Sail Away

I don’t know much of Randy Newman aside form his contribution to Pixar films, but this was a fun album

I feel bad for Randy Newman. He did songs with important topics and great lyrics and now everyone knows him as the Toy Story guy.

I thought I knew Randy Newman. That first song about how God loves us fit in pretty well, but then Randy said we should nuke the whole world because America gets bullied, and things just got dark from there on out. I'm sure it was satirical, but it surprised me anyway. The one about why God loves us from His perspective was just depressing as hell. Anyway, I jammed to the whole thing. The melancholy, Americana/soul really fit well with me sitting on the porch in autumn listening to the music. A very good vibe. I actually just really like this album, even in spite of its depressing nature. I also really appreciated that the theme seemed to progress naturally from optimism to pessimism, and then he revisited the opening song at the end with the now-realized melancholia. Standout track for me was 'Dayton, Ohio - 1903'.

I liked this. VERY obviously Randy Newman. He has such a unique writing style and voice that you can tell 100% that it's time. I liked his songs and the pace of the album.

A lovely and tender collection of songs that made me feel like a 12 year old again. 3.5/5

I was really ready to write this album off and was bummed when I got this album. 'Lonely at the top,' 'Political Science,' and 'God's Song' changed my mind. Sorry I doubted you, Randy. 4/5

To be honest I don’t really understand Randy Newman’s vibe, but this is really pleasantly composed, and obviously his vocals are totally unique and compelling.

Really heartfelt and sweet! I love Randy

People who rated this only 1 star are idiots. Randy Newman is without doubt one of the world's greatest ever songwriters. Witty, funny, bitter, biting satire coupled with tunes of genius.

What a sublime record.

Favourite Song: God's Song (That's Why I Love Mankind)

I'm a bit taken aback by just how good this is. The songwriting is off the scale. His voice can be a bit abrasive. It's a strong 4.5

Randy Newman is a musician that typically evokes strong respect. I only know him from music he created for Toy Story and the tv show Monk, but I had no reason to have doubts about Sail Away--and it was an enjoyable and smooth album that ended all too soon. He's a songwriter, first and foremost, and I'll be the first to admit his voice doesn't do much for me. But the music is unbelievably beautiful, as are the lyrics. Despite Sail Away's short length at thirty minutes, Newman accomplishes a solid album that flows and provides a range of emotions.

I like Randy Newman. This is a great album. I really like Last Night I Had A Dream! Also Political Science of course.

I really enjoyed a lot of this, particularly Sail Away, Lonely at the Top and Political Science. Sharp satire, great songwriting, but very average singing. You know you're doing satire right when people completely misunderstand you!

He's a gem

Lonely at the top Simon Smith and the Amazing Dancing Bear You Can Leave Your Hat On God’s Song Let It Shine Dayton, Ohio I thought his voice sounded familiar. I find something so soothing and comfortable about his voice I could listen to it for hours. Great album very chill

Well put together album. If I didn’t think of Toy Story the whole time I’d probably love it more.

Toy story jo

No sabía que You Can Leave Your Hat On era de Randy Newman, y que su versión original fuera tan soft.

His voice is something. Usually a cool choice, sometimes just weird. A little heavy on the boogie woogie adjacent backing, but diverse lyrics, from horny, to smartass political to smart ass antireligous, to ironically? religious lyrics. Don't wanna hurt no kangaroo!

Love this man, love his melodic charm, his soulful lyrics and the way he shows his heart whilst still having fun. Underrated

4.0

Newman is a scathing lyricist, though he does it in such a way that you wouldn't know it if you weren't paying attention. His traditional pop stylings on the piano make for a memorable backdrop to his commentary on American exceptionalism. Wrapped up with a wink and a smile, Newman knows how to entertain while also providing inspired social commentary. Few writers are as good as him.

+1 because I feel like I’ve heard every single one of these songs before in another place. It’s hard to picture this now as NOT being a movie soundtrack. I think that points to his music being readily available in the cultural zeitgeist. -1 Also this is just SO AMERICAN. Is that a bad thing? I don’t know. 🤷🏼‍♀️ +1 it does tell a story with ups and downs which I appreciate in a good album.

As someone born in the early 90’s, it came as quite a surprise when I realized that Randy Newman had produced a lot of music before he ever wrote the score and original songs for Toy Story and the theme song to Monk. As far as I knew, that’s just what he did and was known for. But I’ve known for a long time now that he did have a career long before doing either of those projects. I just had never heard anything he had done besides them. Until now. I had no expectations going into this, except that it would be piano-heavy and it would sound like Randy Newman, with his very particular sounding voice. I wasn’t disappointed. This was actually quite good. He’s such a clever lyricist, and his composing and arranging skills are excellent. His lyrics are witty, insightful, and can be quite cutting. The latter of those qualities I didn’t expect from a man I’ve always associated with a song that celebrates everlasting friendship from a kids movie about talking toys. That said, some of these songs do have some schmaltz attached, but he still somehow makes them work and I don’t cringe. Some songs do carry that warm tone I expected but some can also dabble in satire (see: “God’s Song,” “Political Science”). And “Old Man”? Holy shit what a touching and horribly sad song. Beautiful and tragic. This was a great surprise of a listen, and a very welcome one. We all need some Randy Newman in our lives. 4 stars. Standout tracks: Sail Away, Lonely at the Top, Old Man, Political Science, Burn On, God’s Song (That’s Why I Love Mankind)

Although this is not the kind of music I listen to regularly, I enjoyed this album very much. Randy is a brilliant songwriter and his lyrics are a kind of multi-faceted. You can understand them one way or another, depending how well you can read between the lines.

Randy Newman has an unmatched soul to his voice

some genuinely beautiful stuff in here

This is an album that forces you to pay attention. It's a giant smile on the same face as eyes that tell you to fuck off. I need to check out his 2017 album Dark Matter to see if his satire and sarcasm bite as well for recent history.

This list might turn me into a Randy Newman fan. Quitevthebraconteur

Was pleasantly surprised by this one. Not in love with his voice, mainly because I associated it with Disney soundtracks, but it did start growing on me. The instrumentals and composition was wonderful throughout. 3.5/5

clever man.

This was nice and chill. I think I need to give it another listen

It’s hard to not think of Randy Newman as that Toy Story fella. I did hear one other song by him a few years ago called Short People, which I found very witty as well as catchy. I’m optimistic about today’s album. Let’s listen! Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Political Science, God’s Song There is something very unique about how Randy Newman plays the piano. It’s almost a little saloon-style, like a modern day Scott Joplin. His vocal style is also very unique, and the lyrics are as witty as we have come to expect. I wouldn’t say that any songs blew me away here, but I did enjoy everything I heard. Certainly, nothing sounds bad.

Great songwriter.

I actually like this a lot surprisingly. Love the melodrama and newman's tonality. 4 stars

Lyricist supreme and it’s all here: funny, ironic, acerbic and playful. Ry Cooder, too. Superb.

No sabía que You Can Leave Your Hat On era de Randy Newman, y que su versión original fuera tan soft.

