Newman's 'Few Words' Stir Furor (on YouTube)

[Swamp Rat]

I came across this article in the 'Living' section of the New Orleans Times Picayune yesterday. I find it humorous on a few different levels, for example: an article that discussed message board comments in a printed newspaper column. :rofl:

________________________________

Newman's 'Few Words' Stir Furor
By Douglas Lytle

Feb. 20 (Bloomberg) -- Randy Newman's song "A Few Words in Defense of Our Country'' has sparked an online catfight on YouTube.com and iTunes, with some listeners calling the singer- songwriter a "blowhard'' and telling him to get lost.

(snip)

Newman addresses the song to Europeans, who he says show no respect for Americans. He replies "to their scorn'' with words that recall centuries of European empire-building and monstrous rulers including Hitler and Stalin.

(snip)

Anyone familiar with Newman's jibes knows this is no sop to President George W. Bush. "The end of an empire is messy at best,'' he sing-speaks. "And this empire is ending/Like all the rest/Like the Spanish Armada adrift on the sea/We're adrift in the land of the brave/And the home of the free.''

(snip)

"I just burned my Toy Story soundtrack you incompetent blowhard,'' writes someone who goes by the handle "Earthwirm'' (sic) and is offended by Newman's attack on Italians and African-Americans.

Others accuse Newman of being un-American and advise him to leave. "I for one would be happy if he never came back,'' says "RyanBaruch.''

------------------------
To contact the writer of this review: Douglas Lytle at [e-mail]

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=a2N1xaOFrSWI#
------------------------



Randy Newman!:loveya:

Edit: See Post #5

[Ian David]

1. Randy Newman rocks!

Be sure to look up his songs, "God's Song" and "Political Science."

[Hissyspit]

2. Thanks, Swamp Rat. I did not know about that song. Seems Newman has gotten a bit of his old

snarky self back. Good for him.

[John Q. Citizen]

3. We're rednecks, we're rednecks,

We don't know our assholes from a hole in the ground!.....


Randy's guilty, he's guilty, and he'll be guilty for the rest of his life.

Why can't he do what he's supposed to do?

How come everything he tries never works out right?

[Bronyraurus]

4. I adore Randy Newman

You can never take his songs literally, unless you want to believe that he hates short people, wants Africans to come to the US as slaves, wants to nuke the rest of the world except for Australia, and wants his women to leave their hats on. I guess that last one is okay, but still weird.

[Hissyspit]

5. Rate up the YouTube video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OldToIF5ZGs

[Swamp Rat]

6. Thanks! I was going to post that, but got stuck listening to the song over and over...

:D

:kick:

[WiseButAngrySara]

7. Here are the lyrics! This was great Swamp Rat!

http://www.commondreams.org/views07/0124-26.htm

Published on Wednesday, January 24, 2007 by the New York Times
State of the Union: Another Take
by Randy Newman

Randy Newman, the singer, songwriter and composer, performed this song at Carnegie Hall in 2006. It will be released soon online. This is an abridged version.

A Few Words in Defense of Our Country

By Randy Newman

I’d like to say a few words
In defense of our country
Whose people aren’t bad nor are they mean

Now the leaders we have
While they’re the worst that we’ve had
Are hardly the worst this poor world has seen
Let’s turn history’s pages, shall we?

Take the Caesars for example
Why within the first few of them
They had split Gaul into three parts
Fed the Christians to the lions
And burned down the City

And one of ’em
Appointed his own horse Consul of the Empire
That’s like vice president or something
That’s not a very good example, is it?

