Editorial Content for A Few Words in Defense of Our Country: The Biography of Randy Newman
Contributors
Reviewer (text)
How much do we want to know about the private lives of celebrities? In some cases, we want all the dirt. If that’s what fans of Randy Newman are looking for, they won’t find it in Robert Hilburn’s latest work, A FEW WORDS IN DEFENSE OF OUR COUNTRY.
The title itself is quite relevant, given the state of the nation right now, as is the photo on the back of the dust jacket that shows Newman with his head in his hands, exhausted by current affairs. The lyrics to “Bigger Boat,” a 2020 tune that he performs with country artist Brandy Clark, reflects the current situation:
We're springing a leak, we're coming apart
We're on the Titanic, but we think it's the ark
Sharks in the water got me thinking 'bout a movie quote
Yeah, we're gonna need
A bigger boat
"[Hilburn] basically goes song-by-song and album-by-album to discuss the choices the ambitious Newman painstakingly made, whether it was in thematic tone, actual tone or language."
But perhaps that’s just my interpretation.
None of this, by the way, is meant as a knock on Hilburn. He is well-qualified to write about musicians; his previous bios look at Paul Simon, Johnny Cash and Bruce Springsteen. Rather than concentrating on the popular singer/songwriter/film scorer’s personal life, Hilburn focuses on Newman’s work --- in great detail. He basically goes song-by-song and album-by-album to discuss the choices the ambitious Newman painstakingly made, whether it was in thematic tone, actual tone or language.
Newman --- who was born with a tuning fork in his mouth (his uncles were famous for their movie music) and knew he wanted a career in music from an early age --- was at once outspoken and introverted. He took on such topics as racism, injustice, political malfeasance and just plain stupidity. He wasn’t afraid to use the N-word in “Rednecks,” which came out 50 years ago on his Good Old Boys album. One wonders if he would incorporate that taboo word now. I think he would because he still would want to make that point. Many of Newman’s songs employ humor, even if they might offend some. This was the case in one of his most famous songs, “Short People.” Yet he was uncomfortable in being described as a political activist or a satirist.
Other tunes are overwhelmingly sad, such as “Texas Girl at the Funeral of Her Father.” In fact, several songs convey a sense of a father lamenting over the lost connection with his children. Although born into an upper-middle-class family (Newman’s father was a doctor), Hilburn writes about his sometimes contentious relationship with his dad, which may have been a factor in some of his compositions.
In addition to his own songs, Newman was the genius behind the scores for movies such as Toy Story, Avalon, Ragtime and The Natural, among many others. Just those projects alone would make for an interesting in-depth examination.
It is only on occasion that Hilburn includes the kind of life story that makes up the usual basis of biography. He barely mentions the failure of Newman’s first marriage or the effects of Epstein-Barr syndrome, which came at roughly the same time. Or the problems that afflict him in his senior years.
Which brings us back to that original question of what readers are looking for. If they’re huge fans of Newman’s musical work, A FEW WORDS IN DEFENSE OF OUR COUNTRY is a perfect fit.
Teaser
Randy Newman is widely hailed as one of America’s all-time greatest songwriters, equally skilled in the sophisticated melodies and lyrics of the Gershwin-Porter era and the cultural commentary of his own generation, with Bob Dylan and Paul Simon among his most ardent admirers. While tens of millions around the world can hum “You’ve Got a Friend in Me,” his disarming centerpiece for Toy Story, most of them would be astonished to learn that the heart of Newman’s legacy is in the dozens of brilliant songs that detail the injustices, from racism to class inequality, that have contributed to the division of our nation. In A FEW WORDS IN DEFENSE OF OUR COUNTRY, veteran music journalist Robert Hilburn presents the definitive portrait of an American legend.
Promo
Randy Newman is widely hailed as one of America’s all-time greatest songwriters, equally skilled in the sophisticated melodies and lyrics of the Gershwin-Porter era and the cultural commentary of his own generation, with Bob Dylan and Paul Simon among his most ardent admirers. While tens of millions around the world can hum “You’ve Got a Friend in Me,” his disarming centerpiece for Toy Story, most of them would be astonished to learn that the heart of Newman’s legacy is in the dozens of brilliant songs that detail the injustices, from racism to class inequality, that have contributed to the division of our nation. In A FEW WORDS IN DEFENSE OF OUR COUNTRY, veteran music journalist Robert Hilburn presents the definitive portrait of an American legend.
About the Book
The definitive biography of songwriter Randy Newman, told with his full cooperation, by acclaimed biographer and longtime Los Angeles Times music critic Robert Hilburn.
Randy Newman is widely hailed as one of America’s all-time greatest songwriters, equally skilled in the sophisticated melodies and lyrics of the Gershwin-Porter era and the cultural commentary of his own generation, with Bob Dylan and Paul Simon among his most ardent admirers. While tens of millions around the world can hum “You’ve Got a Friend in Me,” his disarming centerpiece for Toy Story, most of them would be astonished to learn that the heart of Newman’s legacy is in the dozens of brilliant songs that detail the injustices, from racism to class inequality, that have contributed to the division of our nation. Rolling Stone declared that a single Newman song, “Sail Away,” tells us more about America than “The Star-Spangled Banner.” And yet, his legacy remains largely undocumented in book form --- until now.
In A FEW WORDS IN DEFENSE OF OUR COUNTRY, veteran music journalist Robert Hilburn presents the definitive portrait of an American legend. Hilburn has known Newman since his club debut at the Troubadour in 1970, and the two have maintained a connection in the decades since, conversing over the course of times good and bad. Though Newman has long refused to talk with potential biographers, he now gives Hilburn unprecedented access not only to himself but also to his archives, as well as his family, friends and collaborators. Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, John Williams, Linda Ronstadt, Don Henley, Bonnie Raitt, Chuck D, James Taylor, and New York Times’ Pulitzer-winning columnists Thomas Friedman and Wesley Morris, among others, contributed to the book.
In addition to exploring Newman’s prolific career and the evolution of his songwriting, A FEW WORDS IN DEFENSE OF OUR COUNTRY dives into his childhood and early influences, his musical family that ruled Hollywood movie scores for decades, the relationships that have provided inspiration for his songs, and so much more.
As thought-provoking and thorough as it is tender, this book is an overdue tribute to the legendary songwriter whose music has long reflected and challenged the America we know today.
Audiobook available, read by Rob Hilburn Jr.