Listened Before? N Simply great! Literally. Simple and easy to listen to. His voice is soothing. I'm familiar with his soundtrack work, of course, but this early recording sounds nearly identical to much of his modern stuff. I loved this. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Burn On

Great compositions

listened to again hard not to love this guy and his funny little sentimental songs but then again i grew up on toy story

No sabía que You Can Leave Your Hat On era de Randy Newman, y que su versión original fuera tan soft.

Toy story guy is legit! 👏

Zoals Randy Newman betaamt, parels en keutels samen op één plaat. Maar wat een parels!

disney

Holy WOW it is incredible how similar his sound from 1971 sounds to his Disney-Pixar soundtrack work. His voice is like a warm hug! Wholesome and even silly at times isn't really my bag, but how can you resist this guy! Favorite tracks: Sail Away, God's Song

3.5

Enjoyable, listenable and a good gateway into more Newman. Added.

maybe i just have a deep affection for newman's voice because of disney. but pretty good

So apparently the guy who wrote 'You've Got a Friend in Me' also wrote and sang 'You Can Leave Your Hat On'. The more you know!

Never heard this album before, but I generally have a soft spot for Randy Newman, particularly the super ironic "Short People". He's a skilled musician and writes intelligent witty lyrics. I enjoyed listening to this record.

nice :)

Randy Newman was born to be a satirist. I mean, his name sounds like a parody of American names; ‘Hi, I’m Randy Newman, I went over to the new world to become a New Man and because I’m horny as fuck.’ But satire is draining. There are always gonna be people who don’t get it, or people who get it but think you’ve gone too far, or who get it and don’t think you’ve gone far enough. For the record, I think he gets it pretty much perfect. The irony is always there, enough to make you ask enough questions to be truly subversive, but with enough leeway to lull people into a sense of security, ‘No, man. I’m just singing about how great America is.’ In my eyes, Randy Newman’s great problem is also his second greatest gift, which is his mastery of melody. His melodies and arrangements are consistently beautiful and lush enough to draw people away from the lyrics, which are his great selling point. To a certain sort of politics or writing nerd, this stuff is top notch. I am no exception, I think he’s one of the greatest lyricists of the 20th century. Sail Away is probably the best Randy Newman album, because it typifies what his early sound was. The jaunty piano, orchestral arrangements, well constructed melody, musical lightness, and lyrical bleakness. But perhaps because of that culmination sense, I think it’s also the one I come back to least. It’s still great, but I love the rawer 12 songs and more character driven and darker Good Old Boys more

Cayahoga River slaps.

Surprisingly fun album, I really liked the humour and satire throughout.

Randy Newman is an inimitable genius. There's a few tracks on here that I don't particularly like, but the strong ones are superb.

Great bluesy stuff

Cool album! Sounds a lot like the Toy Story soundtrack throughout.

I assume a lot of people will have issues with Randy Newman, but I've never been one to. I like his tongue-in-cheek songwriting, especially here, though I do find "You Can Leave Your Hat On" weird, even from his character-sketch perspective. Favorite tracks: "Dayton, Ohio 1903", "Memo To My Son", "Political Science"

As a massive Toy Story fan I surprisingly never delved into Newman's music outside of his film scores. This is a nice set of simple, satirical, and clever songs.

Familiar with most of the songs, never listened to as an album before. Nice stuff. The single version of Last Night I Had a Dream is a killer. music: appreciated. (⌐□ ̮ □)

Definitely didn’t expect to love a Randy Newman record as much as I did this one. Political Science especially good.

Listened Before? No Album Art: 3 / 5 (Oddly oriented profile in purple. No love, no hate) Along with Dylan and Cohen, Randy Newman is one of those incredible talents who succeeds as a vocal artist in spite of his voice. He is an amazing lyrical storyteller who writes undeniably catchy hooks and even sweeter melodies to accompany them. I haven't listened to any of his professional solo work, but I have come to appreciate his range through the many Disney / Pixar soundtracks that the kids are constantly listening to. Lonely at the Top is a surprisingly cool track. Interesting instrumental choices that give it a wholly folksy vibe, but it works so well. Last Night I Had Dream takes a hard left turn at the minute mark. Starts almost bluesy / jazzy and while it retains that core vibe, it drops into a show-tuney piano blitz. Burn On is backed by a horror movie-esq dissonant piano that gives over to a woodwind section doing the same. This is a tough one to give a proper score to. Beautiful compositions with immaculate production, and I found the album to be pretty enjoyable start to finish. That said, I feel nothing compelling me to come back for a return visit. It makes sense listening here that Newman has become such a staple for soundtracks -- many of the compositions are layered and have show-tuney aspects to them. This isn't to say that the songs shouldn't be taken seriously; there are some great lyrics in here. God's Song is a high point of the album as is Burn On. All said, I would give this an objective 4 / 5 on musical quality. On personal enjoyment this falls around a 3. Added to Library? No Songs Added to Playlists: - God's Song (Rainy / Tired)

Good whimsical album with an iconic voice. This is just a happy album that I could definitely see popping on during a weekend morning. Probably a 3.5, but I'll round up.

Wow I gotta say I did not expect to like this as much as I did. Really thought his goofy voice was going to ruin it for me. He has a sort of sadness/melancholy to his singing and background of songs. Really kinda hit. I listened to a bunch Toy Story songs afterwards too. Pixar really nailed it getting him for their songs.

you got a friend in me

I'm not sure if it's his style/instrumentation in combination with his voice, or just because I saw Toy Story a million times as a child, but this album gave me some nostalgic vibes.

3.9/5

Gentle, sweet, fun and relaxing. Enjoyable!

Good melodies

Rating: 7/10 Best songs: Lovely at the top

criminally underrated - massive talent on display

This album like much of Randy Newman's work at the time can be very misleading if you do very surface level listening. The title track on first listen does not read as a critical review of the American Dream and how it was presented to slaves who were victim of the Trans-Atlantic slave trade. Many of his songs are like and I think it has to do with his voice and the fact that he always has amazing instrumentation so sometimes you can get caught up in the song and miss the message. In a similar fashion, "He Gives us All His Love", when taken at face value does not seem to be a criticism of religion when in reality, especially with "God's Song (That's Why I Love Mankind)" in mind or the knowledge that Newman is an atheist, clearly is not just a testament of his faith. "Political Science", "Burn On" and "God's Song" are more on the nose with their criticisms but that does not make them any worse. They all are great tracks with compelling lyrics and instrumentation and I really like all of them. "Memo To My Son" is another song that took me more than one listen to understand but once you do it really fleshes out the song. "Dayton, Ohio - 1903" is a nice track that has some nostalgic vibes even though Newman is nowhere close to that old but it is still a nice track. "You Can Leave Your Hat On" is such a change of pace that it genuinely caught me off guard but it still was a great track and I really like the slide guitar on it which is done by Ry Cooder so no surprise it is great. I don't know where I heard "Lonely At The Top" but the song feels like I heard it before and it is great especially the sax. "Simon Smith and the Amazing Dancing Bear" is another change of pace and is a fun lighter themed track that while not on the level of other tracks on this album on its own is still pretty good. I think my favorite tracks on this album are "Lonely At The Top", "Last Night I Had A Dream", "Sail Away", "Burn On" and "Political Science". I think my favorite of those is "Last Night I Had A Dream", the first and last verses are the best parts of any song on this album especially the guitar which again is Ry Cooder and the keyboard. I really like this album and to me it is a solid 9-9.5/10.

