I thought I’d dig out some classic Randy Newman. Love his lyrics and humour. So clever!
One about prejudice:
One about religion:
Randy Newman – God’s Song (That’s Why I Love Mankind) – YouTube
One about politics and war:
Randy Newman – Political Science (Live in London) – YouTube
I’m always amazed when I travel round the world at the innocence and naivety of people. In the greatest slums, with the most deprivation, disease, poverty and death you always find the greatest piety.
If prayer, worship and sacrifice made a difference places like India and Bali would be bastions of wealth and happiness. No-one spends more time and energy in worship.
There are lots of assumptions made about a benevolent, caring god. I don’t believe there is on. I think it has all come from the imagination of mankind. But if there was the writings of the Holy books show ‘him’ to be capricious, vicious, uncaring and hypocritical.
Randy put his finger on it.
This is amusing and yet serious. It is on the edge of mocking! The God he describes is straight out of the Holy books.
We create God out of our own desperation.
“God’s Song (That’s Why I Love Mankind)”
Cain slew Abel, Seth knew not why
For if the children of Israel were to multiply
Why must any of the children die?
So he asked the Lord
And the Lord said:
Man means nothing, he means less to me
Than the lowliest cactus flower
Or the humblest Yucca tree
He chases round this desert
‘Cause he thinks that’s where I’ll be
That’s why I love mankind
I recoil in horror from the foulness of thee
From the squalor and the filth and the misery
How we laugh up here in heaven at the prayers you offer me
That’s why I love mankind
The Christians and the Jews were having a jamboree
The Buddhists and the Hindus joined on satellite TV
They picked their four greatest priests
And they began to speak
They said, “Lord, a plague is on the world
Lord, no man is free
The temples that we built to you
Have tumbled into the sea
Lord, if you won’t take care of us
Won’t you please, please let us be?”
And the Lord said
And the Lord said
I burn down your cities-
how blind you must be
I take from you your children and you say how blessed are we
You all must be crazy to put your faith in me
That’s why I love mankind
You really need me
That’s why I love mankind
Nobody does this better than Randy. He seems to be singing about one thing when he’s really singing about something else. Sail Away – a song about slavery. So subtle. So clever. I’ll enjoy peeling away the meanings in his wonderful songs.
Randy’s satirical lyrics and intelligence will give something to think about. Love it.
Randy Newman – Sail Away 1972 (Full Album) 1 of 3 – YouTube
I’ve like most of my life under the shadow of MAD – Mutually Assured Destruction. There were at least seven nuclear warheads aimed just at me! That’s enough to make a man paranoid. I’m not even that dangerous!
For most of my life Britain has acted like an aircraft carrier for the USA. In the worst case scenario – a nuclear conflict with Russia – Europe was expendable. Russia and America had hopes of containing the exchange.
Now, although MAD still exists, we have the threats of nuclear blasts from mad indoctrinated Jihadists who believe they would be going to the make-believe fairy-tale of paradise. We have the threat of genetically modified viruses that could unleash the sort of plagues that ravaged the Dark Ages. We have chemical weapons of mass destruction. And Human Beings have proved through history that they are prepared to use them.
Don’t worry. Randy has the solution. Blow the rest of the world up , barring a few friendly places, and make it all one great big American Theme Park.
It’s a wonderful happy song of irony. I’m not sure if politics can be a science or even an art. Perhaps it is drama?
“Political Science”
Asia’s crowded and Europe’s too old
Africa is far too hot
And Canada’s too cold
And South America stole our name
Let’s drop the big one
There’ll be no one left to blame us
We’ll save Australia
Don’t wanna hurt no kangaroo
We’ll build an All American amusement park there
They got surfin’, too
Boom goes London and boom Paree
More room for you and more room for me
And every city the whole world round
Will just be another American town
Oh, how peaceful it will be
We’ll set everybody free
You’ll wear a Japanese kimono
And there’ll be Italian shoes for me
They all hate us anyhow
So let’s drop the big one now
Let’s drop the big one now
This is an interesting song that is controversial because of its use of language. It took a different stance on Southern Rednecks. They were portrayed as seeing their own racism as more honest. In the North they abhor racism while still practicing it. The blacks are discriminated against in different ways and confined to poor education, poor housing, poor jobs and ghettos.
Let’s hope that we have all moved on a lot from those days. Racism is far less now than it used to be. We have to ensure that under Trump we don’t slide back into those dark racist days of yore.
Rednecks
Last night I saw Lester Maddox on a TV show
With some smart ass New York Jew
And the Jew laughed at Lester Maddox
And the audience laughed at Lester Maddox too
Well he may be a fool but he’s our fool
If they think they’re better than him they’re wrong
So I went to the park and I took some paper along
And that’s where I made this song
We talk real funny down here
We drink too much and we laugh too loud
We’re too dumb to make it in no Northern town
And we’re keepin’ the n*****s down
We got no necked oilmen from Texas
And good ol’ boys from Tennessee
And colleges men from LSU
Went in dumb, come out dumb too
Hustlin’ ’round Atlanta in their alligator shoes
Gettin’ drunk every weekend at the barbecues
And they’re keepin’ the n*****s down
We are rednecks, we’re rednecks
We don’t know our a**
From a hole in the ground
We’re rednecks, we’re rednecks
And we’re keeping the n*****s down
Now your northern n*****’s a negro
You see he’s got his dignity
Down here we’re too ignorant to realize
That the North has set the n***** free
Yes he’s free to be put in a cage
In Harlem in New York City
And he’s free to be put in a cage
On the South Side of Chicago
And the West Side
And he’s free to be put in a cage
In Hough in Cleveland
And he’s free to be put in a cage
In East St. Louis
And he’s free to be put in a cage
In Fillmore in San Francisco
And he’s free to be put in a cage
In Roxbury in Boston
They’re gatherin’ ’em up from miles around
Keepin’ the n*****s down
We’re rednecks, we’re rednecks
We don’t know our a**
From a hole in the ground
We’re rednecks, we’re rednecks
We’re keeping the n*****s down
We are keeping the n*****s down
Read more: Randy Newman – Rednecks Lyrics | MetroLyrics
For anyone interested in Rock Music who might like an interesting read!
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As someone who is not renowned for my vast height this song was particularly poignant.
Using his most satirical style Randy highlights the whole nature of prejudice. Another brilliant song from Randy.
Short People
Short people got no reason
Short people got no reason
Short people got no reason
To live
They got little hands
And little eyes
And they walk around
Tellin’ great big lies
They got little noses
And tiny little teeth
They wear platform shoes
On their nasty little feet
Well, I don’t want no short people
Don’t want no short people
Don’t want no short people
Round here
Short people are just the same
As you and I
(A fool such as I)
All men are brothers
Until the day they die
(It’s a wonderful world)
Short people got nobody
Short people got nobody
Short people got nobody
To love
They got little baby legs
And they stand so low
You got to pick ’em up
Just to say hello
They got little cars
That got beep, beep, beep
They got little voices
Goin’ peep, peep, peep
They got grubby little fingers
And dirty little minds
They’re gonna get you every time
Well, I don’t want no short people
Don’t want no short people
Don’t want no short people
‘Round here
For anyone interested in Rock Music who might like an interesting read!
If you would like to purchase my books in the UK:
Or in the USA:
