Sail Away

How? How is there more than one Randy Newman album on this list? I haven't gotten a single John Coltrane album, not a single Charles Mingus album, but I have now gotten two Randy Newman albums. Fuck Randy Newman. His voice sounds like an inflatable bear with a slow leak. It sounds like Satan talking after inhaling helium. It is the auditory version of sitting down too long until your sciatic nerve falls asleep. The worst part of any Randy Newman song is all of the fucking Randy Newman. 2/5. The only reason this is not a 1 is because I kinda like You Can Leave Your Hat On. Fuck Randy Newman

RaNdY NeWmAn DoEs DiSnEy SoNgS. What a weak, embarrassing take.

Not bad, but I just couldn't escape the feeling that I was listening to a Disney soundtrack.

He may not be the greatest singer, but Randy Newman is a brilliant songwriter and I think his voice works incredibly well with his writing style. At this point in his career, he's probably thought of mostly as a movie score/song composer. His ascerbic wit is on full display on this album. I think it's great even though my 2 favorite songs of his (Mama Told Me Not to Come and I Love LA) aren't on this record.

This was such a solid album. I was actually surprised with how much I enjoyed it and I look forward to listening to it again later. From the lyrics along, I really couldn't figure out if Mr. Newman was for or against religion, or perhaps specifically against organized religion? I really started to questions things at God's Song (That's Why I Love Mankind). I may have to listen to the album a few times before I understand.

Sail Away is another addition to the long list of songs that could be a genre labeled "Talking to Americans" if Rick M didn't already own that title. It reminds me of seeing Springsteen and the biggest US flag imaginable dropped as he opened with Born in the USA. Of course if you just saw the flag and listened to the chorus, you might think the song was pro USA. Hell, Reagan invited Bruce to the White House to perform it. Sail Away contains a similar facade of the wonderful USA and if you don't know either the relevance of Charleston Bay or what the word "wog" means, you might replace your poppy with a Stars and Stripes lapel pin, put on your MAGA hat and go about about your day with blissful ignorance.

I’m not too familiar with Randy Newman and didn’t know what to expect. This album was a biting satire that sent up American exceptionalism and even flirted with the absurd. I’m also quite partial to Los Angeles orchestral pop so this album appealed to me musically as well. Overall this was a perfect album for me.

Yusss. It can take a while to ‘get’ Randy Newman or take him seriously, but once it clicks it’s worth it. There’s humour. There’s satire. There are piercing home truths and humdrum observations side-by-side. There’s a blend of orchestral/New-Orleans-y ragtime pop that you don’t really get from anyone else. I think what I like most is that while his default position might be mockery, I reckon there’s plenty of affection and sincerity too. There are enough classics here to guarantee a 4. Does the rest of the album push it into genuine 5-star territory? I’m not sure; but as a devout Randy fan there was always going to be some rounding up involved. Wish he’d stop cancelling gigs I’m supposed to go to though.

I love this album. Randy Newman is such a clever songwriter. Favorite song is Political Science

Randy is fun. I like when he observes things as they happen, or just says whatever comes to mind. A lovely “ear wash” after goddamn Slipknot

Singer/song-writers are not always the favorite for this reviewer. There is no exception here with Randy Newman. While the talent of putting music and words together is an oversimplification of what Randy Newman does here, the bottom line for this review is the question of "Why?" Why is this important? This album is track after track of walking into a conversation that has been happening for some time, no context, no circling back, each song having its own self-contained continuity stoking zero interest as to whether or not the listener should care to listen. Truthfully, the mindset going into this album was one of open-minded and intentional patience, but that only asked the second question: "How?" How is this important, and to what degree of impact did this have on the world of music? No denigration of Mr. Newman or his music is intended here, a limited number of humans have his talent to tell a story and play the piano at the same time. In terms of an album though, this would probably have more appreciation at a dive bar, or lounge, complete with spirits and smokes. By all means, this should not discourage someone else from listening to the album, it was simply not for this listener.

