The Words and Music of Randy Newman

If you only know the Randy Newman songs everybody knows, then you don't know Randy Newman--something this book sets out to correct.

While known mostly for his Pixar film songs or his late-1970s hit "Short People," Randy Newman is, in fact, one of the most important--and most quintessentially American--songwriters of the past half-century. This exploration of his words and music covers Newman's career chronologically, beginning in 1968 when he released his first solo album....
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If you only know the Randy Newman songs everybody knows, then you don't know Randy Newman--something this book sets out to correct.

While known mostly for his Pixar film songs or his late-1970s hit "Short People," Randy Newman is, in fact, one of the most important--and most quintessentially American--songwriters of the past half-century. This exploration of his words and music covers Newman's career chronologically, beginning in 1968 when he released his first solo album. The focus is primarily on his solo work, although there is a chapter dedicated to his work as a soundtrack composer for films such as Ragtime (1981), The Natural (1984), ¡Three Amigos! (1986), Pleasantville (1998), Leatherheads (2008), and the Toy Story trilogy (1995, 1999, and 2010).

To help readers better understand Newman as an artist and composer, the book discusses the remarkable range of characters he created in his songs, his careful attention to the detail in these characterizations, and their use as commentary on American culture. Newman's deliberate use of contradictory musical settings and lyrics and his use of irony and dark humor are also analyzed, as is his impact on the next generation of composers. The work also looks at "the family business," examining the important role Newman's three famous musical uncles--Alfred, Lionel, and Emil--played in the history of Hollywood film and their influence on Randy's compositions. The book ends with a note on Newman's performance and comments when he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2013.

* Examines Newman's unique place in the singer-songwriter tradition

* Explores the literary quality, insight, wit, and tunefulness of his compositions

* Shows how his characters present listeners with unforgettable images of the best--and the worst--humans can be

* Argues that Newman's music owes far more to Stephen Foster, Scott Joplin, and Irving Berlin than it does to Elvis, the Beatles, or Bob Dylan

* Looks at the inextricable link between Newman's solo efforts, his soundtrack compositions, and how each works to the advantage of the other

* Provides a discography of Newman's recordings