Randy Newman
1974
Tracks
1. Rednecks
2. Birmingham
3. Marie
4. Mr President (Have Pity On The Working Man)
5. Guilty
6. Louisiana 1927
7. Every Man A King
8. Kingfish
9. Naked Man
10. Wedding In Cherokee County
11. Back On My Feet Again
12. Rollin'
After a couple of pretty good albums we dip down again to this album by Randy Newman. I have several problems with Randy. I, like everyone else who wasn't around during the seventies, immediately think of his Disney career. So, needless to say, it is a bit startling to hear the man who did the music for "The Princess and the Frog" say "we don't know our ass from a hole in the ground." I also listened to quite a few commentaries that Randy did. He seems so pleased with himself that I really don't see the need for anyone else to go to the trouble.
Now, I know that "Rednecks" isn't really a song slamming rednecks or African Americans. Instead, it is a song slamming liberal people who are just as racist but still look down on Southerners. I know this, just as I know that the song "Short People" is actually a rant against short people. Really, I get the irony.
Still, that doesn't mean that I think his songs are in any way clever or necessary. I still find any song that uses the word "nigger" that many times extremely offensive. Another one of his songs was "Louisiana 1927" which was a song about a flood in Louisiana and how bad Southern people are at construction work. This is a relevant song even now, after Hurricane Katrina. So semi props for that.
So if you want to hear Randy complain about everyone and anyone, get this album. In the meantime, I hope to god that was the last Newman album, unless we get a soundtrack on the list.
RATING: 1/5
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