Randall Stuart "Randy" Newman (born November 28, 1943) is a singer/songwrit… Read Full Bio ↴Randall Stuart "Randy" Newman (born November 28, 1943) is a singer/songwriter, arranger, composer, and pianist who is notable for his mordant (and often satirical) pop songs and for his many film scores.

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.

Old Kentucky Home
Randy Newman Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Turpentine and dandelion wine
I've turned the corner and I'm doin' fine
Shootin' at the birds on the telephone line
Pickin' em off with this gun of mine
I got a fire in my belly
And a fire in my head
Goin' higher and higher
Until I'm dead

Sister Sue, she's short and stout
She didn't grow up - she grew out
Mama says she's plain but she's just bein' kind
Papa thinks she's pretty but he's almost blind
Don't let her out much 'cept at night
But I don't care 'cause I'm all right

Oh, the sun shines bright on
My Old Kentucky Home
And the young folks roll on the floor
Oh, the sun shines bright on
My Old Kentucky Home
Keep them hard times away from my door

Brother Gene, he's big and mean
And he don't have much to say
He had a little woman who he whupped each day
But now she's gone away
He got drunk last night

Kicked mama down the stairs
But I'm all right so I don't care

Overall Meaning

Randy Newman's song "Old Kentucky Home" is a satirical tale of a dysfunctional family in Kentucky. The song starts with the singer, presumably a young boy, boasting about his shooting skills, and how he has turned his life around. He then introduces his sister, Sue, whom he believes is physically unattractive. The song then introduces Brother Gene, a violent alcoholic who abuses his wife and mother.

The chorus of the song talks about the beauty of Kentucky and how people can forget their troubles by dancing and singing. This chorus suggests that even though the family in the song might have troubles, they can forget them temporarily by participating in the community. The song is written in a sarcastic tone, with the singer painting a grim picture of life in Kentucky without coming off as condescending.

The lyrics of "Old Kentucky Home" are both amusing and saddening simultaneously. The song paints a picture of poverty and violence in a rural area of the United States. Despite the despair and sadness of this song, Newman reminds us of the power of music and community to help us forget our troubles.

Line by Line Meaning

Turpentine and dandelion wine
I am moving forward in life and everything is good, but it wasn't always great. I thought things would always be bad - like drinking turpentine and dandelion wine - but I got over it.

I've turned the corner and I'm doin' fine
Now that I've managed to turn things around, my life is comparatively better, and I'm doing reasonably well.

Shootin' at the birds on the telephone line
I am killing time by shooting at birds perched on telephone lines. It's an effortless yet mind-numbing way to pass the time.

Pickin' em off with this gun of mine
I'm using my trusty firearm to take care of the birds. It's a simple way to pass the time in a quasi-lethal, quasi-amusing way.

I got a fire in my belly
I am imbued with a burning passion that drives me forward and makes me feel great.

And a fire in my head
Along with a fire in my belly, I've also got a fire in my head. This fiery drive propels me towards greater goals in life.

Goin' higher and higher
Each day, I am growing more ambitious and more capable to accomplish my goals, which will, in turn, help me achieve great success in the future.

Until I'm dead
I refuse to stop chasing my dreams until the day I die. Even after that, I believe in leaving a lasting impact on the world.

Sister Sue, she's short and stout
My sister, Sue, is a plump and small lady who is always by my side. While other people may judge her for her appearance, I value her as a person and cherish our bond.

She didn't grow up - she grew out
My sister was not particularly ambitious in growing up because all she wanted to do was enjoy life and indulge in good food. It made her grow wider, not taller.

Mama says she's plain but she's just bein' kind
Mother thinks of Sue as average, but it is just a sweet way of saying she is unique.

Papa thinks she's pretty but he's almost blind
Pops is fond of Sue and believes she is beautiful, regardless of her size, even if he is getting old and borderline blind.

Don't let her out much 'cept at night
Due to the societal pressure of appearing fit and healthy, my sister rarely goes out during the day. She, however, savors the night-time and only goes outside during that time.

But I don't care 'cause I'm all right
But I don't care because I am her brother and love her for who she is, regardless of the way she looks. Even if the society peers too much, me and Sue are okay as we are.

Oh, the sun shines bright on
It's a brilliant day outside, and the sunshine is piercing through the darkness to guide everyone towards better days.

My Old Kentucky Home
It feels good to be home, and I cherish every moment I spend here, surrounded by my loved ones and everything familiar.

And the young folks roll on the floor
The younger generations are happy, vibrant, and full of life, and they're all dancing and having fun around me.

Keep them hard times away from my door
I pray for the hard times to stay away from my family and me. I want us to be happy protected from the pain and suffering that life can bring.

Brother Gene, he's big and mean
Gene, my brother, is a mean-spirited, physically large man who I have trouble staying on good terms with.

And he don't have much to say
Although he doesn't talk much, as he is often smothered with anger and negative thoughts in his thoughts.

He had a little woman who he whupped each day
Gene was married to a woman he would regularly abuse verbally and physically whenever he was in one of those moods.

But now she's gone away
She eventually managed to escape his brutality, and now she is no longer with us. It remains a secret burden in Gene’s life.

He got drunk last night
Gene was inebriated just the other night.

Kicked mama down the stairs
I felt tremendous anger when he made an irrational decision to kick our Mom down the stairs. I felt like avenging her.

But I'm all right so I don't care
Everyone else might be deeply affected by Gene's actions. But I'm fine and in complete control of my emotions, so it doesn't matter to me.

Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: RANDY NEWMAN

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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