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Little Criminals

Randy Newman - Little Criminals Audio CD

A fair review of the Randy Newman "Little Criminals" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all Randy Newman reviews here, or go back to the Randy Newman tabs.

Band: Randy Newman
Title: Little Criminals
Rating:

Release Date: 1990-10-25
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Short People 2: You Can't Fool the Fat Man 3: Little Criminals 4: Texas Girl at the Funeral of Her Father 5: Jolly Coppers on Parade 6: In Germany Before the War 7: Sigmund Freud's Impersonation of Albert Einstein in American 8: Baltimore 9: I'll Be Home 10: Rider in the Rain 11: Kathleen (Catholicism Made Easier) 12: Old Man on the Farm

Randy Newman - Little C riminals
Randy recorded with the Eagles, although they are only credited individually, possibly for contractual reasons. I'm a long time avid fan of Randy Newman, and this cd I found most enjoyable.
The hit song Short People is pretty catchy. It was controversial because not every listener discerned its satirical message. The cd also has songs with amusing stories and upbeat melodies. I found "Texas Girl at the Funeral of her Father" very touching. .

Short People, tall album
I am a huge Randy Newman fan, and believe it or not, I used to dislike music! Hard for me to believe. I've had this CD for a few years now and it's about time that I reviewed it. But one day my Dad suggested Randy Newman as an anticdote; he brought home the Good Old Boys album, and I've been hooked ever since. I soo began searching out other Newman albums and later bought this one. Now I think all of his albums are great because they all have something new and different to offer, but if you're familiar with Randy Newman, then you have to admit that this is one of his really good ones.

It's balanced very well in terms of fast-paced, slow-paced mix and it has a lot of material on it, probably the second best remembered Newman album out there (next to Good Old Boys of course, however infamous you may think it was). And who can forget "Short People"? As Newman describes in his liner notes, "I just needed a tune-up from 'Little Criminals'" And whether you like it or not, you have to admit that it's a very catchy tune, maybe that's why some people didn't like it so much! If you haven't heard it, then you should at least listen to it once. A real gem. While attention has always gravitated towards his generally accepted works like "I Love L. A. " or "Mama Told Me Not to Come" (made famous by Three Dog Night), Randy's albums have always been packed with little hidden nuggets, some even unheard of like next's "You Can't Fool the Fat Man". This is a kind of funny piece of work as are most of the man's songs. Another catchy tune from a great songwriter. The title track, "Little Criminals", is good as expected but ultimately overshadowed by some superior songwriting to come, like for instance, "Texas Girl at the Funeral of her Father". This is a truly beautiful song, kind of like his "Marie" was. Personally I think it's better. "Jolly Coppers on Parade" has always been my favorite here and I don't honestly know why, but it is another great song. It just seems to 'work'. "In Germany Before the War" is pretty well known if you keep up with Randy. It's slow, and really paints a picture for the listener. "Sigmund Freud's Impersonation of Albert Einstein in America" is, as the title would suggest, a witty little song. I just love how Randy always pairs serious music with funny lyrics. His trademark. Now "Baltimore" is a really good song. You won't hear it in the sample but there is a very nice, smooth transition from Randy's piano chords into a building backup, and soon chorus. This is a finely arranged song. I'll Be Home" is one that will be included on a Randy Newman Greatest Hits CD, and worthy of it! Really heartfelt and beautiful. "Rider in the Rain" is perhapse a slight deviation from the general feel of the album. Every now and then, Randy likes to turn a little bit western, and he does it well here as usual. Winding down is "Kathleen" (or "Catholicisim Made Easier"). Not a track to be taken into the spotlight but not bad. The same is with "Old Man on the Farm". These are just two more unknowns from the wealth of Randy Newman, you may or may not like them.

Although this album will probably always be synonamous with "Short People", it has a lot more to offer. Discover yet another chapter in the world of Randy Newman, one that I'm sure you will appreciate if you love the man like I do.

Little Criminals
(I had gotten it because there was a song he wrote on another album that was on it). This came quickly, in good shape, but it turned out I didn't really care for Randy anymore.

(I gave it to Goodwill).

Blessings to Amazon, who offers an opportunity to try things!.

The Master of Irony Comes Good
From the haunting 12 Songs through his bitterly funny tales of the deep south on Good Old Boys to Little Criminals he tells complex, surprising tales of ordinary Americana. Randy Newman is proof - and proof IS needed - that Americans have a sense of irony. Little Criminals is an almost perfect showcase of his talent: from the poignant shards of songs like Texas Girl at The Funeral of Her Father and Old Man on the Farm, to the rollicking bravura of underworld fools of the title song and You Can't Fool the Fat Man. The ironic undercurrent of the gorgeously naive Jolly Coppers on Parade is wondrous, but for me, the highlight is the American anthem he provides in Sigmund Freud's Imprestonation of Albert Einstein in America. which includes the haunting, hilarious, hearbreaking lines:
Americans dream of gypsies I have found/
Gypsy knives and gypsy thighs that pound/
and pound and pound and pound/
African appendages that almost reach the ground/
And little boys playing baseball in the Rain.

A Lesson on Cultural Diversity
It focuses on the best-known of the album's songs, "Short People. This review is a collaborative writing project completed by a section of "Cultural Diversity" students at the University of Phoenix in beautiful Colorado Springs, Colorado. "

We find "Short People" to have a catchy tune--as one class member puts it, "happy-snappy, but tacky. " Another student exclaims, "It would be a wonderful theme song to a sit-com. "

We believe that our instructor introduced us to this song because "it has to do with cultural diversity in the genetic department," which is right next to garden supplies, in Aisle 3A. If one listens closely to the words, he or she may discover that "Short People" advocates tolerance and acceptance. "

Overall assessment: six thumbs up!.

You can see a complete list of all Randy Newman discography, or go back to the Randy Newman tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.