21 April : 12 Songs

Already a successful songwriter and well-known in the industry by the time this album was released, Randy Newman nevertheless defies easy classification. As Rolling Stone said at the time, with the possible exception of Van Morrison and Neil Young, no one is writing a more unique and personal music.

Following on from the critical success of Nilsson Sings Newman, 12 Songs was released to more critical acclaim, but only modest commercial impact.

12 Songs is a fine collection of his trademark sardonic vignettes, immaculately performed. Newman’s knowing, insolent drawl skewers racism and misogyny over his insistent piano playing, but sharpening the skewers with wry humour that does nothing to sweeten the blow. Mack Gordon and Harry Revel’s Underneath The Harlem Moon from the 1920s is also on the album, but it could as easily be one of Randy’s own songs. Suzanne, beneath its light musicality, is about a stalker, perhaps a rapist.

It’s an understated classic album.

The album wasn’t a new discovery for me: according to my scribbled note on the inner sleeve, I’ve owned my copy of 12 Songs since February 1980, but for today I listened on Spotify. There are also multiple YouTube playlists.