Randy Newman is a genius.

I really like this one! I would consider downloading this one for listening again.

Taken by complete surprise. The writing on here is just so ridiculously good. A real treat.

My first memory of Randy Newman was as a little kid and "Short People" was being played all over and I just didn't get it - why was this guy so mean to short people? Of course my dad had to explain the satire to me and once I got it, I loved it. That was pretty much the last I'd heard Randy Newman outside the random cut (e.g. "I Love L.A.") as he would never really again be played on my rock radio stations. So when I discovered this album "Sail Away" only a few years ago it blew me away. Starting off with the title track "Sail Away" is pure genius - one of the saddest songs I've ever heard for obvious reasons when you quickly realize what it's really about. I'm not sure I would have been able to appreciate this album when I was a little younger but I'm a huge fan - the music is tremendous; occasionally to me sounding like Broadway tunes for people who really don't like Broadway tunes (mea culpa). I enjoy the *sound* of this record - the clarity and simplicity of the production centered around Newman's piano and voice while accented by perfect accompaniments - of particular note is Ry Cooder's slide guitar on "Last Night I Had a Dream." And Newman is the rare songwriter who just through his unique voice actually makes me listen to the lyrics which are most often brilliantly satirical - poking fun at religion, nationalism, exceptionalism - fits comfortably in with my worldview :) As one who is mostly a rock fan first and foremost, I absolutely love everything about this album - perhaps because it gives me a curveball in my listening habits - and there are no missteps in this whatsoever. 9/10 5 stars.

God's Song nets this baby a 5 alone. Randy is the GOAT there are half a dozen classics on here

Unexpectedly Great!

I have lived with these songs since I was a kid. Part of the soundtrack of my life.

A songwriting masterclass. On the surface, it feels bright and smiley but there's darkness and shadows everywhere. This is what I want from a 70s LA record.

I’ve always thought that Randy Newman must have an incredible amount of hubris to sing his own songs. His voice sounds like he’s singing through a wad of cotton and marbles. Curious about who actually … like genuinely … likes this artist? Are you out there?

I love Randy Newman, probably one of the sharpest, cynical, funny songwriters in American popular music. That he can combine drollery with poignancy, often in the same song, is impressive; married to lovely, jazzy piano arrangements, it's stellar. Sure, he's got a funny voice. It fits the music. Would a song about the slave trade like 'Sail Away' fly today? It's probably too glib to suit today's climate, despite its brilliance. A great collection of characterful songs by one of the best to ever do it.

Oh I know this song. And this one. Oh he wrote this one too? Wowsers. I feel poorly educated for not knowing Randy Newman's catalogue. My bad. And having such a unique voice, what a talent. No need to keep your hat on Randy, go flaunt it.

I absolutely loved this album, and I had never heard it before. The arrangement was so clever, the lyrics were so wonderful and touching and thought provoking. I will definitely add this to my rotation.

This album is amazing, Randy Newman has such a talent at writing these beautiful, emotional pieces that’s probably why disney had him write so many soundtracks 10/10

Great lyrics, great mood, so chill, one of a kind voice

I had a previous Randy Newman album that kind of rubbed me the wrong way - felt like a cabaret Elvis Costello - so I was reticent when this came up - but this is a hooter of an album - clever witty fun - with my favourite song of the month Political Science firmly setting the scene. Loved it.

If you could take a New Yorker cartoon and turn it into music, it would be this.

Have never been able to get into Randy Newman. All his songs sound exactly the same to me.

Can’t stand Randy Newman. He’s ruined most of Pixar.

cool

I guess I'd forgotten that Randy Newman did anything but Pixar movie music and "Short People," and that's too bad. These were songs to listen to again and again, each time finding those brilliant little hidden gotchas that lurk under the affable, delightful surface.