Satirical, critical Americana needs to be around more.

I really appreciate the political Americana element that shows up in Newman's work, and this had some great examples.

On the face of it yeah, Toy story soundtrack 12 times. Until you listen to the lyrics. Songs about slavery, death, pollution and nuclear annihilation. Delivered with a hug and a smile. Not exactly what I was expecting but then I did always know Randy Newman had a bit of wit about him.

good album nothing like laughing while being sad

Is Randy Newman's playing it cool after his parents just walked in on him taking bong rips with his buddies or does he always sound like he's singing in slow motion and on the verge of laughter? I liked this album, that first song is f'd up. Randy may be a blazer, but what's with the first song "C'mon, little wog, jump on my boat and come to America where we just sing about Jesus, eat watermelon and buckwheat cakes...? Despite the questionable lyrics to some of these, I did like this album. I think RN is a genius... this album is trying to say something, but I'm not patient enough to unravel this... but Malcolm Gladwell did a good job dissecting the following album... Check out that podcast here. https://www.pushkin.fm/podcasts/revisionist-history/good-old-boys

Perfect level of snark, but with his voice I had a hard time getting Toy Story out of my mind at first.

Really great album. Highly underrated imo. The title track is one of the best songs of the 70s. 8-9/10

No sabía que You Can Leave Your Hat On era de Randy Newman, y que su versión original fuera tan soft.

Never thought I’d go with a 4 on this, but turns out, it’s a great record.

Niet mijn ding, maar begrijp dat het goed is. Af en toe mooie satire.

I saw randy Newman and was like great can’t wait to suffer through this. Was totally wrong and thought it was awesome truthfully it comes from a bias of him singing about 2 places that are sentimental to me: cuyahoga and Dayton ohio

Immediately recognized his quite distinct, if a little goofy sounding, voice for some of my favorite movies when I was growing up. I never checked out his other music before this, but I was pleasantly surprised with how much I enjoyed this one. As an Ohioian, I was surprised to hear two sounds about my home state, a reminder that our river burned not once but twice.

Poignant, but very downbeat. Listening to it this morning, the Mrs. said "Does he sing any peppy songs on this? Come on, Randy. Pick it up!" So I pulled up the one song on the album that takes me back to when I was kid: "Simon Smith and His Amazing Bear." The only reason that it does is because the first time I ever heard the song was on The Muppet Show. It's always weird when you hear a song as a kid and then hear it again when you're an adult. You're transported back to that time in your life. It's only happened a few times for me, and this was one of them. Randy is obviously well-known for his Disney soundtracks (trying to scroll through all of the albums to this on Spotify was almost impossible because of how many versions of the soundtrack to Toy Story 4 there are), but his wit is on fire for this album. "Political Science?" very little like it these days. I felt it was a very melancholy album, but it was definitely what he was going for. Enjoyed it a good deal.

Great voice with even greater wit. "Political Science", "Let It Shine", brilliant lyrics all along.

Great lyricist but can be a bit annoying with that music hall shtick. I was going 3 stars but some of his wordplay is so acerbic that I found myself smiling frequently.

He seems to have a knack for writing songs with layers - there's a pleasing, mellow surface and a perplexing, sometimes dark underbelly. Listened a couple times through, very enjoyable.

This is a really well done album. I don't know what the fuck people are talking about Disney. That makes no sense to me. Did they even listen to this?

Randy Is probably the best at making a catchy tune with a very dark or profoundly hilarious undercurrent. A true legend.

This was a fun album to get since I’ve only ever known randy Newman from movie scores and was never familiar with his actual music career. You can definitely see the career trajectory from this though since both are really well made and pleasant and just feel cozy and comforting. It was just a nice half hour and I especially liked the first track.

This album starts off strong but slightly fizzles out towards the end. It's still an enjoyable listen. 3.5/5

Абсолютно офигенный композитор и он хорош в кино. Но отдельно слушать тяжело, хоть все и звучит вкусно

Интересный факт из биографии артиста, который я совершенно случайно узнал до прослушивания - оказывается, это автор саундтреков к фильмам Pixar, а именно Истории Игрушек, Тачек и Корпорации Монстров. Вау, вау, вау. Второй интересный факт, который возник во время прослушивания альбома: охренеть, оказывается, это не Джо Кокер написал You Can Leave Your Hat On (музыка из стрипухи/кабаре/для секса, вот это знаменитое начало с саксофоном). Не отходя далеко, у Кокера конечно поярче аранжировка получилась, в оригинале есть какой-то блюз вайб больше. Мне понравилось, могу сказать, что готов альбом переслушать. Понятно, почему автор потом ушёл в написание саундтреков, с оркестром он хорошо умеет работать, это классно. И кажется, что впервые за долго время, появился альбом с глубокой лирической составляющей. Тоже в плюсик.

pretty great. He made fun music before Toy Story. 4 stars.

Enjoyed the listen, Newsman’s piano playing is great

4.2 - Newman’s uncanny knack for penning easy, instantly relatable classics is fully here. He explores sex, love, death, war and existence with a childlike frankness, similar to Shel Silverstein at his most sincere.

Wow. So darkly satirical. I don't have anything original to say, only that the glowing positive reviews out there mirror how I feel about this.

Very nice, chill album, would listen again

This man is a treasure

Really good album with great piano lines and good voice

I really liked this one. Not sure I've listened to Randy Newman outside of some Toy Story movie soundtracks and this was really good. Maybe you have to get past his vocals? They're distinctive enough that if they hit you wrong they'd ruin the whole thing. But they don't for me. He feels like the flipside of the Warren Zevon coin. Does that make sense? Anyway. Good stuff.

My wife turned me onto this one many moons ago and it's still my favorite Randy Newman anything I've ever heard. The lyrics are interesting and suit his voice, and the instrumentation (or, basically, lack of drums and guitars) really stands out from so much of the pack in the singer-songwriter space. Lots of favorites here and glad it made the list!

The going line on Randy Newman, the performer, is "Those that don't like him just don't understand him." There's no dispute on Randy Newman, the songwriter: He's one of the premier songwriters of his or anyone's generation. Even if your mileage varies on Newman as a performer, his songwriting genius is on full display here, notably on the title song, Political Science, and You Can Leave Your Hat On. Personally, as a performer, I find him to be the poor man's Warren Zevon. Most of his best songs were made famous performed by other artists. Newman going Disney hurt his reputation more than helped it. I prefer to remember everything he wrote up to "I Love L.A." Or maybe I just don't get Pixar Randy Newman.

Pretty good. Songs about religion and doing the full Monty. Some of these are also very funny. last night I had a dream and political science were big highlights.

Just easy listening and smooth. Enjoyable.

tranquilo

I really like Randy Newman now, he's a great at arranging songs and a pretty good lyricist. This might grow on me over time, would love to hear more albums from the guy.

Liked it. Love his voice, phrasing and chording.

Enjoyed more than I thought

4 stars - its classic Randy Newman. I'd definitely say he has a unique voice and his early albums, such as this, are a lot better than newer Randy Newman

Long before I had a friend in Randy Newman and Toy Story I was burning in with Major League! One of the most distinct voices.

Great 70's piano led rock but with dark fucking lyrics which can tend to get over looked as the melodies are sometimes so great. For example, the title track is sungfrom the point of view of a slaver singing about how great life is in America to slaves from Africa who are bound there. Another about how the US shoudl just drop nuclear bombs on everyone that way no one could criticise them for dropping bombs on everyone. Like I said - dark. Best Tracks: Sail Away; Last Night I Had A Dream; God's Song (That's Why I Love Mankind)

Nice surprise. Randy Newman has a new fan

👍

Now I finally understand this Family Guy joke (Season 2 Episode 3) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARP6dXMlWQ8

I think, to a certain degree, I'm generationally preconditioned to have a positive emotional response to Randy Newman's voice. His contributions to Pixar films aside, Newman really does have a very comfortable and easy delivery that seems somewhat designed to put the listener at ease. That's why it's so jarring when he comes at you with a song like "Political Science" and drops lines like, "They don't respect us/So let's surprise them/We'll drop the big one/And pulverize them." It feels out of place. But, honestly... it works. His delivery disarms the defensive cynicism that protest songs tend to provoke in me. I enjoyed this album a lot. Way more than expected.

A fascinating album, full of clever, cutting lyrics and crystal clear imagery. Highlights for me were the devastatingly dark "Old Man" and the wry humor on "Political Science". The original version of "You Can Leave Your Hat On" takes on a whole new meaning with slurred lyrics evoking a sense of drunken sleaze adding a dimension that is absent from the more famous Joe Cocker cover version. I found the production to be a bit uninspiring at times.

I didn’t realize so many if his greatest songs were on this one album. Political Science and Sail Away are tremendous. Lonely at the Top and Burn on are also classics. Great album overall.

A very underrated songwriter who I don't know a ton about. But lots of musicians rave about him.

Strong effort. The music is particularly strong. Newman's lyrics are less bitter and cynical than later efforts. From the start, Newman's music was cinematic (no surprise given his background).

Randy Newman wrote some very creative songs but not the most fun to listen to. "Sail away" was eerie when I realized what it was actually about. If I was a bigger lyrics person maybe this could be a 5 but the music itself is just not fully there for me.

This one I guess is peak Randy Newman, at least of this particular aspect of his singer/songwriter persona. And I like it, a lot of it is pretty funny, the music is all solid and some rises to a higher level. But there is the issue of the kind of condescending sneer behind a lot of the satirical lyrics, this attitude of “let’s channel how these idiots think” but without any hint really of pointing to a better way.

This guy is basically a machine churning out songs for movies that stick in the mind long after the movie has faded...... I think he also works as a film composer so that would make total sense. As an album though, Sail Away is a collection of short but sweet songs showcasing Randy's vocals. Loved it.

A collection of short, simple, beautiful songs by 'the Toy Story guy'. A number of these songs (all written by Newman) are well known for versions having been recorded by others. Here they mainly comprise piano with strings. The simpler versions highlight the quality of the songwriting and soulfulness of Newman's voice. Simply lovely. Rating: 4.5/5 Playlist track: Sail Away Date listened: 21/06/22

It's inescapable that Toy Story has done for old Randy since it's very difficult to separate him from the film. What some perhaps don't know is how many well known songs he has written (mainly for other people)....... for example halfway down the list is 'You can leave your hat on' which was a huge hit for Joe Cocker from the film 9.5 weeks. This music is 'One man and a piano in a smokey bar drinking singing about his troubles in life' which some may find dreary but in the right circumstances is soothing to listen to.

You got a friend in me

Really enjoyed the album, defo my bag and the satirical songwriting was great.

https://youtu.be/EftDLxJ0bEo?t=188

So many quirky songs but the OG version of You Can Leave Your Hot on is quite good! I'll have to say my favourite is Political Schiece because nobody wants to hurt kangaroos.

another very recognizable voice. good sound

Solid album front to back. Songs are mostly distinct from each other. Has a subdued version of "You can leave your hat on". Has some actual songs that go somewhere and say something. "Old Man" is him talking to his dad who's dying, "Political Science" is hoping for someone to just hurry up and drop a nuclear bomb. There's happy songs, sad songs, silly songs, serious songs, y'know, actual variety. Despite being a music style I'm not heavily into, I could listen to this from time to time.

Fun songs about the American Experience with a satirical bent.

Sounds like a wittier and more sarcastic Elton John.

Really enjoyed this. Not as fun as Good Old Boys but a little more consistent. Might be a Randy Newman stan. There’s also a clear line you can draw from this sound to Bruce Springsteen

There are some great songs on here, but a few of them feel slightly underdeveloped. I also prefer the more complex arrangements on his later albums to the focus mostly on piano and strings here. Love the Cleveland song!

Never listened to Randy Newman besides the famous "You've Got A Friend In Me", so this album made me amazed. His voice together with the piano is something beautiful to hear, especially on a sunday like today, relaxing and not thinking in anything else. Favorite tracks: *Sail Away * Lonely At The Top * Dayton, Ohio - 1903

So that’s why Disney hired him for so many of their soundtracks.

By turns cynical and sincere, Newman is a hard man to pin down. What does he believe in? Perhaps the intrigue will keep us listening but the lack of trust means we’ll never warm to him.

Brian Wilson fell in love with this album when it came out, and as someone who thinks Brian Wilson is one of the best artists of the past century, I also love this album. The vibe is exactly the type of 60's beatlesque pop rock that goes straight to my soul. Not the most profound thing ever, but well worth a listen if you like The Beatles or (especially) The Beach Boys. Favorite Tracks: "Sail Away", "Lonely At The Top", "Simon Smith and the Amazing Dancing Bear", "Old Man", "Political Science", "Burn On", "Dayton, Ohio - 1903"

Rento paluu lomilta. Hyvä ääni ja ihan hauskat tekstit. Toimiva.

Randy Newman.... classic.

Whenever I hear Randy Newman I think of toy story, to me they are so linked, and that’s not a bad thing as both are memorable for good reasons. He has a distinctive voice which is quite a mellow, soothing sound, it’s very pleasant. I have never really listened to any of his music before outside of movie tracks, now that I have I want to find out more about his back catalogue

Tolles Album, echte Entdeckung!

Richtig cool und groovy

Very pleasant album.

Great story teller.... His voice is 'interesting'

Gillar när han sa att vi ska nuka världen

Enjoyed

Tykkäsin tästä, ainakin taustamusana. Ei ollut tuttu ukko aikaisemmin, ainakaan tietoisesti, mutta ilmeisesti kova filmisäveltäjä. Verrattuna edellisenä arvioituun Nick Draken Five Leaves Leftiin, tämä oli vähän rokimpaa kamaa.