But wait, here’s one, the Spanish Inquisition
They put people in a terrible position
I don’t even like to think about it
Well, sometimes I like to think about it

Just a few words in defense of our country
Whose time at the top
Could be coming to an end
Now we don’t want their love
And respect at this point is pretty much out of the question
But in times like these
We sure could use a friend

Hitler. Stalin.
Men who need no introduction
King Leopold of Belgium. That’s right.
Everyone thinks he’s so great
Well he owned The Congo
He tore it up too
He took the diamonds, he took the gold
He took the silver
Know what he left them with?
Malaria

A president once said,
“The only thing we have to fear is fear itself”
Now it seems like we’re supposed to be afraid
It’s patriotic in fact and color coded
And what are we supposed to be afraid of?
Why, of being afraid
That’s what terror means, doesn’t it?
That’s what it used to mean

The end of an empire is messy at best
And this empire is ending
Like all the rest
Like the Spanish Armada adrift on the sea
We’re adrift in the land of the brave
And the home of the free

Goodbye. Goodbye. Goodbye.

[Swamp Rat]

8. Excellent! ... thanks!

:hi:

[WiseButAngrySara]

9. Swamp Rat, this image is what I've been trying to design

for a LONG time! M peach W LOL! It is perfectly peachy keen!

:yourock:

[Swamp Rat]

10. Here's a large version that can be used as a desktop image:

:)

[WiseButAngrySara]

11. This is too cool! How do I use it for desktop? I've already

copied your other image to My photo file... Hope that's OK with you.

[Swamp Rat]

12. yep

:)

As for setting it as your desktop, if you use a Mac, you change it in the "System Preferences" under "Desktop and Screen Saver." Other systems are similar, but I am not familiar with the OS-specific jargon.

[WiseButAngrySara]

13. Thanks again! This is too cool. As is the original OP! ....n/t

[havocmom]

14. if you are using a PC with windows, save image, open in, right click

and a menu will (hopefully ;)) open offering things which will likely include something along the line of:
set as wallpaper
or
Set as desktop background.

That should do 'er. :hi:

It's cool. Swampy's graphics rock! :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[WiseButAngrySara]

16. Thank you havocmom! I do have windows.

And Swamp Rat :yourock: !

:hi: and thanks again!

[pitohui]

18. that's an abridged version all right

i defy you to find two italians as tight-assed as our two italians

[WiseButAngrySara]

19. LOL! I forgot that line, but it's in the song. I guess I should

have looked for an unabridged.

[WiseButAngrySara]

15. While I was at YouTube I had to listen to him singing

Louisiana, and I knew I'd end up crying ... but I didn't realize how much. That song brings back all the agonies of Katrina, and it is noted in many of the comments that follow. I decided to post this also, as a tribute to Newman. Interesting history in the lyrics which I have italicized. I had no idea of this historical connection! Are these speculations historically accurate do you think?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2KtEzSJh34&mode=related&search=

RANDY NEWMAN
Louisiana 1927

By Randy Newman | September 7, 2005

THE LYRICS, by singer/songwriter Randy Newman, tell the story of the Louisiana flood of 1927, which killed hundreds and displaced hundreds of thousands across six states. The disaster is credited with sparking one of the great voting movements of the 20th century -- the shift in Southern black allegiance from the Republican to the Democratic Party -- and with spurring the New Deal politics of big government. Will history repeat? {His/her question, not mine}

What has happened down here is the winds have changed
Clouds roll in from the north and it started to rain
Rained real hard and it rained for a real long time
Six feet of water in the streets of Evangeline

The river rose all day
The river rose all night
Some people got lost in the flood
Some people got away alright
The river have busted through clear down to Plaquemines
Six feet of water in the streets of Evangeline

Louisiana, Louisiana
They're tryin' to wash us away
They're tryin' to wash us away
Louisiana, Louisiana
They're tryin' to wash us away
They're tryin' to wash us away

President Coolidge came down in a railroad train
With a little fat man with a note-pad in his hand
The president say, ''Little fat man isn't it a shame
What the river has done to this poor crackers land."

Louisiana, Louisiana
They're tryin' to wash us away
They're tryin' to wash us away
Louisiana, Louisiana
They're tryin' to wash us away
They're tryin' to wash us away
They're tryin' to wash us away
They're tryin' to wash us away

Words and music by Randy Newman. Used by permission.