This is very fine storytelling. And not just in the lyrics. The music itself tells a story. It is no surprise that Newman has been so successful as a film composer. His songs themselves are cinematic. The opening and closing tracks are deviously beautiful: lovely melodies bring you in and then the lyrics kick you in the teeth. I'm sure I knew it at some point but maybe I'd forgotten that Newman wrote "You Can Leave Your Hat On." Listening to this album, it struck me how similar Randy Newman and Tom Waits are. I would love an album where they cover each other's tunes.

I think I've probably only heard Randy's music because of Toy Story, but this wasn't at all what I expected. Loved the satire.

I enjoyed this. Plinky plonky storytelling.

I might enjoy Mr Newman’s music during a panel discussion at the 92nd st Y, but I don’t ever need to listen to an album of his again.

Sail Away I think I preferred this to Good Old Boys, although I broadly feel the same; on some listens and with some songs it’s really engaging and with others it seems to pass me by. The comparisons with Nilsson are more apparent on this than Good Old Boys, and not that I need to prefer one to the other but I do find Nilsson’s version of vaudeville-pop-rock generally more engaging. Although Newman is probably more interesting lyrically, Nilsson is more interesting and varied musically and melodically, which helps the songs stick a bit better. There are some great songs on here though, probably more than on GOB. Sail Away is a real grower and a great track with a great sardonic lyric, He Gives Us All His Love has a lovely downbeat feel. Last Night I Had a Dream is a nice bluesy bit of rock pop, building and falling very nicely. Burn On (Major League!) and Dayton, Ohio 1903 are both great tracks along a similar theme. Memo to My Son has nice jauntiness and God’s Song is an excellent religious take down. Maybe I need more time to get into Randy Newman, there’s lots I do like and I could see myself getting into him, but I still can’t quite help zoning out from time to time and after 4 runs through I was keen to listen to something else. Although I preferred this to Good Old Boys I’m not sure it crosses into the 4s, so I’ll say a high 3. ⛵⛵⛵ Playlist submission: Burn On (because of Major League)

Un excellent album de la part de notre ami Randy. Mention spéciale à l'interlude précédant You Can Leave Your Hat On au cours duquel on entend Jean-Luc Reichmann s'écrier "C'est la question COOO... C'est la question IIIIIIIINE..... C'est la fameuse question coquine...." sous les applaudissements rythmés du public.

This is not a great album but it is really funny because of how bad it is. He literally just observes things in his lyrics and it is so stupid. After listening to his other album on the list it made me dislike him and this album didn't do him any favors. Hopefully there are only 2 of these albums and I'll only hear him in Toy Story (WHERE RANDY BELONGS!).

Well, they say the world's your oyster Man, but oysters ain't for me You're the belle of the ball But you ain't my cup of tea They always vote you Best in Show But this doggie disagrees 'Cause I like life in Paddy's Pub... There's a place for me, it's the place I go Where the beer is cheap, and the lights are low It's Paddy's Pub I like Paddy's Pub Let the record show The greatest place to go Is that bar called Paddy's Pub... [Harmonica Solo] I like life in Paddy's Pub...

I just can't get past my distain for Newman's singing voice

As a God fearing American, this was pretty g— Just kidding, this was boring and weirdly religious. Uncle Randy with the increasingly common L

Newman and his honky-tonk, Ray Charles-dreaming piano, off-beat lyrics, drinking songs to intricate to drink to. Aiming for a wry smile.

Oh no not this MF again. Here we go toy storying again. I don’t like this guy, i gave his last album a two and i will give this one a 1. please stop putting this guy in front of me. my patience are starting to run thin

Gotta 😆 in the first 10 seconds I heard “you Got a Friend “ in my mind and BAM it is the same artist!!

F'n Randy Newman... just... no. Even I have some standards.

A career best album. Political science is still an appropriate song now. Sail away is a beautiful lilting song. Simon smith and the dancing bear is funny and melodic. God's song is interesting especially in these heightened times when the regard for human life is so miniscule. Nearly all of newmans best songs on this album.

His voice is a little annoying, but the songs are absolute genius. You can't have everything. Political Science - prescient. It is a 5.