I liked this a lot. Randy Newman is a great songwriter. I especially liked God's Song - very interesting lyrics. 4 stars.

pretty good. If you like that one song from toy story, then you will probably like this album. Also, this has the happiest song about nuclear war. 3.7/5

Really good album, has a nostalgic/homely feel to it, probably due to the fact that the same dude sings 'you've got a friend in me' from Toy Story. 4/5.

Fantastic Album, great lyrics, rock/blues instrumentation, very entertaining. Never heard of him before, but a few songs of this album are very familiar through interpretations by other artists.

Great songs. I'm not usually one for orchestrated arrangements in pop music but I can overlook it because of how great the songs are. 4 stars

Really good. Sounds like Toy Story everytime.

Just beautiful all way through. Great music.

Great stories and effortless style - not a genre I would listen to normally, but I will put this one on again.

I will definitely be coming back to this one. 4 out of 5

If you like Elton John's Madman Across The Water, then this is like an American version of that album. Except replace the pop friendly lyrics of Elton with some deeper lyrics about Americans. (Although I will say that Elton has got a better voice than Randy).

Тёплый, ламповый альбом. Оригинал культовой Песни про шляпу в себе содержит. Который я, в прочем, поначалу воспринял за не самый выдающийся кавер. На самом деле особо предъявить не за что, на год своего выхода это было, вероятно, тупо топ. Но не сильно уверен, что уютная атмосфера альбома не развеется до обыденности спустя за несколько прослушиваний.

Newman is a brilliant and very funny songwriter. I've like his stuff for a long time, and Political Science still amuses me! Listened twice.

Randy Newman can kind of be sad and happy at the same time. I really enjoyed this album.

Some good songwriting but his voice and the pacing really bog the album down. 7

8/10 yo soy tu amigo fiel

La première chose qui m'est passé par la tête, c'est que toutes les pièces pourraient figurer dans des films de Pixar.. J'ai ensuite remarqué que c'était le compositeur de You've got a friend in me et ça explique beaucoup de choses! Ça s'écoute bien, j'aime la voix et le piano mais rien d'extrêmement complexe.

It's not just music from Pixar movies! This was actually very good. Not what I was expecting at all.

Really quite good. Can't argue.

Randy Newman es un compositor como pocos, tiene la habilidad de escribir letras y fraguar historias quizá aun más ligadas y cercanas que algunos otros más poéticos pero con quienes quizá es más difícil sentir esa relación inmediata como Dylan o Cohen. Tiene inventiva, métrica, cadencia en sus frases, historias completas en tres párrafos y la capacidad como pocos de incluso despertar emociones. Tiene también en mi punto dos detalles. Su música es buena, es interesante y le queda a sus canciones... y es la misma siempre, TODAS sus canciones suenan como en una plantilla 70% iguales, que creo toda persona de nuestra edad obviamente puede reconocer inmediatamente al pensar en Woody y Buzz; es un sonido agradable pero puede cansar. El segundo punto es que son canciones con música agradable, letras excelentes... cantadas por el borrachín que duerme afuera del Oxxo; su manera de entonar y esa forma tan particular y única es simpática como por una o dos canciones... ya a 2/3 del disco tambien no se aguanta mucho. De hecho el disco las dos veces tal cual le tuve que poner intermedio al escucharlo por la combinación de voz/música que me llegaba a cansar. Me encantó Sail Away y su concepto de como pretendiera alguien pintarle a un próximo esclavo lo bonito que es EE.UU. Me fascina que haya hecho una canción sobre un sueño; pero sobre un sueño de verdad como son, no todo poético y metafórico como todas las canciones de sueños, aquí el sueño es una medio pesadilla sin sentido que puede o no tener sentido o significado porque tal cual así son los sueños, raros. God's Song igual maestra, cada cuánto se tiene realmente una canción desde el punto de vista ateo, y que aparte ateo o no deja el mensaje (muy cierto a fin de cuentas) de que, si dios existiera, quien lo necesitan son los hombres, no al revés. De verdad siento que no hay letra mala en el disco, podría ponerme a platicar de casi todas las canciones y como algo bueno o novedoso o interesante se les encuentra. Decía Newman en una entrevista que "mi música no es para ponerse de fondo mientras comes papitas en una fiesta" y creo que tiene toda la razón porque, por un lado, sus letras de verdad que merecen ser escuchadas con atención y, por otro, la fiesta se te va a vaciar después de la cuarta canción con ese sonsonete. Maravilla de album pero no de corrido.

I enjoy Randy Newman's laid back style while mixing satire and cheeky commentary. Enjoyable album.

I feel like I have overlooked his talent and artistry for far too long. This work is different than his soundtrack stuff. It feels both personal and filled with dedication to craft.

Loved it

Immediate hit of toy story vibe of course. Lonely at the top, Sounds like old black Louisiana blues/jazz performer, playing in his dungarees on a deck outside a shop on a box. Absolutely stunning. Album definitely has 'musicals' influence. Some tracks feel very broadway

I enjoyed it. I had forgotten that he sang “Roll On” from the opening to the movie “Major League which I always enjoyed.

I'm randy lol

He did the toy story music

This was really good. I liked the style he was going for, and the songs were pleasant to the ears.

Very varied so I enjoyed this a lot. Also remaster made it sound VERY nice n smooth

Initially I wasn't quite sure if these texts were serious or satire. I've tipped over to believing that they have to be satire. Randy sings well and the lyrics are interesting enough to make you think a bit, but probably not enough for me to return to them in the future Standouts Sail Away Political Science You Can Leave Your Hat On 3/5

I think Randy Newman is at his best when he's doing biting social commentary. There were a few songs on here that felt like throwaways to me, but I really enjoyed the tracks like Sail Away and Political Science.

No real opinions here.

Harmless and vaguely listenable but it feels like there's some actual rock and roll in there somewhere dying to be let out.

This is probably my favorite of the Randy Newman’s. Back in ‘006(?) we saw Randy with the CSO and many of these songs were played that night. The thing I appreciate and annoys me about him is you really have to listen to the lyrics. You never know what is going to come out. You Can Leave You Hat On is a classic song. I love how the Joe Cocker version is major cords and upbeat, but Newman’s original is minor cords and musically dirty. It’s like Cocker’s was talking to a hot girlfriend (definitely not a married man, in which case the lyric would be “I will leave the sweatpants and hoodie on”), whereas Newman’s is to a prostitute. Political Science seems rather relevant today. Matter of fact, I think it might be the USA’s current foreign policy directive. My favorite track this time was He Give Us All His Love. I don’t know if I would say this religious as much as spiritual, but there was a certain sense of hope and grace portrayed in the song that resonated today. Final thought: Randy Newman is an oddity insofar as his music is elegant, yet raw; focused yet random; expected yet shocking. I think he and Alice Cooper may have been the precursors to Eminem.