[intheflow]

17. This is a great song.

I'd forgotten it. Going to iTunes now to download it.

[WiseButAngrySara]

20. Very moving, especially post Katrina! ....n/t

[Jacobin]

21. I love his lyrics

His predictions ring true to me.

And my all time favorite song: "Louisiana"

[Swamp Rat]

22. Me too

[WiseButAngrySara]

25. The link to Louisiana is in post #15. I must have listened to it

10 times today...

[EFerrari]

23. More room for you, more room for me.

South America stole our name --

:rofl:

K&R

:loveya:

[JackRiddler]

24. Now here's a great little song Randy Newman called "Political Science"

But when I did a little cover version a couple of years ago, I gave it two additional titles, one of which was "Project for a New American Century."

Or, if you prefer:
SONG FOR RUMSFELD

a.k.a. "Political Science" copyright Randy Newman 1971
(yes 1971 - the man is a prophet)
with minor stage directions by moi.

(Now imagine someone doing this as Rumsfeld - with the Rumsfeldian body language - speaking the first paragraph)

No one likes us - I don't know why
We may not be perfect - but heaven knows we try
But everywhere - even our old friends let us down
(Pause to mull...)
Let's drop the big one - see what happens...

(Now sing it...)

We give them money - are they grateful?
No! They're spiteful, and they're hateful
They don't respect us, so let's surprise them
We'll drop the big one - pulverize them.

Asia's too crowded - Europe's too old!
Africa is far too hot and Canada's too cold
And South America stole our name -
We'll drop the big one, send'em back where they came from

(Pauses - has an idea: "We'll save Australia!" Begins to march, salutes and sings to the beat)

We'll save Australia - don't want to hurt no kangaroo
We'll turn it into an all-American amusement park - They got surfing too!
Oh!

Boom goes Baghdad - Boom Paree*
(Rummy pauses and comments: "Oh! I like that!")
Boom goes New York - Boom Beijing!
More room for you and more room for me!

And every city, the whole world round
Will just be another - American town!
Oh how peaceful it will be - We'll make everybody free
Japanese kimono for you babe - Italian shoes for me!

(Rummy speaks: "They all hate us anyhow!")

They all hate us anyhow - so let's drop the big one now
Let's drop the big one now!

---

(*Original is boom goes London-boom Paree and does not have the subsequent line)

[Swamp Rat]

26. That's one of my all-time favorites!

I saw him sing that in Snug Harbor (jazz club on Frenchment St., near the French Quarter) a few years back. Randy is the cousin of a very good friend.... man, I hope I get to meet him someday. :)

[WiseButAngrySara]

27. Here are some YouTube links of him performing Poli Sci..

You're right, how prophetic! (But Rummie and the BFEE were around then too.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Vb0Mu0mhlw
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8U2HZkHWTTg&mode=related&search=
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xm8_6h19Co&mode=related&search=

[EFerrari]

28. Thank you, Sara!

I LOVE watching and listening to him. :hi:

[WiseButAngrySara]

29. So do I! I've been listening to him all evening as a result of

this post. His poetic irony is awesome. My all time fav is Louisiana tho, and that's not irony.

[Swamp Rat]

30. LOL!!!!!!

Sorry! :D

[WiseButAngrySara]

31. Thank you again! I'm buying every CD he's made tomorrow! ...n/t

[Swamp Rat]

32. If I ever get to meet him I'll ask for a commission

:D

[WiseButAngrySara]

33. Go for it! Maybe he will commission you for artwork for

his CD's! I hope you meet him soon. Does he live in NOLA?

[Swamp Rat]

34. No, but his cousin does.

I played classical guitar at a couple of her parties and was hopping one day to jam with Randy... if he happened to drop in. :D

I keep missing him when he is in town, like during Mardi Gras, when I am too busy playing gigs. ;)

[WiseButAngrySara]

35. Wow, you are really multi-talented! Art, music, and don't you

speak several languages? I so hope you get to meet him!