I loved the nostalgic feel, the lyrics had meaning and the vocals where wonderful. I loved every song for many different reasons.

I was not familiar with Randy Newman's game

Have and love this album

"Sail Away" is the third studio album by American singer, songwriter, arranger, pianist, composer, conductor and orchestrator Randy Newman. Orchestral pop and rock are the Wiki-listed genres. Yeah, it's somewhere near those two. Newman wrote all the songs and several of them had already been recorded by other artists and himself. The album was produced by Lenny Waronker and Russ Titelman. Newman was lead vocalist and pianist and had a host of other musicians contribute. Commercially, the album reached #163 in the US and, critically, it was very well received. Strings and Newman's nasally vocals open "Sail Away." Piano and a melancholy vibe. A satirical take on presenting the American dream of a promised land to Black Africa in the slave running days. Newman originally wrote "Lonely at the Top" for Frank Sinatra but it actually applies to him as well. This time it's a variety of horns and circus-type music as the narrator repeats it's lonely at the top as he looks down on everybody else. Newman delivers a heartfelt song in "Old Man." The music is lavish with the strings. A sad tale of a son, his dying father and their inability to successfully say goodbye due to their lack of compassion. In "Political Science," Newman takes the point of view (POV) of America where he imagines that no one likes him and pokes fun at foreign countries and cities. So, let's just drop the big one. Unfortunately, there appears to be a number of current politicians who are taking this song at face value. It's hard to hear "You Can Leave Your Hat On" and not hear the Joe Cocker version. Well, this version is the most rocking song on the album with a traditional guitar, bass and drum band. And, of course, that repeating piano note. One of the few lyrically straightforward songs about desire/love/sex. The album closes with "God's Song (That's Why I Love Mankind)." Stark with a piano and Newman's whispering voice. It's told from the POV of God as he hits mankind with plagues, squalor and misery and, yet, they continue their devotion and faith toward him; That's why he love mankind. This is a fantastic album. It has brilliant and mostly satirical lyrics told from a variety of points of view: Funny, sad, serious, heartfelt and, strangely enough, sometimes optimistic. The production and musical arrangements are excellent with the music matching the lyrical tones: strings, horns, piano and standard rock band instruments. The songs are short with the lyrics grabbing your attention from start to finish. The lyrics are some of the best that I've come across; Leonard Cohen, Bob Dylan and Elvis Costello also come to mind. And with that, yes, a very high recommendation for a listen.

This album blew my socks off back in 1972. Still does. Such brilliant and unique songwriting and arrangements. Newman’s wicked and biting sense of humor floors me. The best.

the first song and title of the album........................................oof Drop the big one is darkly funny

I love his biting tongue in cheek commentary. The way he puts down the American establishment's illusions of grandeur is both humorous and astute. There are also several very touching moments like the songs he dedicated to his father and a newborn son. Randy is a treasure.

I really liked this album..it's awesome ! I mostly knew randy newman because of movie music but this is a great album of singer/songwriter with some awesome orchestral passages. I also really love his voice. Has some.tom waits vibes to it very good !

