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.
My Country
Randy Newman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When a phone call cost a dime
In New Orleans, just a nickel
Turn back the hands of time
Turn back the hands of time
Picture a room with a window
A sofa and some chairs
Picture a woman
Two children seated
A man lying there
Their faces softly glowing in the light
This is my country
These are my people
This is the world I understand
This is my country
These are my people
And I know 'em like the back of my own hand
If we had something to say we'd bounce it off the screen
We were watching and we couldn't look away
We all know what we look like, you know what I mean
We wouldn't have had it any other way
We got comedy, tragedy
Ev'rything from A to be
Watching other people living
Seeing other people play
Having other people's voices fill our minds
Thank you, Jesus
Feelings might go unexpressed
I think that's prob'ly for the best
Dig too deep, who knows what you will find
This is my country, those were my people
Theirs was the world I understand
Picture a room, no window
A door that leads outside
A man lying on a blanket on the floor
Picture his three grown boys behind him
Bouncing words off of a screen
Of a television big as all outdoors
Now your children are your children
Even when they're grown
When they speak to you
You got to listen to what they have to say
But they all live alone now
They have TVs of their own
But they keep on coming over anyway
And much as I love them
I'm always kind of glad when they go away
This is my country
These are my people
This is the world I understand
This is my country
These are my people
And I know 'em like the back of my own hand
I know 'em like the back of my own hand
The song "My Country" by Randy Newman has a nostalgic tone to it as it harks back to a simpler past. The lyrics paint a picture of a family in their living room watching television together, enjoying the "comedy, tragedy, everything from A to B." The singer reminisces about a time when a phone call cost a dime, and turning back the hands of time is a recurring theme throughout the song. The second verse describes a similar scene, but this time with an absent father and grown sons bouncing words off of a television screen. The final verse brings the listener back to the present day, where the singer reflects on his grown children who now have their own TVs but still come to visit.
At its core, "My Country" is a song about nostalgia and the passage of time. The singer longs for the days when things were simpler and everyone gathered around the television together. It's a song about the importance of family and how even though time may pass and circumstances may change, our connections to those we love remain strong. By the end of the song, the singer has come to accept that things will never be the same as they were in the past, but the memories and the love for his country and his people remain.
Line by Line Meaning
Let's go back to yesterday
Let's imagine a time when things were simpler and easier
When a phone call cost a dime
When communication was cheaper and more accessible
In New Orleans, just a nickel
Communication was even cheaper in some places
Turn back the hands of time
Longing for a simpler, easier time
Picture a room with a window
Imagine a typical living room
A sofa and some chairs
The typical furniture in a living room
A television turned on for the night
The main source of entertainment for the family
Picture a woman
Imagine the mother figure
Two children seated
The children are sitting together
A man lying there
The father figure is lying down, perhaps resting or sick
Their faces softly glowing in the light
The television is casting a soft light on their faces
This is my country
Describing the family and their way of life
These are my people
Describing the family and their connections to each other
This is the world I understand
The family's way of life and routine
If we had something to say we'd bounce it off the screen
Watching television was a big part of their communication with each other
We were watching and we couldn't look away
Television was captivating and held their attention
We all know what we look like, you know what I mean
They were all familiar with each other's behaviors and personalities
We wouldn't have had it any other way
The family's routine and way of life felt comfortable and natural to them
We got comedy, tragedy
Television provided a range of emotions and stories
Ev'rything from A to be
Television offered a wide variety of programming
Watching other people living
Television allowed them to observe and learn about others
Seeing other people play
Television provided entertainment and relaxation
Having other people's voices fill our minds
Television had a strong influence on their thoughts and perspectives
Thank you, Jesus
Perhaps gratitude for the comfort and entertainment television provided
Feelings might go unexpressed
Some emotions or thoughts may not have been shared or discussed
I think that's prob'ly for the best
Perhaps keeping some things unsaid helped maintain family harmony
Dig too deep, who knows what you will find
Exploring deeper emotions or issues may have been risky or unsettling
This is my country, those were my people
Reflecting on the past and the family's way of life
Theirs was the world I understand
The family's world view was shaped by their experiences and routines
Picture a room, no window
Imagining a different setting, perhaps a more confined space
A door that leads outside
The only access to the outside world
A man lying on a blanket on the floor
Imagining a less comfortable living situation
Picture his three grown boys behind him
Imagining the next generation of the family
Bouncing words off of a screen
Imagining that even the next generation is still using television as a way to communicate
Of a television big as all outdoors
An exaggerated description of a large television
Now your children are your children
Their children will always be their children and hold a special place in their hearts
Even when they're grown
Regardless of age or independence
When they speak to you
When the children communicate with their parents
You got to listen to what they have to say
The importance of communication and listening within the family
But they all live alone now
The children are now living independently
They have TVs of their own
The next generation is also using television as a source of entertainment and communication
But they keep on coming over anyway
Despite having their own homes and TVs, the children still value spending time with their parents and family
And much as I love them
The singer loves their children deeply
I'm always kind of glad when they go away
Perhaps expressing the bittersweet feelings of seeing their children leave after a visit
This is my country
Reflecting on the family's past and present
These are my people
Emphasizing the importance of family and connections
And I know 'em like the back of my own hand
The strong familiarity and understanding the singer has of their family and way of life
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: RANDY NEWMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind