Hearing Randy's tunes in this solo setting is especially good for the slow, sad songs such as "Marie" and "Sail Away." If I had to list my favorite songs of all time, the lovely "Marie" would be in the top five. A romp like "You Can Leave Your Hat On" may sound better with a band -- it's hard to top those horns on the chorus (Joe Cocker style) -- but this solo version is good too. His rumbling, bouncing piano lines aren't a bad substitute.

The song selection on Songbook Vol. 1 is interesting. Some of the big songs are missing -- "Short People" and "I Love L.A." for two -- but this is not a "greatest hits" CD. That has already been done elsewhere. Besides, he has to save a few tunes for Vol. 2. There are several short instrumental versions of his movie themes that serve as wonderful interludes ("Avalon," "When She Loved Me," and "Ragtime"). In sum, Songbook Vol. 1 is a treat, an an excellent way to hear an American treasure in the raw. By the way, I do not usually hand out five-star ratings. I think a CD should earn a five-star. I'm not just going to give five stars to everything I like even a little. However, this CD deserves the highest rating.


The Most Appropriate Album of a Most Unique Artist   October 4, 2003
13 out of 17 found this review helpful

This album also deserves 1 star. Let me explain...

For a Newman fan (who this is certainly geared towards - if it was an awkward attempt by an awkward composer to be an alternate "Greatest Hits" to the Rhino version, where the hell's "Short People, "I Love LA," and "You've Got a Friend?") this is the quintessential Newman experience.

For all you Little Criminals out there, I'm sure you'll agree that the best way to experience Randy is slumped over the piano, almost randomly taking requests from a crowd of 100 or so who have memorized every song in his repertoire... and this intimate portrait delivers that dream experience. Sure, personally I would have subtracted "Let Me Go" for "A Wedding in Cherokee County" or even "I Love to See You Smile," but as Newman himself oftens explains, he's now got enough material under his belt to do two complete concerts at the same venue with an entirely different set each night. And adding with typical self-effacing style: "Of course, the second show wouldn't be very good..."

So, I like to picture that Newman fan and "Producer" (whatever THAT means for a demo-style disc such as this) Mitchell Froom simply whispered some personal faves to the Randster who then went right into it.

I don't mind at all that this wasn't recorded "live" - this just happens to represent the artist in his most appropriate setting... and what a euphoric experience to hear someone releasing this album in a pop world where he was never quite accepted commercially unless taken as a novelty or Pixar tunesmith. This is the equivilant of other-side-of-the-genius spectrum McCartney playing to 46 million fans and releasing the experience in the "Back in the US"-style. He plays off that energy and it translates that way.

So what about that 1 star? Well, in the typical "Pet Sounds" sense, this is barely an album at all! And could easily be misconstrued as a quarter-assed attempt at pushing some old songs onto his small group of die-hard fans. And for the half of those fans (or so) who vehemently disagree with my effusive praising of this record and would only want NEW compositions (and/or those early Warner Bros. demos that have yet to surface [his following his so small even BOOTLEGGERS don't bother releasing them!]), well I agree with you, too! Where's "The Girls in My Life, Part II" or any of those countless unfinished tunes he's been working on throughout his career?

So, in conclusion, this album is brilliant. A man too beautiful for this pop culture world releasing songs the way they were meant to be released. Between him and me. The Artist and the Listener.


randy "unplugged"   October 11, 2003
13 out of 14 found this review helpful

This disc fits the genius of Randy Newman perfectly. An extremely well-recorded disc of just Randy and a good piano, playing and singing some of his best. "Political Science" and other songs on this disc ring true more now than they even did when they were written. Randy still has a great voice, and hearing him provide lush arrangements with just his piano gives you added respect for his abilities as a keyboardist. Highly recommended for long time fans as well as those looking for a sampler of Randy Newman's work.


If You LIke Wry On The Rocks, Randy's Your Man   October 15, 2006
prisrob (New EnglandUSA)
10 out of 11 found this review helpful

"Most of my songs aren't autobiographical, or I'd be in an institution," Mr. Newman said after he had played half a dozen of them, getting an appreciative laugh. The audience was fully aware that his music enacts a tug of war between honesty and fallacy, and that his tone can oscillate from steeply ironic to disarmingly sincere." New York Times

Every once in awhile, you come across an artist that speaks to you, personally, intellectually, intuitively and gracefully. Someone you think, "I would love to have a conversation with, and what a great friend he would be." That person for me is Randy Newman. My best friend re-introduced me to him. We had the pleasure of seeing him in concert at Carnegie Hall, recently. Randy Newman walked on stage and it was his; his and the piano. He sat down and the evening became him. The songs are his and he speaks to us, and he brings us into the music. The Randy Newman Songbook, Vol.1 has taken awhile and as he says "Interviewers will ask why it took me five years to make an album and I'll say, `It didn't take five years -- I didn't do anything for five years,I watched tv like you do."

"It's Lonely at the Top", starts the CD and he is more reflective and mature. On this evening, Barbra Streisand was playing at "The Garden", and Randy had played this song to her. "She may be singing it this evening he mused." We all recognize his satire in "God's Song" - in which the Gods has contempt for all faiths. "Political Science" is even more to the point as it was in the Vietnam era, with its US view of the rest of the world. He may still be playing a devil in "Sail Away", and "Rednecks" which speaks about Lester Maddock and the wonderful self deprecating" It's Money That I Love". "Living Without You" and "I Think It's Going To Rain Today" shows us his poignant and tender songs. As with his would-be ladies man "You Can Leave Your Hat On" he makes these characters sound so human and we recognize them as us. It was Joe Cocker, he says, that put the beat and rhythm to the song that made it so popular. "Lousiana Rain" is as poignant and meaningful now as it was in the 1920's.

The intelligence, grace, and craft of Newman's songs are shown here at his peak. And while there's a little flash in his piano playing, a little boogie, alot of blues, he is recognized by me and others as a down to earth man, one we would like to know. This CD starts to summon his songs written over the years, and this is the first of three. It appears that Randy is not in any hurry to finish these songbooks, but we do know the best is yet to come.

The Guardian sums up Randy Newman; "He may well be the greatest contemporary American songwriter; he's easily the cleverest. And, by a long shot, the funniest. If you like wry on the rocks, Randy's your man."

Intelligently, Gracefully, Heartily, and Wryly Recommended. prisrob 10-15-06



Why bother?   October 2, 2003
fred weiler (Scarsdale, NY USA)
8 out of 10 found this review helpful

Give Randy Newman credit for stripping a solid set of his best songs down to just piano accompaniment. However, while this is a good overview of his work for beginners, it leaves a Newman fan like me cold. He just sounds tired, and his piano playing is even less expressive than on the original versions. In short, a pointless exercise, especially next to the gleeful RANDY NEWMAN LIVE.