Newman is noted for his practice of writing lyrics from the perspective of a character far removed from Newman's own biography. For example, the 1972 song "Sail Away" is written as a slave trader's sales pitch to attract slaves, while the narrator of "Political Science" is a U.S. nationalist who complains of worldwide ingratitude toward America and proposes a brutally ironic final solution. One of his biggest hits, "Short People" was written from the perspective of "a lunatic" who hates short people. Since the 1980s, Newman has worked mostly as a film composer. His film scores include Ragtime, Awakenings, The Natural, Leatherheads, James and the Giant Peach, Meet the Parents, Seabiscuit and The Princess and the Frog. He has scored many Disney-Pixar films: Toy Story, A Bug's Life, Toy Story 2, Monsters, Inc., Cars, Toy Story 3, Monsters University, Cars 3 and most recently Toy Story 4.
He has been awarded an Academy Award, three Emmys, four Grammy Awards, and the Governor's Award from the Recording Academy. Newman was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2002. In 2007, Newman was inducted as a Disney Legend.
Newman grew up in a musical family with Hollywood connections; his uncles Alfred and Lionel both scored numerous films. By age 17, Randy was staff writer for a California music publisher. One semester short of a B.A. in music from UCLA, he dropped out of school. Lenny Waronker, son of Liberty Records’ president, was a close friend and, later, as a staff producer for Warner Bros., helped get Newman signed to the label.
Newman’s early songs were recorded by a number of performers. His friend Harry Nilsson recorded an entire album with Newman on piano, Nilsson Sings Newman, in 1970. Judy Collins (“I Think It’s Going to Rain Today”), Peggy Lee (“Love Story”), and Three Dog Night - for whom “Mama Told Me (Not to Come)” hit #1 - all enjoyed success with Newman’s music.
Newman became a popular campus attraction when touring with Nilsson. His status as a cult star was affirmed by his critically praised debut, Randy Newman, in 1968, which featured his own complex arrangements for full orchestra, and later by 1970’s 12 Songs. He also sang “Gone Dead Train” on the soundtrack of Performance (1970). Live and Sail Away were Newman’s first commercial successes, but his audience has been limited to some degree because his songs are often colored by his ironic, pointed sense of humor, which is rarely simple and frequently misunderstood.
Good Old Boys, for example, was a concept album about the South, with the lyrics expressing the viewpoint of white Southerners. Lyrics such as “We’re rednecks, and we don’t know our ass from a hole in the ground” made people wonder whether Newman was being satirical or sympathetic. He toured (to Atlanta and elsewhere) behind the album with a full orchestra that played his arrangements and was conducted by his uncle Emil Newman.
Little Criminals, in 1977, contained Newman’s first hit single, “Short People,” which mocked bigotry and was taken seriously by a vocal offended minority. “Baltimore” from that album was covered by Nina Simone. Following that album’s release, Newman toured for the first time since 1974. He claimed that in the interim he’d done nothing but watch television and play with his three sons. In 1979 his Born Again featured guest vocals by members of the Eagles. In 1981 Newman composed the soundtrack for the film Ragtime (the first of many soundtrack assignments) and was nominated for two Oscars (Best Song, Best Score). His 1983 album, Trouble in Paradise, included guest appearances by Linda Ronstadt, members of Fleetwood Mac, and Paul Simon, who sang a verse of “The Blues.” That album’s “I Love L.A.” became something of an anthem, thanks in part to a flashy music video directed by Newman’s cousin, Tim Newman (who went on to shoot popular videos for ZZ Top, among others). Land of Dreams (#80, 1988) spawned a minor hit in “It’s Money That Matters” (#60, 1988). It would take Newman 10 more years to make another studio album, 1999’s critically acclaimed Bad Love. With that record peaking at #194, he continues to meet his biggest success in Hollywood, where he spent most of the ’90s becoming one of the town’s most sought-after film composers. Although the material on his own records is literate and biting, the songs he writes for movies are decidedly simpler and with a sunnier outlook - and they usually meet with more success. Both “I Love to See You Smile” from Parenthood and “When She Loved Me” from Toy Story 2, for instance, were nominated for Oscars; in 1998 alone, Newman garnered three Oscar nominations for three different movies.
In 1995 Newman wrote a musical adaptation of Goethe’s Faust. Both the play and the accompanying CD (which featured guests such as Bonnie Raitt, Linda Ronstadt, Elton John, Don Henley, and James Taylor in the role of God) were commercially unsuccessful. In 2000 he received the Billboard Century Award.