Here's a line that won't surprise you: for most of my life, I knew Randy Newman exclusively as the guy who wrote songs and score for early Pixar movies. If you were to try to talk to me at all about Randy Newman and sailing, I'd immediately think of Buzz Lightyear. That's not an uncommon association for someone of my generation and beyond to have. (There's also the more embarrassing fact that I also knew Randy Newman from the Nostalgia Critic's jokes about him, which, from what I later heard, were stolen from FAMILY GUY: "Foxes / They like lookin' at bags / Then they walk away / So their tails are gonna wag / YoupayRandynow.") But of course, there's way more to Randy Newman than writing music for movies about toys. At some point in my life, I'd learned that if you knew Randy Newman at all, you'd know his **real work** was **nothing** like what he did for Pixar. Musically, no; but lyrically? Oh, no. No, no, no. Randy's pen was **way** sharper and satirical than "You've Got A Friend In Me" would give him credit for. I mean, gawd, "Political Science" from this album is about American politicians wanting to nuke every other country on the planet (besides Australia) because none of them like America. "Sail Away", I'm pretty sure, is about the lie white people tried to sell black people in the slave trading days, and I didn't even realize that until the closing seconds. And those are the most extreme examples, sure, but even on a subtler level, on a song like "He Gives Us All His Love" — that's a song about how awful things happen on Earth, and how people pray to God to try to get Him to do something about it, but all He offers is "His love." (It's on such a subtle level, even, that there's people've covered it sincerely and unironically — though if they'd heard "God's Song" at the end...) And this is a lot about the lyrics already, far more than I normally write. I've expressed many times before that, thanks to being AuDHD, I am not a lyrics person. Most lyric-driven albums bounce right off me, leaving more often than not to just kinda shrug about how the backing instrumentation is fine — or, worse case, it's a singer-songwriter folk album and the backing is just a single guitar doodling along in a loop. So, what is it about this album, exactly, then, that got me to pay so close attention? Let's compare this stuff to the average Bob Dylan recording — specifically, the generic idea of a Bob Dylan recording. On a Dylan song, the lyrics are usually dense as hell. Often, they seem to require a literary degree to even come close to understanding them. These aren't lyrics for doing; they're lyrics for sitting down and pondering, and that's why I've always struggled with them. Meanwhile, Randy Newman's lyrics aren't complex. They're poetic, yes, but they never go so deep with the metaphor that they burrow right under me. It's **understandable**. And again: they are **sharp** lyrics, and **very** witty. Well, OK, maybe not **all** the time; "You Can Leave Your Hat On" didn't do much for me. But the songs I mentioned earlier, and something like "Old Man"... Now **those** are lyrics that'll leave an impact on me, way more than any gobblegook Dylan's thrown at me. Seriously, "Old Man" is a kinda track where you gotta take a pause afterwards like "DAMN..." Then there's the other side of things, the one I normally focus on: the music and instrumentation. It's another area where your typical Dylan song has done me wrong: more often than not, it's a single acoustic guitar with **maybe** a harmonica coming in to squank between verses as a break. **Very** not interesting if you respond better to melody. Like, even Dylan's electric stuff, though imbued with more energy and melody than his strictly acoustic stuff, doesn't really hit as well as I'd want it to; it's still just meant as backing for the lyrics. And that's not to say that the stuff on Newman's album isn't just meant to be backing, either; it can be just as sparse as a Dylan song generically is. But I'll say it: I like the piano better. The piano is a more melodic instrument, and Newman plays it beautifully. Plus: the orchestration. Oh, lordy me, the orchestration. I am such a sucker for orchestral music in pop (or whatever you'd call what Newman does), and this hits all the right spots for me. **This shit** elevates the lyrics and then some. Jus'... Ah, if a lot of it just don't leave me in a quiet state of ponderation. Goodness. I suppose I shouldn't be as surprised as I am that I liked this album so much: I think I kind of always figured that I'd find his music as good as this whenever I did check it out. But to the extent that I did like it? Damn. I still wanna say so much more about this album, but I think I've pretty much run out of words... Just dang. In fact, y'know what? I've only given it one listen so far, but honestly: I'd go so far as to say that I love this album. It's just... B'woof, man. If it ain't some of the finest satirical writing I've ever heard, and anything that can get me paying attention enough to the lyric writing to compliment it like that... That deserves so much credit, you don't even know. So, yeah, Newman. Without a doubt, unless I'm forgetting something, this is the best singer-songwriter album from this list. For sure, you've got a friend in me, Newman.

This is the 122nd album I’m rating. I only know him from Toy Story and Short People. Adding to my Playlist - Sail Away, Lonely at the Top, He Gives us all his Love, Last Night I had a Dream, Simon Smith and the Amazing Dancing Bear, Old Man, Political Science, Burn On, Memo to my Son, Dayton, Ohio - 1903, You Can Leave Your Hat On, and God's Song (That's Why I Love Mankind). Not Adding to my Playlist - Nothing. All in all I liked 12/12 songs. I can see why Pixar picked him this album is great.

