Randy Newman - The Best Of Randy Newman - Music & Performance - CD

You'd have to do some heavy cross-licensing to put together a proper single-disc Randy Newman collection. Well, Rhino did just that, squeezing Short People; I Love L.A.; It's Money That I Love; You've Got a Friend in Me ; his original versions of Mama Told Me Not to Come; You Can Leave Your Hat On, and Feels Like Home, and 14 more!

Randy Newman has been beloved of critics, record geeks, and music fans for years, so much so that Rhino's 2001 compilation The Best of Randy Newman may seem like a case of preaching to the converted, at least to those who worship Newman. After all, anybody who's been paying attention realizes his sly genius, not just as a songwriter, but as a musician and record-maker -- 12 Songs, Sail Away, Good Old Boys, and Trouble in Paradise are hailed as masterpieces because the records are as carefully constructed and engaging as the songs. Proof of that sentiment arrives immediately with the collection's opening cut, "Mama Told Me Not to Come," which may be better known in Three Dog Night's bombastic rendition, but is better and funnier in this wry telling. That's also true for other Newman songs that have become standards -- "You Can Leave Your Hat On," "Sail Away," "Louisiana 1927," and "I Think It's Going to Rain Today" are enhanced by Newman's delivery, which emphasizes not just his humor but also the underlying emotion of his songs. Then there are the songs that the general public associates with Randy Newman -- the novelty tune "Short People," the cynical faux-anthem "I Love L.A.," the reaffirming Toy Story theme "You've Got a Friend in Me." These two sides prove that Randy Newman is a songwriter of exceptional talent and that he can reach a wide audience, but the wonderful, bewildering thing about him is that his recordings obstinately fall between these two extremes -- he's simply too willful to play to a mass audience but, even at his most obscure and ornery, his music is open and accessible. Because of this mercurial talent, it can be hard for a neophyte to get a handle on his recordings, which is why a collection like The Best of Randy Newman isn't simply welcome, it's necessary. This may not be every longtime fan's choice for the very best of Randy Newman, but it does give a good sense of his genius and how far-reaching it is by featuring all those previously mentioned songs, along with many others that confirm the depth of his talent -- "Political Science," "Rednecks," "Marie," "Miami," and "Dixie Flyer," among others. There are certainly other songs in his catalog that could have easily been showcased here, and 12 Songs and Sail Away certainly had their own logic that, in their own way, make them a more effective introduction. But as a far-reaching sampler for neophytes and casual fans, this does the job handsomely. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide

Performer	Randy Newman
Music genre	Rock
Music subgenre	CD - Rock
Music release type	Compilation
Media format	CD
Original release date	2001
Edition	Standard Edition
Language	English
Number of tracks	21
Has parental advisory label	N
Number of discs	1
Series title	Randy Newman - The Best Of Randy Newman COMPACT DISCS
Track listing	Mama Told Me Not to Come, You Can Leave Your Hat on, I Think It's Going to Rain Today, Sail Away, Political Science, Rednecks, Marie, Louisiana 1927, Short People, Little Criminals, It's Money That I Love, I Love L.A, Miami, Take Me Back, Same Girl, Dixie Flyer, Happy Ending, You've Got a Friend in Me, Feels Like Home (Live, 1996), Shame, I Miss You
Record label	Rhino
Target audience	Adult
Composer	Randy Newman
Songwriter	Randy Newman
Music producer	Rhino
Number in series	1
Occasion	All Occasion
Track name	Short People
Digital audio file format	Cd
Music media format	CD
Is edited	N
Is enhanced	N