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 Recordsβ president, was a close friend and, later, as a staff producer for Warner Bros., helped get Newman signed to the label.
Newmanβs 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 (βI Think Itβs Going to Rain Todayβ), Peggy Lee (βLove Storyβ), and Three Dog Night - for whom βMama Told Me (Not to Come)β hit #1 - all enjoyed success with Newmanβs 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 1970βs 12 Songs. He also sang βGone Dead Trainβ on the soundtrack of Performance (1970). Live and Sail Away were Newmanβs 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 βWeβre rednecks, and we donβt know our ass from a hole in the groundβ 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 Newmanβs first hit single, βShort People,β which mocked bigotry and was taken seriously by a vocal offended minority. βBaltimoreβ from that album was covered by Nina Simone. Following that albumβs release, Newman toured for the first time since 1974. He claimed that in the interim heβd 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 βThe Blues.β That albumβs βI Love L.A.β became something of an anthem, thanks in part to a flashy music video directed by Newmanβs 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 βItβs Money That Mattersβ (#60, 1988). It would take Newman 10 more years to make another studio album, 1999βs 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 β90s becoming one of the townβs 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 βI Love to See You Smileβ from Parenthood and βWhen She Loved Meβ 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 Goetheβs 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.
Falling In Love
Randy Newman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hard to lift
Your mind begins to wander
Things start to drift
Your arms are getting heavy
Hard to lift
You sink down a little deeper
You're feeling wonderful
[Chorus]
Maybe you're falling in love
Maybe you're falling in love
Maybe you're falling falling falling falling in love
You stare across the harbor
At the lights along the bay
Your arms have got so heavy now
They're just getting in your way
Look
Now you're walkin' in the holy land
Yeah, that's you there, walkin' with the king
You ask "What have I done to deserve this?"
Why, you haven't done a thing
[Chorus]
The lyrics to Randy Newman's song Falling in Love deeply delve into the idea of sinking into a state of almost euphoric relaxation and enjoyment. The first two stanzas specifically focus on the physical sensations of the body becoming heavy and the mind drifting away, a common experience when someone is on the cusp of falling asleep or entering a trance-like state. The third stanza takes a different approach, describing the mind's wanderings as the listener stares out at the lights along the bay. It is in this part of the song that the listener is transported into a fantasy world, walking in the holy land with the king. The final lines of this section - "Why, you haven't done a thing" - emphasize the idea that this feeling of joy is not something that can be earned or deserved, but rather something that is simply experienced.
The chorus is short and simple, repeating the phrase "Maybe you're falling in love" four times. This phrase is ambiguous, as it can be interpreted as referring to either romantic love or a love for life itself. Interestingly, the lyrics don't offer any clues one way or the other, leaving it up to the listener to decide.
Overall, the lyrics to Falling in Love are deeply evocative, painting vivid pictures of the physical and emotional sensations that come with sinking into a state of relaxation and joy.
Line by Line Meaning
Your eyelids are gettin' heavy
You are feeling tired and sleepy
Hard to lift
It takes effort to open your eyes
Your mind begins to wander
Your thoughts are becoming unfocused
Things start to drift
Your mind is wandering aimlessly
Your arms are getting heavy
Your arms feel weighed down
You sink down a little deeper
You are becoming more relaxed
You're feeling wonderful
You are experiencing a great sense of pleasure
Maybe you're falling in love
You might be experiencing romantic attraction
Maybe you're falling falling falling falling in love
Your feelings of attraction are intensifying
You stare across the harbor
You are looking out at the water
At the lights along the bay
You are noticing the lights of the city
Your arms have got so heavy now
Your arms are extremely tired
They're just getting in your way
You are having trouble using your arms
Look
Pay attention
Now you're walkin' in the holy land
You are imagining yourself in a holy place
Yeah, that's you there, walkin' with the king
You are visualizing yourself walking alongside religious royalty
You ask "What have I done to deserve this?"
You are feeling grateful and fortunate
Why, you haven't done a thing
You realize that your good fortune is undeserved
Lyrics Β© Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: RANDY NEWMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@jamesfrazier366
By far Randy Newman's greatest work. I loved this movie.
@Exercise_as_Medicine
The love of my life Christie Van Geffen, used to play this in our era of young love - 1992.. aged 22 and 23.. xx
@marcosgomes7681
Another great song from this almost unknown musician,great Randy
@burlingtonbill1
NEVER knew (until seeing this video & reading these comments) that Jeff Lynne was involved. NOW it makes sense that this song has always REALLY STOOD OUT so well !
@elisabethschweitzer817
Einer meiner Lieblingslieder π€π€ππ
@M4RCM0NT31R0
Holy crap, this song makes me cry, because it's so beautiful!
@user-uj9zj4uv5r
I love this song when I was a teenager and I love the movie too
@frannieo1707
Randy Newman for President.
@reynaldouzeda6438
Antena 1 a melhor rΓ‘dio do mundo !!!!
@SirOliverNorwell
I really love the combination of Randy Newman & Jeff Lynne (production, backing vocals). Great song.