days and his words seem to mean something.

Some of it is hard to hear, such as his song "rednecks" that has a history of being grossly misinterpreted (it is a sarcastic anti-rascist tune with a racial slur in its chorus).

But the stripped down, accoustic piano and vocal approach is perfectly suited to an older - more reflective Newman. He's still fighting for common sense and common people - all in his talented way.

I guess I'd like to see a version without "rednecks" in it, but I can see it as an intersting conversation piece these days in the era of PC sanitation. Racism and rednecks still exist, so Randy is going to continue to sing about them.

But overall, this is an essential album for Newman fans and, I think, an excellent entry into his work for newcomers. I'd also reccomend the greatest hits collection on Rhino.

I have been pining for another solo piano Randy Newman album since I heard "Live" (released in 1971) some years ago. The nuances of Newman's piano playing, and many of his compositional subtleties are buried or made more opaque by the sometimes big productions of his albums (his 1st album from 1968 is by far the most egregious example of this - none of his other albums come even close to being so steamrollered by orchestra). Those who have heard and seen Newman live (I saw him in the late 80s on the "Land of Dreams" tour) know that Randy and a piano has something that Randy with a band lacks, and vice versa. Of course his incredible orchestral arrangements are missing (most missed on "Louisiana 1927") but shining through is Newman's underrated piano.

The "Songbook" tradition is an old one going back to the age of musicals. Most composers in that day would not perform their own songs publicly; big stars would typically rip through songs and make them famous; the composer remained a kind of shadowy Oz behind the stage. Songbooks gave composers a chance to show their stuff. Cole Porter recorded one, and it's a worthwhile listen. Newman's is a strange inversion of this tradition since he has already performed the songs in this "songbook". I guess we're left to muse on this one.

There are some incredible versions of Newman's songs here: "In Germany Before the War" is far more haunting than the version on "Little Criminals"; "It's Money That I Love" becomes an incredible barroom romp. Some of his standards take on new life (most likely perfected from years of touring - how many times has Newman probably played "Sail Away"?). A welcome addition are piano renditions of pieces from his film scores (we all have to pay the rent, but few of us do it so well). It's also good to know that, after all these years, he still sings "Rednecks" with verve.

No, it's not new Randy, but it's still great Randy. Hopefully recording these songs has inspired him to follow up the very underrated "Bad Love" of 1999. The only thing better than this collecton would be a new album.

I very briefly debated buying this (through iTunes) but I was right to do so.

He's taken some of his great tunes and simply replayed them without the elaborate and sometimes distracting production. In some cases he's made very subtle changes, but mostly he's stuck to his original vision.

I totally expected to be neutral about this, but hearing him redo Rednecks, or It's Money That I Love is a totally wonderful experience. You may have heard the songs a million times before, and seen him do them in concert, but there's still something very special about this recording.

Just Randy and his piano playing his best tunes. I would have preferred to have a CD of new material when he released this one last year but the sound on this album is so great that some of the oldest songs seem like new.
It's a must-have for any Randy fan.