Randy Newman is another of of those songwriters who occupies a space all his own. The humor of his lyrics doesn’t make them any less biting or even, at times, vicious. Every song on this album is a classic.

There goes Randy Newman again singn' 'bout what he sees...and I have no qualms about this

Another banger in a row.

God level.

Amazing. Lyrics usually go over my head so I’m lower on legends like Cohen etc but for some reason Newman’s always hit me hard. He tackles tough themes while providing a beautiful unique sound behind it. Rating: 4.7

5/5. Putting on a Randy Newman record no longer gives an air of ease. There is now always a sense of sarcasm and underlying meaning in each song and after listening to this album with that in mind, it's such a dark and pessimistic energy. And I love it. I don't know how to describe it but knowing there is some blunt energy behind simple lyrics, it feels like it is meant to go right over the head of those without reading comprehension. Yes, some lyrics are pretty obvious, and some songs also don't have a an extra deep meaning, but the album as a whole feels some much more intense. Every album I listen to is always a joy to listen to multiple times to gather all his intentions. Best Song: Sail Away, God's Song (That's Why I Love Mankind), Simon Smith and the Amazing Dancing Bear

Beautiful songs, funny songs, heartbreaking songs. Political Science more relevant than ever. Five stars.

Newman at his best. Before the jokes, Academy awards, etc. Pop songs hiding dark hilarious satirical messages. One of the best to ever do it. Sail away is so beautiful and feels even more devastating now. Last Night I Had A Dream is an amazing and disturbing song. I want to hear it in an A24 trailer. Love Randy.

RIP Ueck. I forgot Burn On was on this album. 5 stars for the tears. (And honestly it's a 4 star album without the nostalgia. Newman is a fantastic lyricist, whatever you think of his voice)

You don't listen to Randy Newman for his voice; you listen to him for the atmosphere and the incredible satirical messages he conveys in his short songs. I know this album well, and even though it's over 50 years old, I now truly appreciate how timeless his message is.

The cynicism of Newman in this album is a strong suit. His horrible cartoonish singing with uplifting, happy sounds combined with the venom of his tongue scathing many sacred things; that's the magic here, and it's exactly why it's a wonderful record that says fuck you to Americana.

pixar king, i think i am a randy newman fan now <3

Brilliant songwriting. Randy Newman, the geeky looking kid who turns out to be the smartest person in the room. A biting, rye sense of humor with a tender heart underneath it all. This is 5 stars all the way.

Here's an artist I should know a lot more about, so I'm glad to have him on the 1001 list (twice!). This was great. Caustic, unapologetic, funny, Newman tells stories with admirable efficiency. And while the arrangements were sometimes over-the-top, they were also always right on — I realized there were these sweeping string arrangements after the fact. Loved it.

I have never heard a Randy Newman album. This is sort of a mix between "smell your own farts" and "is he being snarky or racist" type of music. This is actually a good album though. I'm not sure what all the songs are about (except Sail Away) but they are short and catchy. He can definitely write a song but I also see why he isn't everyone's cup of tea. The songs, despite being about heavy subjects, can sometimes come off as light and a bit tossed-off. I knew a few of these songs from covers by other artists. I enjoyed this one and can't decide if I want to put it in my personal collection or not.

