Bad Love (Randy Newman album)
Encyclopedia
Bad Love is the tenth studio album by American
singer-songwriter
Randy Newman
released 1999. It was Newman's first solo album since 1988s Land of Dreams
and followed an 11-year hiatus during which Newman had focused on film soundtracks, receiving several Academy Award nominations.
It received generally positive reviews from critics. Scott Manzler stated "Bad Love ultimately falls short of Newman's early '70s masterworks," while Allmusic stated the songs on Bad Love "should rest comfortably alongside his other four-star offerings."
The album finds Newman bitter and satirical - as "biting as ever, yet unafraid to tackle personal and heartfelt concerns" - in stark contrast to some of his film scores. Newman tackles issues such as the state of American culture in "My Country" which chronicles suburbia's growing dependence on television, and "The World Isn’t Fair" which takes a look at the world through the eyes of Karl Marx
. He also looks at aging - "Shame" takes a negative look at an "older man courting a younger woman" via the barbed lyrics and an exchange between the lead vocalist and the backing singer. "I’m Dead (But I Don't Know It)" is more self referential in dealing with aging rock stars a kicking and commenting: "Everything I write sounds the same / Each record that I’m making / Is like a record that I’ve made / Just not as good".
"Every Time It Rains" was composed for Michael Jackson
but Jackson declined to record the song.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
Randy Newman
Randy Newman
Randall Stuart "Randy" Newman is an American singer-songwriter, arranger, composer, and pianist who is known for his mordant pop songs and for film scores....
released 1999. It was Newman's first solo album since 1988s Land of Dreams
Land of Dreams
Land of Dreams is a 1988 album by Randy Newman full of vignettes of his childhood in New Orleans. The most well-known song on the album is "It's Money That Matters", which rose to the top of the Mainstream Rock chart for two weeks, to become Newman's only number one hit on any U.S...
and followed an 11-year hiatus during which Newman had focused on film soundtracks, receiving several Academy Award nominations.
It received generally positive reviews from critics. Scott Manzler stated "Bad Love ultimately falls short of Newman's early '70s masterworks," while Allmusic stated the songs on Bad Love "should rest comfortably alongside his other four-star offerings."
The album finds Newman bitter and satirical - as "biting as ever, yet unafraid to tackle personal and heartfelt concerns" - in stark contrast to some of his film scores. Newman tackles issues such as the state of American culture in "My Country" which chronicles suburbia's growing dependence on television, and "The World Isn’t Fair" which takes a look at the world through the eyes of Karl Marx
Karl Marx
Karl Heinrich Marx was a German philosopher, economist, sociologist, historian, journalist, and revolutionary socialist. His ideas played a significant role in the development of social science and the socialist political movement...
. He also looks at aging - "Shame" takes a negative look at an "older man courting a younger woman" via the barbed lyrics and an exchange between the lead vocalist and the backing singer. "I’m Dead (But I Don't Know It)" is more self referential in dealing with aging rock stars a kicking and commenting: "Everything I write sounds the same / Each record that I’m making / Is like a record that I’ve made / Just not as good".
"Every Time It Rains" was composed for Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
but Jackson declined to record the song.
Track listing
All tracks written by Randy Newman- "My Country" - 5.40
- "Shame" - 4.54
- "I'm Dead (But I Don't Know It)" - 3.25
- "Every Time It Rains" - 3.33
- "The Great Nations of Europe" - 3.26
- "The One You Love" - 3.39
- "The World Isn't Fair" - 2.44
- "Big Hat, No Cattle" - 4.24
- "Better Off Dead" - 4.03
- "I Miss You" - 3.55
- "Going Home" - 2.06
- "I Want Everyone To Like Me" - 2.59
Personnel
Randy Newman - vocals, piano- Steve Donnelly - guitar
- Greg LeiszGreg LeiszGreg Leisz is an American multi-instrumentalist, playing lap and pedal steel guitars, guitar, mandolin, and bass.- Biography :Leisz was influenced early on by the Byrds and Flying Burrito Brothers, especially pedal steel player "Sneaky" Pete Kleinow...
- pedal steel guitar - Brandon FieldsBrandon FieldsBrandon David Fields is an American football punter for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Dolphins in the seventh round in the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Michigan State.-Early years:Fields attended St. John's Jesuit High School in Toledo,...
- saxophone - Martin Krystall - saxophone
- Jack NimitzJack NimitzJack Nimitz was an American jazz baritone saxophonist.He played in a variety of genres including jazz and rock...
- saxophone - Brian Scanlon - saxophone
- Tom ScottTom Scott (musician)Tom Scott is an American saxophonist, composer, arranger, conductor and bandleader of the west coast jazz/jazz fusion ensemble The L.A. Express.-Biography:Scott was born in Los Angeles, California...
- saxophone - Stu Blumberg - trumpet
- Oscar BrashearOscar BrashearOscar Brashear is an American jazz trumpeter and session musician.After studying at DuSable High School he worked briefly with Woody Herman before going on to join Count Basie '68-9, returning to freelance in Chicago with Sonny Stitt, Gene Ammons, Dexter Gordon and James Moody...
- trumpet - Bruce FowlerBruce FowlerBruce Lambourne Fowler is a prominent American trombone player and composer. He notably played trombone on many Frank Zappa records, as well as with Captain Beefheart, and in the Fowler Brothers Band...
- trombone - George Thatcher - trombone
- James Self - tuba
- Mitchell FroomMitchell Froom-Career:Froom began his career as a keyboard player in Sonoma County, California. The band Crossfire featured two keyboards players; Mitchell on one side of the stage and brother David on the other with Gary Pihl on guitar...
- keyboards - Greg CohenGreg CohenA native of Los Angeles, bassist Greg Cohen has been playing in various acclaimed music groups since the '60s. He is perhaps best known for his work with John Zorn's Masada quartet; more recently he has been touring with Ornette Coleman, and performed on Coleman's much-praised Sound Grammar...
- bass - Pete ThomasPete ThomasPete Thomas is best known as the longtime drummer for Elvis Costello. Tom Waits has referred to him as "one of the best rock drummers alive".-Career:...
- drums - Carmen Carter, Donna Davidson, Linda Harmon, Scottie Haskell, Luana Jackman, Teresa James, Melissa Mackay, Kate Markowitz, Bobbi Page, Sally Stevens-Eskew, Carmen Twillie, Terry Wood, Herb PedersenHerb PedersenHerb Pedersen is an American musician, guitarist, banjo player, and singer-songwriter who has played a variety of musical styles over the past forty years including country, bluegrass, progressive bluegrass, folk, folk rock, country rock, and has worked with numerous musicians in many different...
- background vocals