"I loved you the first time I saw you / And I always will love you, Marie."

Have I talked about Randy Newman?  Yes, no, maybe?  Well, if not, it's time, my friends (four commas in one sentence?!).  (And then four punctuation marks?!)  (Edit:  Um, aka 3 commas.  I'm a freakin' music major, shut up.)

I love Randy Newman.  Not like.  Love.  I would tell Randy Newman I am in love with him, it's that serious.  I realize lots of people enjoy making fun o' the Newman--yes, yes, I understand, he has a silly voice--but his songs!  His orchestration!  His amazing talent!

Now here's why I suck:  I honestly only have one Randy Newman album, and oh dear... it's a "Best Of," which of course makes me a giant poseur.  It won't stop me from raving about him!  Based on everything I've heard, I think Randy Newman is one of my favorite songwriters of all time.  (A brief High Fidelity moment:   My Top 3 Songwriters:  Ben Folds, Randy Newman, Paul Simon.  In no order.)  I'm pretty positive I'm one of about maybe 14 people in their early twenties who enjoy Randy Newman, and I think that's a shame.  I bring to you two songs I can't stop listening to, "Marie," and one whose premise is just amazing and whose execution is equally so, "Sail Away."  (Furthermore, I freaking love the orchestration in the opening of Sail Away; nerd that I am, I plan on breaking it down soon and figuring out how to replicate that sound.)

Marie

Randy Newman

Sail Away

Randy Newman