Album number 3 for this challenge I own on vinyl, and boy, is it a good one. This will probably be the longest review I write on the site, but it's worth it when it comes to this guy. For people who don't know me, I worship at the altar of Randy Newman. Besides Bob Dylan, he's easily my favorite songwriter of all time and I feel his contributions to the pop AND rock canon rarely get their deserved due. With his old age and recurring injuries, I've come to a really harrowing realization: I'm going to cry a lot and probably shut down mentally for a few days when Randy Newman dies. To explain why I'd have such a strong emotional reaction for an 80 year old man I've never met, let me explain one key reason Randy is a legend: I don't think there's a single other songwriter that sums up the worst parts of the human psyche in a way that makes you almost sympathetic to his characters by the end. Warren Zevon is the only other example that comes to mind, and even he can get too self-centered and cynical to get the point across the same way this guy does. No, Mr. Newman uses a dopey Southern accent and New Orleans R&B piano riffs to deliver the most sobering songs about slavery, subjugation, adultery (and... dancing bear? I ran out of atrociously terrible things present).... and it's some of the most brilliant songwriting I've ever had the pleasure of hearing. Even outside of politics he's extremely compelling at writing down-to-earth and overwhelmingly human depictions of loss and grief: just listen to "Old Man" and "Memo to my Son" as proof of that. The part that makes this whole album brilliant isn't really the biting satirical tone itself, thought that plays a part. It also isn't the subjects themselves, as clever as they can be (the title track is effectively an ad roll to join the transatlantic slave trade, for example), but where this album's strength really lies is its ability to make you think. Yes, Randy's songs are case studies, but how many people do we know that act like the racists and adulterers Randy postures as? How often have we engaged in awful behavior that we tried to justify, looking like complete hypocrites ourselves? Sail Away (and any Newman record worth its salt) is a series of unflinching takes on what humans are capable of, and sometimes the world needs that mirror as a reminder to do better. Please listen to this guy's full discography, you won't regret it. I'm going to cry a lot when Randy Newman dies. 9/10

This is a dude who's seen some shit wearing a smiley plush mascot suit at a run down theme park. Harry Nilsson runs the ticket booth. The balance of levity and depth these artists can pull off is amazing, but I also really appreciate it. Like no doubt it takes commitment, resolve, and thick skin to be different. Definitely carved out his own weird brand of cool haha. Love it.

The Good: it seems we are going on a sailing trip… The Bad: nobody clearly explained to us where the trip is heading… The Ugly: once we reached our destination we realized we are all screwed… WOW. I’ve listened to this album many times over the years, but since starting this 1001 journey, at least for with several albums, I’ve started paying attention closer to what the lyrics actually mean, and this album is a gut-wrencher. I always appreciated Randy’s songs, the ones that I was very familiar with, but today I shed a tear during the ¨Old Man¨ song, what a harsh story he is telling there. And most of the songs on this album are just that, in your face, harsh stories, but told with such simple charm that you need to really make an effort to find out what’s really going on. And by that time, you can but only applaud the genius of Randy. 5*

9/10. Great album. Sail Away is fantastic and no real drop off from there.

I really enjoy the melancholy nostalgia that I hear in Randy Newman’s voice. It brings a lump to my throat without really trying.

This album is a masterpiece of sardonic wit and musical craftsmanship. Newman's signature piano-driven melodies provide the backdrop for his cynical, yet insightful lyrics that explore themes of power, corruption, and the American Dream. Songs like "Sail Away" and Good Old Boys" offer biting social commentary, while tracks like "Lonely at the Top" and "Last Night I had a Dream" delve into the darker aspects of the human psyche. The albums' blend of humor and pathos makes it a timeless classic.

Randy Newman is one of America's GOAT songwriters - taking history, politics, religion, humanity, and family to task with a scathing yet subtle wit on some songs and bathing us in warm wholesome ditties on other. This album rules.

Such a wonderful songwriter and composer. I enjoyed this, especially his ability to create characters in the lyrics. It makes sense that he was so good at film scores since so many of his compositions are 3rd party storytelling.

The more I listen to this album the more I’m in awe of his truly singular songwriting ability and performance style. His tunes are often hilarious (probably the most consistently funny non-joke-song songwriter) but also sometimes heartbreakingly beautiful, bc he is able to paint an honest (and ugly) picture of how people think, feel and treat (mistreat) one another.

Sail Away deliberately uses a hopeful gospel melody to hide the dark truth of the lyrics, while Political Science presents a humourous critique of American exceptionalism that is still relevant 50 years later. Also there's a song about a dancing bear.

