It's All A Matter Of Perspective

Randy Newman
Album: Sail Away
Song 1: Sail Away
Song 2: God's Song

Randy Newman belongs on my short list of great songwriters, although over the last couple of decades or so he has rarely received the respect he deserves in this regard.  Unfortunately, he has inherited a reputation, albeit not an entirely unfair one, for being "that movie guy."  He has been nominated for the "Best Song" or "Best Score" Oscars 17 times, winning once.  Interestingly, he had the longest streak of nominations without a win in Oscar history until his 2002 win for a song from Monsters, Inc.  Some of his most recognizable songs are "You've Got A Friend In Me" from Toy Story and the gorgeous "When She Loved Me" from Toy Story 2.  Back in the day, however, he was much more than just a composer of film scores.  Back in the day, he was considered a great artist with a particularly incisive understanding of the human condition.

Two of my favorite Newman songs are "Sail Away" and "God's Song," both of which are from his brilliant 1972 album, Sail Away.  Perspective plays an important role in both of them.  In the first, Newman tells the story of a slave trader...from the perspective of the slave trader.  And if that isn't a cool enough conceit, the slave trader in the song is a type of salesman, attempting to pitch the merits of being a slave to prospective slaves.  Funny, tragic, sarcastic, ironic, it's one of the best songs I know.

"God's Song" is also from an interesting perspective. Namely, God's.  In it, God mocks humankind for the ridiculousness of its faith in him.  Lovely little ironic twist. Newman at his best.