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.
Guilty
Randy Newman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I shouldn't come by I know
But I found myself in trouble
And I had nowhere else to go
Got some whisky from the barman
Got some cocaine from a friend
I just had to keep on movin'
Guilty baby I'm guilty
And I'll be guilty the rest of my life
How come I never do what I'm supposed to do
How come nothin' that I try to do ever turns out right?
You know you know how it is with me baby
You know, I just can't stand myself
And it takes a whole lot of medicine
For me to pretend that I'm somebody else
The lyrics to Randy Newman's song "Guilty" describe a man who has made some bad choices and has found himself in trouble, turning to alcohol and drugs to cope. The man expresses regret for his actions and acknowledges that he is guilty and will be guilty for the rest of his life. He questions why he can never do what he is supposed to do and why nothing ever turns out right for him. The man is deeply insecure and unable to accept himself as he is, needing to take "a whole lot of medicine" to pretend to be someone else.
Overall, the song is about the struggles of self-acceptance, the inability to live up to societal expectations, and the consequences of making bad choices. The man in the song is caught in a vicious cycle of self-sabotage and self-loathing, unable to break free from his destructive patterns of behavior.
The lyrics are a classic example of Randy Newman's ability to capture complex emotions with simple yet powerful words. The melody is haunting and melancholic, perfectly complementing the introspective and confessional lyrics. The song has been covered by many artists over the years, including Bonnie Raitt and Joe Cocker, and remains a beloved classic of the singer-songwriter genre.
Line by Line Meaning
Yes baby I been drinkin'
Admitting the start of a possible problem-causing behavior.
And I shouldn't come by I know
Acknowledging the potential harm to others from one's own behavior.
But I found myself in trouble
Explaining the reason for the behavior and the situation's potential severity.
And I had nowhere else to go
Justifying the unwanted intervention by indicating there was no other reasonable choice.
Got some whisky from the barman
Detailing the continued self-destructive behavior.
Got some cocaine from a friend
Further explaining the extent of the harmful conduct.
I just had to keep on movin'
Justifying the behavior as necessary to avoid personal pain.
Til I was back in your arms again
Implying that the ultimate goal was to receive the acceptance and forgiveness of a significant other.
Guilty baby I'm guilty
Admitting to the wrongdoing.
And I'll be guilty the rest of my life
Acknowledging the persistent nature of the wrong action's consequences.
How come I never do what I'm supposed to do
Expressing the frustration and confusion of repeated failure.
How come nothin' that I try to do ever turns out right?
Further emphasizing the sense of inadequacy and discouragement.
You know you know how it is with me baby
Appealing to the partner's knowledge of the singer's usual behavior patterns.
You know, I just can't stand myself
Admitting the unlikable qualities of the personality.
And it takes a whole lot of medicine
Describing the need for substances to cope with internal conflicts or pain.
For me to pretend that I'm somebody else
Acknowledging the level of dissociation required for coping or avoidance of uncomfortable emotions.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: RANDY NEWMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@akkaraponn2alex
Yeah baby, I've been drinking,
and I shouldn't come by I know
But I found myself in trouble,
and I had nowhere else to go
Got some whiskey from a bar man,
got some cocaine from a friend
I just had to keep on moving,
till I was back in your arms again
Well I'm guilty, yeah I'm guilty,
I'll be guilty for the rest of my life
How come I never do,
what I'm supposed to do
How come nothing that I try to do ever turns out right
Well you know how it is with me baby,
you know I just can't stand myself
It takes a whole lot of medicine,
for me to pretend to be somebody else
@melakircher2130
I heard this song when I was 18. Sung by Bonnie Raitt. I've loved it ever since. it described how I felt about myself perfectly. It was gift during a time when I was in emotional pain. I used to think it was because it described me, but now I see that the gift is it's gentleness, a tenderness we all need when we're low. Thank you Randy Newman!
@mikemiller1791
well said
@juliahamilton6389
Absolutely one of the most beautiful and powerful songs ever written. Randy Newman is one of America's great songwriters.
@roberthaderer8026
yeah!
@AnonYmous-gw5it
You, Ma'am, possess culture and a refined taste in music. "Randy Newman is one of America's great songwriters."Yes, he is.
@originalchilehed
This is absolutely the saddest song ever written, and the saddest version ever recorded. Brilliant, simply brilliant. "It takes a whole lot of medicine for me to pretend that I'm somebody ese." Just... wow...
@LS1conehead
It is most certainly up there very near the top in the saddest song listings, and IS certainly tops in the open honesty, raw confessional song listings.
But I still have to say that Steve Earle's "Goodbye" is THE numero uno saddest song ever penned, and quite 'confessional' as well. ;)
@Joe_Jacobs
This is a simple, beautiful version with just Mr. Newman and his piano... the way it was written. In my mind, a near perfect song.
@LukeMaynard
He's been working (and getting very well-paid) in Disney composer hell for so long now that it's easy to forget what an unbelievably great songwriter he was and still is. There was such a purity to the work he was doing in 1970 and I wish he'd give us more of it.
@psonderman
One of his best, and the collection is magnificent.