The most interesting thing about this album is the lyrics, which cover a broad range of subjects like the slave trade, U.S. foreign policy and religion. Newman sings the songs with a semi-spoken delivery in his usual sweetly sardonic voice and the brass and strings sound like a Broadway musical. It's fascinating stuff but it's appeal is limited.

Great artist, great voice, loved the pace

I’m surprised by how much I like this

This was really great. My first introduction to Randy Newman was the song ”Burn On” which appeared at the beginning of the movie Major League. I grew up in Cleveland and I love baseball, so I’ve always had a fondness for that track. But the more I heard Newman’s music, the more I really got what he was about. There’s really nobody else like him - maybe Tom Waits shares some of that same type of storytelling DNA. But it’s clear from this album why RN is distinct and revered.

loved it!

I know it’s more than Toy Story but it’s all I can see!

Fabulous

I love Randy Newman but this was my first time listening to a full album. This was a great listen, highly recommend to anyone

This was delightful. I was a child when Toy Story came out and only new Randy Newman from that soundtrack. I always wondered how he could work as a popular musician. Turns out it's by writting short but involved pieces with biting satire. I don't know if this is the peak of his powers but Political Science and Simon Smith had me rolling. There's little I love more than someone smiling while they tell you to go f--- yourself.

I discovered Randy Newman in 1977, when “Sort People” was a hit. I wondered at the time how so many people could miss the point that it was a song that tore down prejudice. I picked up the album, and loved it. Then I picked up his previous album “Good Old Boys”, and really enjoyed it, also. New man’s lyrics are cutting, and cynical, and tend towards demonstrating absurd by being absurd, often not in an especially nice way (“Short People” and “Rednecks” are good examples). Anyway, on to Sail Away: I know (and own) 3 of the songs here, the title track, “…Hat On” and “Political Science”. All are brilliant. Musically, this has an old-time sound, pretty relaxed. Primarily piano and strings, sometimes lapsing into an almost New Orleans / slow-ragtime feel. I don’t know music theory, but the piano is captivating neat little melodies. It is all very concise, 12 songs in 30 minutes. Newman has a tendency to present these cynical, sarcastic observations on human life, then kick you in the gut with a crushingly sad song. “Old Man” is such a song, a song about dying alone (or almost alone). It is all wonderful but it is also music you need to pay attention to, to think about. Bottom line: 5/5, I’ll need to fill out my collection.

Third album was the charm for Randy Newman, who really gets it right here. Great slice of life vignettes that sound as though they were written 50 years earlier, sung in Newman’s plaintive dry voice, accompanied by himself on piano or often brass band arrangements. This is Americana before there was such a thing.

Jeez. I understand why Pixar hired him. Even writing solo, every song feels like a villain introduction. Incredible.

Randy Newman just casually gets it.

I didn't expect to like this album. I thought it would be twee and corny but it has depth. I mean, wade through a few 80s/90s electronica records and you'll give extra points to any album just for using actual instruments, but I wasn't expecting to shed a little tear on the bus to work

One of the most interesting musicians of the past 60 years who will now forever be most known for the least interesting part of his artistic output. You just can’t sing along to a lot of his songs depending on who the particular narrator is.

If the goal of this entire project is to get me to find new music that I’d actually listen to again and again then this is it… 5 stars- super light and relaxing and fun

Randy Newman is perhaps the most talented composer who has the ability to weave in factoids of life that either gets misconstrued, misunderstood or flies over one's head. Sail Away is the first example of Newman using the LP format to his advantage and rendering songs previously given to others back to its original (and probably preferable) form. Profoundly influential in its own way, Sail Away is the kind of album that only Randy Newman could make and, thankfully, he had plenty more up his sleeve.

Sometimes being snuck up on is a kindness. This Newman is in every way less calculated, less cohesive. That makes it all the more American. Constant anxiety about sliding from atop, predictable results disguised in cynicism and two-minute pop song fluff.