A Wedding In Cherokee County
Randy Newman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Out behind the smoke house in her rocking chair
She don't do nothin'
She don't say nothin'
She don't feel nothin'
She don't know nothin'
Maybe she's crazy I don't know
But maybe that's why I love her so
Her papa was a midget
Her mama was a whore
Her grandad was a newsboy 'til he was eighty four
What a slimy old bastard he was
Man don't you think I know she hates me
Man don't you think I know that she's no good
If she knew how she'd be unfaithful to me
I think she'd kill me if she could
Maybe she's crazy I don't know
But maybe that's why I love her so
I'm not afraid of the grey wolf
Who stalks through our forest at dawn
As long as I have her beside me
I have the strength to carry on
Today we will be married
And all the freaks that she knows will be there
And all the people from the village will be there
To congratulate us
I will carry her across the threshold
I will make dim the light
I will attempt to spend my love within her
But though I try with all my might
She will laugh at my mighty sword
She will laugh at my mighty sword
Why must everybody laugh at my mighty sword?
Lord, hep me if you will
Maybe we're both crazy, I don't know
Maybe that's why I love her so
The song "A Wedding in Cherokee County" by Randy Newman tells the story of a man who is deeply in love with a strange and mysterious woman. The opening lines describe her sitting in a rocking chair, apparently doing and feeling nothing. The singer admits that she may be crazy, but he loves her nonetheless. He then goes on to describe her unusual family background, with a midget father, a promiscuous mother, and an elderly newsboy grandfather. The woman's family history is so unusual that the singer refers to her grandfather as a "slimy old bastard."
Despite his love for her, the singer is well aware of the fact that the woman is not faithful to him and might even be capable of killing him. He is not afraid of the dangers of the outside world, but it is the woman's unpredictability and emotional instability that represent the real threat to him. As the song progresses, the singer recounts their upcoming wedding, which promises to be attended by all manner of "freaks" from the woman's world. He vows to carry her across the threshold and consummate their marriage, but he seems to understand that she will always be somewhat of an enigma to him, and their relationship will always be somewhat fraught with uncertainty.
One interpretation of the song is that it is a commentary on the nature of love and relationships. The woman is clearly not like any other woman the singer has encountered before, but he loves her despite (or perhaps because of) her strangeness. He is willing to overlook her flaws and her infidelity because of this love, but at the same time, he is well aware of the danger she represents to him.
Line by Line Meaning
There she is sitting there
She is sitting outside behind the smoke house in her rocking chair
Out behind the smoke house in her rocking chair
She is sitting outside behind the smoke house in her rocking chair
She don't do nothin'
She doesn't do anything
She don't say nothin'
She doesn't say anything
She don't feel nothin'
She doesn't feel anything
She don't know nothin'
She doesn't know anything
Maybe she's crazy I don't know
Perhaps she is insane, but I am uncertain
But maybe that's why I love her so
But perhaps that is why I love her
Her papa was a midget
Her father was a short-statured person
Her mama was a whore
Her mother was a promiscuous woman
Her grandad was a newsboy 'til he was eighty four
Her grandfather sold newspapers until he reached the age of 84
What a slimy old bastard he was
He was a contemptible, deceitful old fellow
Man don't you think I know she hates me
Friend, don't you believe I am unaware that she detests me?
Man don't you think I know that she's no good
Friend, don't you believe I am unaware that she lacks merit?
If she knew how she'd be unfaithful to me
If she understood how she would betray me
I think she'd kill me if she could
I suspect she would murder me if possible
I'm not afraid of the grey wolf
I do not fear the predatory animal known as the grey wolf
Who stalks through our forest at dawn
That roams through our woodland during the morning hours
As long as I have her beside me
Provided that I am accompanied by her
I have the strength to carry on
I possess the capacity to persist
Today we will be married
Today we will become wedded
And all the freaks that she knows will be there
All the odd and unusual acquaintances that she has will attend
And all the people from the village will be there
All the inhabitants of the town will attend
To congratulate us
To express their good wishes and celebratory regards to us
I will carry her across the threshold
I will lift her up and transport her into our new home
I will make dim the light
I will reduce the illumination in the room
I will attempt to spend my love within her
I will endeavor to express my amorous feelings to her
But though I try with all my might
However hard I strive
She will laugh at my mighty sword
She will chuckle at my impressive weapon
Why must everybody laugh at my mighty sword?
For what reason does everyone find my impressive weapon so amusing?
Lord, hep me if you will
God, assist me if you are willing
Maybe we're both crazy, I don't know
Perhaps we are both insane, but I am uncertain
Maybe that's why I love her so
Perhaps that is why I love her
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: RANDY NEWMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind