Randy Newman

Biography: Newman is noted as a lyricist of considerable sophistication. He often writes songs from unusual perspectives, often utilizing an unreliable narrator. For example, "Sail Away" is a slave trader's come-on, "Birmingham" is written from the perspective of a man – "a roller in a steel mill" – who loves his ordinary life in Birmingham, Alabama, while "Political Science" complains of worldwide hatred of America and proposes a final solution in a brutally ironic way. His many place-name songs, which are often archetypal examples of ambivalent Americana, include "I Love L.A.", "Baltimore", "Louisiana 1927", and "Dayton, Ohio – 1903". His first major hit was the song entitled, "Short People", wherein he was thought to haved complained about midgets, but is actually complaining metaphorically about racists and bigots. "Short People" was also Newman's highest-rated hit ever. Newman is also a consummate musician whose deceptively simple songs mask complex craftsmanship, and he is a skilled arranger. As a singer, Newman's drawl is reminiscent of that of blues artists like Sonny Boy Williamson and of New Orleans rock-and-roll singers like Chris Kenner… Expand