Random thoughts: * Randy Newman exists in a weird space for me. He’s kind of always been there but I also can’t really fathom a time that his music was popular and played on radio. Maybe because he was never on MTV. Maybe because his music really doesn’t exist in a time period of production and sound. He’s timeless is the most literal way. * Also, his songs are full of irony. So they don’t play out in any traditional patterns of pop music. * All that being said, I’m glad to be exposed to Randy Newman beyond Toy Story (Friend in Me) and I Love LA. * the first song (Sail Away) is big time irony, maybe too much. Damn son. * What?!! He’s the OG leave your hat on?!? I was today years old when I found this out. * Nice listen! I won’t mind coming back to some more Randy Newman. I’ll probably have to read the lyrics and then Google to understand all the points he’s making. But when I’m in a curious mood, this is intellectually stimulating.

I dunno, it just seems like with these old albums people liked such boring music. It wasn't offensive, but so meh.

This is a pretty chill album and also pretty much what a Randy Newman album would normally sound like. Nothing too exciting, but I know that the chill audience out there enjoys it.

Rv

Never listnened to the chap before. Super distinctive voice which I personally like. Album is good but nothing outstanding, You Can Leave Your Hat On is the only song that really makes an impression. 6/10

A good album, I liked Lonely At The Top, Simon Smith and The Amazing Dancing Bear and Political Science the most.

neat

good! every song sounded like “you got a friend in me” but wasn’t that. a peaceful listen

I love me some Randy Newman… but in small doses 😂. I feel like if I listened to a song a day it would be higher… but going 3.0

Superb writing and lovely instrumentals, really a great listen. Unfortunately though, his voice just reminds me of that bit from Family Guy where Randy is singing about what's happening after a nuclear apocalypse, and that kept playing in my head when I was trying to listen. "And she picks an apple from the tree. Chews once. Twice. Three times... Left foot, right foot, left foot, right foot..."

Another one from Mr. Newman. Not my favorite thing to listen to, but he’s definitely got something there. Kind of like Tom Waits for normies.

Music-hall tunes, several of which actually were performed by Muppets. Not really my jam.

A Randy Newman album is a surprise, although it shouldn’t be since he’s been in the music business a long time. I haven’t heard from him in a while; seems like he’s more into making movie music recently. The music here feels like a Broadway show or something from vaudeville. The lyrics are classic Randy Newman though.

I liked it. Not my go to choice of music but thoughtful written songs, good arrangements, and enjoyable.

17 songs Can't say there is any song I'd choose to listen to again, but it wasn't a bad listening experience honestly. I'd say that the lyrics are the highlight overall, Randy seems to have one of those voices that can be very polarizing, but fortunately it didn't bother me.

Whenever I hear Randy Newman, I can't help but picture a montage of Woody and Buzz being friends. Doesn't matter what track I'm listening to. The music is not quite schmaltzy as a Hallmark Store, but it's in that direction. Kind of a low 3 for me.

Apparently one of these songs got recycled for a Nutrasweet commercial and that pretty much nails it - this mostly sounds like jingles for cutesy ads about insaurance or AARP...or Cleveland, I guess. It's fine, but nothing you go out of your way to listen to.

Snooze fest!

lovely

Album #108, Sail Away — Randy Newman ⭐⭐⭐ I’ve never really listened to Randy Newman. He always struck me as an artist that I would really like, but having listened to this, I’m not 100% sure anymore. The main reason is that I just don’t really care for this kind of piano-led, cabaret, drunken late-night-at-the-jazz-club style of music. It’s more the music than anything else. I think he’s a really unique vocalist and I think his lyrics are great. There’s a tone to unpack with them. But I just don’t care for some this style. It’s There is also some movie soundtrack-type songs, which I don’t like either. The more straightforward songs like the title track and Burn On are great. I also never knew that he wrote You Can Leave Your Hat On until today, and I was really pleasantly surprised when that came on. It’s also a much more sinister song than I realised. My favourite track was probably the painfully relevant Political Science, which I thought was brilliant. So yeah, it’s more the music than anything else holding me back here. I’m not a fan of Billy Joel, and while this has way more substance than Billy Joel to me, the sound of it sometimes veers a little too close in that direction. That’s probably a massive insult to Randy Newman, but it’s just the comparison my brain keeps making. So overall, I think it’s a great album, but it’s not really an album for me. A strong three stars.

c'était cool mais il faudrait que je réécoute parce que j'en ai pas assez profité

5/28/26. Decent record, sounded like piano bar tunes with some added orchestral elements. I do enjoy Newman’s voice and wit.

An iconic voice and an amazing songwriter. There's a reason Randy's catalog has been mined by the film industry, it has a nostalgic warmth to it that, if your heart isn't completely iced over, will draw you in and put a smile on your face.

Well written well sung 70s tunes. His voice was immediately recognizable as a GenXer.

Descontraído, de certo modo reconfortante. As letras são interessantes, mas a sonoridade é morna demais pro meu gosto. Achei tudo muito monótono, e dessa forma o disco acaba ficando entediante. Mas não é ruim, achei ele legal pelo que é. 3/5

Vacklade mellan mysighet och gubbtråkdöden. Landar nog i en svag trea.

musik som låter bra men som jag inte nås av

I've never really understood the lionization of Randy Newman. It probably doesn't help that my introduction to him and all I knew about him for several years as a child/adolescent was the "I Love L.A." video, which I still find cheesy and corny. And then I mainly encountered him in the scores and soundtracks of animated films, which is what I still associate him with. So perhaps if I had been around when the generation before me got acquainted with him, I would view him completely differently. I have no problem with him. His lyrics are definitely clever. I just never saw what the big deal was. This album didn't change my opinion much. "Political Science" was probably funny in its day but now it's just depressing. Hearing the opening credits song from Major League ("Burn On") was nice.

Eh, it was fine. I didn't dislike it. But tbh I don't really see what the big deal is about Randy Newman. It was fine unobjectionable background music. If the album was much longer, or if the individual songs were much longer, I might give it a lower rating.

Not sail away sail away sail away but it's the you got a friend in me guy three stars

Before he did every Pixar soundtrack that's ever been concepted, Randy Newman was the token singer-songwriter "funny voice guy" of the late 60s/70s, pre Weird Al. Not all of his songs were necessarily funny nor had some Tom Waits voice strangeness to it, it's in the Steely Dan way of irony and unreliable narrator storytelling. It's nice and clever stuff, but it's not beating out Warren Zevon to me. Unfortunately my ears are, for the most part, very bad at picking up following along with words in music. Not saying anything on this album is bad, because it is my kind of songwriting, but I like it when Zappa does this kind of stuff because there's a lot of interesting stuff going on in his albums with regard to instrument virtuosity and wild rhythms. Nothing against Newman's musicality or anything, it's just what perks up my ears more. It's got that 1970s styled pre punk production kind of staleness to it like a reused 60 year old high school science textbook. This is a real gem for those that like to follow along and enjoy those classic 1970s singer-songwriters that seem to have been pumping out of record labels like rabbits. This is one of Newman's classic albums, but not exactly my favorite. The second side is much much better than the first side.

