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.
Suzanne
Randy Newman Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In a telephone booth
And it told all about you, mama
Boy, I hope it was the truth
I took down your number
Looked up your address, Sue
And I was hopin' that maybe
I'm gonna wait in the shadows
For you to come by
I'm gonna wait in the shadows
For you to come by
And then I'll jump from the shadows
And try and catch your eye
Gonna run my fingers through your hair
And love you everywhere
Now I don't want to get too romantic
That's just not my way
But when I get my arms around you
I'm gonna rock you all the night
Gonna rock you all the day
Suzanne, you won't know it but I'll be behind you
Don't try and run away from me, little girl
Wherever you go I'll find you
And when you go to the pictures
And I know you do
Don't take no one with you
'Cause I'll be there, too
Suzanne
In Randy Newman's "Suzanne," the singer confesses his love for a woman named Sue. He saw her name in a telephone booth and read about her, hoping that what he read was true. He then took down her number and address, hoping for her love in return. The singer plans to wait in the shadows until Sue comes by, and then he will jump out and try to catch her eye. He wants to love her everywhere and rock her day and night. He confesses that he will follow her wherever she goes, even to the movies, and he promises that she won't even know he's there.
Newman's "Suzanne" is a song about longing and infatuation. The lyrics depict a man who is hopelessly in love and willing to do anything to win the affection of the woman he desires. The singer's obsession borders on creepy, as he plans to follow the woman, even to the movies. He is confident in his ability to win her over, but it is unclear whether or not Sue even knows who he is.
Line by Line Meaning
I saw your name, baby
I saw your name written in a public phone booth
In a telephone booth
The location where I saw your name
And it told all about you, mama
Your name gave me a clue about you
Boy, I hope it was the truth
I wish the information about you was accurate
I took down your number
I wrote down your phone number
Looked up your address, Sue
I searched for your address, Suzanne
And I was hopin' that maybe
I was hoping that there was a chance
You could love me, too
That you could reciprocate my feelings
I'm gonna wait in the shadows
I will patiently wait in the dark
For you to come by
For you to pass by
And then I'll jump from the shadows
I will suddenly emerge from the hidden place
And try and catch your eye
I will make sure you notice me
Gonna run my fingers through your hair
I will touch your hair affectionately
And love you everywhere
I will express my love for you in any way I can
Now I don't want to get too romantic
I do not want to appear overly sentimental
That's just not my way
It's not my style
But when I get my arms around you
When I hold you close to me
I'm gonna rock you all the night
I will make love to you all night long
Gonna rock you all the day
I will keep loving you throughout the day
Suzanne, you won't know it but I'll be behind you
You are unaware of my presence, but I will be following you
Don't try and run away from me, little girl
You should not try to escape from me, young woman
Wherever you go I'll find you
I will always be able to locate you
And when you go to the pictures
When you go to the cinema
And I know you do
I am certain that you do
Don't take no one with you
Do not bring anyone with you
'Cause I'll be there, too
Because I will also be there
Suzanne
The woman that the song is dedicated to
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: RANDY NEWMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind