Randy Newman, Good Old Boys (1974)
I’ve said it before – and I think it with every album by Randy Newman, whenever I’m playing them or even thinking about playing them…it’s hard to pick a favourite. But this is consistently in the top three. This is probably my favourite (well, this and Sail Away, uh-oh, here we go…) I fell in love with this for the writing in particular. As good of a reason as any to take the plunge into Randy’s world. But this album tells a story. The narrative is about Johnny Cutler, southern everyman. And initially it was going to be a full concept album (some would argue it still is). Cutler is the guy getting drunk at the weekends at the BBQ, the one pointing out that as much as they might be “keeping the niggers down” it’s the northern chap that has [only] set the nigger free to various cages – and he names housing projects. It’s Cutler that needs “a whole lot of medicine” to pretend he’s someone else, and who has to get drunk to tell his wife he loves her and that she’s beautiful. It’s extraordinary writing. I was thinking about that a bit recently – as Malcolm Gladwell unpacked some of this in a recent podcast episode. It’ a marvel to me that songs like Rednecks, Louisiana 1927, Kingfish, Guilty and Mr. President (Have Pity On The Working Man) could all be on the same album. It’s a marvel every single time. You might have heard the news, Randy Newman will play his first NZ tour in February 2020. I doubt I’ll be able to afford, nor does anyone care for reviews or reviewers anymore – unless they’re ‘Yes Men’. So I’m glad I have this album and love it so. I’ll be there listening to it at home no doubt on the night of the show. Like Larry David singing “Still crazy after all these years…” Well, between Larry and Randy, I’ll be in good company, spiritually speaking. 

Sample Track:  Marie
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