This is a solid, well-crafted album. No bad songs at all, but also not overflowing with those “wow” moments either. It’s just a consistently decent and respectable piece of work. What I really liked about Sail Away is that every single song feels like its own little short story. Randy Newman is such a sharp storyteller — each track has its own world, character, and point of view. Some are funny, some are sad, some are sarcastic, and some are surprisingly tender. You can tell he put real thought into the narratives, and it makes the album interesting to explore from beginning to end. His piano playing and distinctive voice carry the whole thing, and the arrangements are tasteful without being flashy. Standouts for me were the title track “Sail Away,” “Lonely at the Top,” “He Gives Us All His Love,” and “Political Science.” It’s not his flashiest or most beloved record, but it’s a very good Randy Newman album. If you enjoy smart, storytelling-driven songwriting with a cynical but sometimes warm heart, this one delivers nicely.

Eu precisaria me encontrar em um momento frágil para deixar essas canções penetrarem meu peito. Felizmente, ando pra cima e portanto incapaz de apreciar esse álbum do jeito certo. Algumas coisas são assim e não dá pra ser de outro jeito.

I'm sorry, Randy. You write great lyrics - they sound deceptively simple, but they've frequently got a lot going on underneath (see "Sail Away"). But I can't hear your voice, with its sort of mopey, understated delivery, without thinking of a decade or more of Disney/Pixar soundtracks (not to mention a great series of parodies of them by Paul and Storm). You write some great songs, but I'd rather hear Joe Cocker or Harry Nilsson, or frankly just about anyone else, sing them.

This left very little impact on me, not to say it it was bad though. I liked the sting parts and other arrangements, but overall, I already forgot this album after only listening to it 4 hours ago. Mid 3.

I didn't realize it until I read the Wikipedia, but he also sang You've Got a Friend in Me from Toy Story. So that's pretty cool. As far as this album goes, it didn't make me feel one way or the other.

Enjoyable. Was looking for reasons to rate it higher, and "Maybe I'm Doing It Wrong" got close, but not enough.

Every song is mercifully short, but really has Randy Newman‘s style. It all kind of sounds like whimsical or philosophical Toy story songs. And not all of them are catchy but again they’re short, which is nice.

Reminds me of the Toy Story soundtrack, considering he's also the one who made "You've Got A Friend In Me". It's also giving early Elton John.

Some fun sounding piano ditty’s that all sound very Randy Newman, some nice songs but nothing that stood out

I liked the overall vibes of this album

Decent rock for a guy who is best known for his Disney soundtrack additions. Not groundbreaking, but certainly enjoyable to listen to. 3.

Toy Story guy sings songs about America, Jesus, and his son. If he sang about other topics this would be a higher score but these days I’m not very fond of America or religion

Today's album is from Randy Newman, who is most famous for his Pixar soundtracks for the likes of Toy Story and Monsters inc. And right the way through this album you can hear the same bright, shimmering piano and melodies. I couldn't quite disassociate from the Pixar connection, and for me it did feel like listening to a whole movie soundtrack. It's fine - if a little sickly sweet at points. Favourites: Last Night I Had A Dream You Can Leave Your Hat On

Low 3 high 2. It's randy Newman. Got exactly what I expected

Randy Newman is a great songwriter, but his performance is limited in scope. The Ragtime soundtrack is perfect for his talents. But I don't care for him in casual listening. Still, his influence can't be denied.

Very sardonic and sarcastic (and political) album. I do like the slightly jazzy affectation on some of these songs. I'd say this is Randy Newman's best, at least from the ones I've heard. Probably sacrilegious of me to say, but I prefer Father John Misty's more modern and less political take on this type of sardonic singer-songwriter character. Also Joe Cocker's version of "You Can Leave Your Hat On" from the 80's may not have the satirical charm of this original, but more than makes up for in terms of how ridiculous it is (and those horns, too). Key tracks: Sail Away Lonely at the Top Old Man You Can Leave Your Hat On

Randy Newman is a talented singer songwriter whose composition and performance style is entirely suited to providing the sound track for films like Toy Story. It's not music to sit and listen to really. He uses a narrative approach for most of these tracks and it's an approach more suited to a stage musical or movie soundtrack.

Some other folks might be a little bit better at songwriting than he is. Bigger and stronger too, maybe. But none of them will ever write a theme to Toy Story the way he does. Just him and his piano, boy.

Great songwriting, ok voice- now associated w famous movie soundtracks.

Think I like this one a bit more than the last Randy Newman album I got, but not by much. Still a solid record though. Certainly has a style, sounds exactly like the Toy Story stuff. You Can Leave Your Hat On is a great bar somg though. Also, fun that I was driving through Dayton, Ohio when that song came on.

God is cruel he’s so right he’s just like me

Lowk didnt listen but sounds good

I do really like his voice but there’s something about his writing that makes me zone out

Liked some of them (Sail Away, Simon Smith and You Can Leave Your Hat On) but otherwise let’s just focus on Toy Story.

Nice album

Lively songs and easy to listen to. Liked it a lot and you can tell the influence it had later on. Very good.

An odd one but I didn’t mind it

3⭐️/5 04.04.2026

Good tunes, good songwriting, I just can't get past wanting to laugh at his vocals. Hard to imagine myself getting deep into Randy but I respect him

This was perfectly pleasant to have on in the background. Randy Newman is lovely to listen to, in whatever incarnation you get to listen to him.

Listenable.

This was my first time listening to Randy Newman outside of movie soundtracks. It was interesting to listen through, but I did find that alot of the songs sounded the same.

Charming songwriting, but a bit one-note Not nearly as cool as the album cover suggests

Very peculiar voice and intelligent satirical songwriting. I don't think that I will listen to this whole album again, or that I will casually listen to it for pleasure, but I will return to some of the songs. Favourite song: "Political Science". 3.5 / 5

He’s such a good songster but as a whole the album is nothing incredibly exceptional

It should be the "you got a friend in me" album...

fine; makes me think of monk; won't be revisting

Classic Randy Newman; fun to hear his stuff before Toy Story, etc.

every time i listen to randy newman i can't not think of the rock opera he made where he said the N word a bunch of times. all of these songs *wish* they were the toy story song.

This was good. I stopped listening for a bit and this was the perfect album to start back up with

Not bad.

Such a lovely voice and the lyrics are always wonderful. The songs, I can take em or leave em.

it was fine i think

Sail Away is a breathtaking song, and the rest of this album is a mixed bag

Too many ballads, but Newman’s voice, piano playing, and lyricism are undeniable. Would love to hear another one of his albums with more variety.

Fine listen.

Decent record (even if I was expecting Toy Story vibes)

A strong ⭐️⭐️⭐️. I liked this!

Ever watched Toy Story, enjoyed the music, and thought "what if I could listen to a whole album of this?". No? Ne neither. It's fine but mostly saccharine but also a bit odd

Randy Newman is always a surprise because it's like "the Toy Story guy?" Damn

I don't often watch Disney movies by choice, and I won't listen to this album by choice. Hard to pinpoint why, because there is good songwriting here. I suppose it's too samey and "not my thing". I think it's the sort of predictable instrumentation I don't like (and what makes it all sound Disney). Oh and the cabaret-esque songs I really don't like. In fact, only Tom Waits does cabaret well in my book :-). I learned that You Can Leave Your Hat on is a Newman song, and not a Joe Cocker Song. Kudos to Newman and Cocker sinks deeper. I'll say, it's a three. Could be a 4 if I just liked it better.

