Daring, witty and biting. Breezy and accessible, but smartly and elegantly arranged. Randy Newman has a true gift for crafting songs that feel lived in and authentic, but are pointed in their satire. It's not something we expect to hear much in pop music and Newman has really carved out a niche in the genre that no one else really occupies. Newman wants you to understand why Johnny Cutler is the way he is, without letting him (or Southerners) off the hook for any of it. And while he's at it, Newman makes clear that politicians and white Northerners' hands aren't clean either. This a surprisingly clear eyed view on this subject, decades before the idea of systemic racism was commonly discussed. It's nuanced in the way satire often is, in a way that would be immediately misunderstood were the album to come out today. I almost went for a 4, but this is such a singular work, such a testament to Newman's talents and what you can accomplish with music. And, even with the subject matter, these songs are great fun to hear. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Guilty, Marie, Louisiana 1927, A Wedding in Cherokee County, Back on My Feet Again, Rednecks, Kingfish, Birmingham, Naked Man, Rollin', Mr. President (Have Pity on the Working Man), Every Man a King