Faves: Political Science

Is this a musical or an album. First track is decent but the rest is pretty schmaltzy.

I liked the song about nuking everyone \m/

Lovely story telling with with backing to match. Unfortunately non stick out particularly

Yeah

I really prefer him in Pixar movies, but this album wasn't bad at all. Just a little too generic for my taste.

I don't really have an opinion about Randy Newman. You know, the guy writes songs, with chords and words and sing it them. What else can I say?

Listening to one of his albums has actually been a thing that has fascinated me in the back of my mind for years now, the fact that the guy behind ‘you’ve got a friend in me’ had an earlier career of writing notoriously controversial music sadly it’s just okay

2.5

Songwriting is ok but I do not like his voice.

It was a pleasant album. I did not realize all the sound tracks Randy Newman had done.

This was alright, just hearing his voice gives you Toy Story vibes.

Talvez eu tenha que ouvir de novo com mais atenção, paciência e interesse. You can leave your hat on!

This is the kind of thing you expect from Randy Newman, and to the extent I like that kind of thing I liked this. He likes to describe little vignettes of American cities in a nostalgic way like Springsteen can do that's not sugar-coating. His real strength is in creating an intimacy with the listener thru his spare instrumentation and a feeling like he's working out the lyrics and melody in front of you.

I'll be the first to say I'm not really a Randy Newman fan. Sure we love the Toy Story stuff and Short People, but never really gave much thought to him otherwise. This album does offer more tender-hearted offerings; sad at points. What I love about this album is that it does not overstay its welcome. There are twelve songs? I think (depending on the version) and they all stop when they need to. They are like Randy just sat and sang out journal or creative writing entries he was going to write for the day. It worked surprisingly well. Biggest Hit - Sail Away Biggest Miss (if I had to choose) - Simon Smith and the Amazing Dancing Bear Underrated Gem - He Gives Us All His Love

You gotta give it to Randy, he is distinctive and he does what he does aimed a specific type of listener. That listener group does not include me. His piano centered music lies somewhere on the spectrum between Billy Joel and Elton John but with a bigger debt to the 40s and 50s than either of those dudes. Much of this record I would expect to hear in a theater as songs from a play. Show tunes for a generation of individuals who would still go to live theater. See a performance. For me, Last Night I Had A Dream centers the record. Catchy orchestral pop that is catchy with just enough of an edge to not grow tiresome. It is certainly a notch up from Billy Joel but only because the lyrics capture the music and every song has a distinct direction sung by Randy. It’s not an album Randy is known for because I’m pretty positive I Love LA and Short People are the only songs anyone recalls in this century. So, it boils down to this - would my life be different not hearing this? Not a fucking chance. 3/5

Sail Away makes for a solid, emotional album premiere. Very pretty strings. And Lonely at the Top, a clarinet- and brass-heavy tune reminiscent of old-fashioned detective mystery, is a good follow-up. The songs get slightly weaker from that point onward. I think Newman would agree with me that his music doesn't exactly push any musical boundaries – which is perhaps sinful for any 70s inclusion on this list. And 1972 is one of the most competitive years of the lot. You're telling me Sail Away is up there with Ziggy Stardust, Exile On Main Street, Close To The Edge, Talking Book, Honky Chateau? Sure, it's fine – nice pretty arrangements, decent musicianship, very inoffensive to the ear – but it's not "top 1001 albums of all time", you hear? Newman's vocal has always come across as a bit derivative of older blues singers. (He's not the only white guy to do this. Robert Plant and Billy Joel (circa New York State Of Mind) are two others that come to mind.) Contrary to the top-voted review, he does not sound like an inflatable bear with a slow leak or like Satan talking after inhaling helium. If he did, he'd be be a heck of a lot more notable and controversial. But he's nothing revolutionary either. Every song showcases a nice bluesy, soulful, countryish flavour of vocal, better than any drunken factory worker at karaoke night (but not *much* better). And for that reason, nearly every song is pretty dang enjoyable. Memo to My Son is the only track that doesn't pass, and that's because of boring songwriting, not Newman's strange timbre. Others are well-written and catchy: You Can Leave Your Hat On and Political Science are way more upbeat and memorable than they have any business being. Not influential enough to warrant 5 stars, even if it did pave the way for some excellent movie soundtracks in the 90s. 3/5 Key tracks: Sail Away, Lonely at the Top, Political Science

I was hoping I'd love this but for the most part I just liked it. OH WELL!! I don't know if this is sacrilegious but I kinda wish the arrangements had more variation. I liked the songs where there was more going on. Maybe this'll grow on me.

I'll be honest, I'm not sure if I actually like Randy Newman or if I'm just being ironic?

Great writing, but the minimal bluesy sound gets old pretty quick.

Un album vraiment sympa, j'ai seulement pas compris pourquoi est ce qu'on appelait ça du rock mais sinon c'était vraiment agréable à écouter et la personnalité de Randy Newman embellit vralment l'album

Good when you're in the mood. Funny, insightful lyrics abound. But it is a bit same-y sounding throughout. And that voice! Too nasal, too thin. He sounds like a Muppet on helium sometimes. It's hard to rate because the music is fine enough, nothing crazy. The songwriting and lyrics are great and often hook-y. Just hard to listen to too much because his voice can be irritating. Guess I'll put this squarely in the 3-zone and move on.

I wish these songs had more of a chorus.

3.5 - pretty good

He writes good stuff, but not fan of his singing.

6/10

I had no idea the guy from the Toy Story theme wrote Simon Smith And The Amazing Dancing Bear, or You Can Leave Your Hat On. There no song on here over 3½ minutes and some are under 2 minutes. He doesn't muck about with bloat does he! Bravo. The voice isn't technically the best but it delivers a great collection of songs.

Randy Newman is a respected and historically important songwriter, I just don’t find myself that compelled by the material. There are some good songs on this album, and they are recorded well, but nothing really grabbed me.

A mix of show tunes, pop and light rock from the singing voice of Toy Story. Not heard before but very Randy Newman and its easy to see how he got to do some many soundtracks.

I'm only familiar with Randy Newman's hits, like "You've Got a Friend In ME," "I Love LA," and "Short People." None of which I dislike, they're just out there in the world not doing too much. Then I hear this and it kind of blew my mind. Surprisingly eclectic, fun, philosophical, and funny. It's not rock, so maybe that's why Randy Newman was never on my radar. What a great collection of songs though. I'll listen to this again.

Randy Newman oli minulle tuttu vain Toy Storysta. Sail Away on aika hyvä levy, mutta jos haluan kuulla pianovetoista pop rockia 70-luvulta, niin valitsen mieluummin Billy Joelin tai Elton Johnin.

YOu'vE Got A fiREnd In mE

Randy Newman seems to catch a lot of hate, but this really wasn’t a terrible album. His songwriting is sharp, and the humor comes through pretty clearly if you’re paying attention. His voice can just be hard to get past. The title track was the highlight for me. The tongue in cheek delivery is really well done, and it’s one of those songs where the sarcasm sneaks up on you. It didn’t totally win me over, but it was better than I expected.