Track Listing

1. Rednecks
2. Birmingham
3. Marie
4. Mr President (Have Pity On The Working Man)
5. Guilty
6. Louisiana 1927
7. Every Man A King
8. Kingfish
9. Naked Man
10. Wedding In Cherokee County
11. Back On My Feet Again
12. Rollin' Marie
13. Johnny Cutler's Birthday Rednecks
14. If We Didn't Have Jesus
15. Birmingham
16. Joke
17. Louisiana
18. My Daddy Knew Dixie Howell
19. Shining
20. Marie
21. Good Morning
22. Birmingham Redux
23. Doctor Doctor
24. Albanian Anthem
25. Rolling

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #68687 in Music
• Released on: 2002-06-10
• Number of discs: 2
• Formats: Original recording reissued, Original recording remastered
• Dimensions: .29 pounds

Amazon.co.uk Review
Randy Newman's 1974 concept album explores the modern contradictions and early 20th century history of the Deep South with his bracing mix of irony, affection, and empathy for twisted psyches and hungry, venal dreams. What sounds like Southern gothic material plays as a virtuosic balancing act between light comedy and political broadside, shivering with moments of unexpected pathos: "Birmingham" is a booster anthem, "A Wedding in Cherokee County" a tableau of dysfunctional romance at once grotesque and touching, "Guilty" a probing confession of addiction, and "Louisiana 1927" a Copeland-esque tragedy of the ravages of that year's historic flood. Capping it all is his classic, double-edged indictment of racism, "Rednecks", which turns the knife back on smug outsiders blind to their own prejudices. --Sam Sutherland

CD Description
Whereas 1972's SAIL AWAY played like a superbly crafted collection of short stories, 1974 's GOOD OLD BOYS was Newman'sfirst novel. The literary analogies are not misplaced--Newman brings a writer's eye to character development, detail, setting, and scenario on GOOD OLD BOYS, a concept album aboutlife in the Deep South. The opening track, "Rednecks", is amercilessly scathing swipe at Southern racism, with a rollicking, sing-along chorus that only sinks the song's knife indeeper. And "A Wedding in Cherokee County" is a lovely ballad about a highly suspect backwoods marriage.
But for every attack on provincialism, Newman offers a tender portrait of a Southern character in the throes of personal turmoil. "Guilty", for example, is a self-destructive man's confessional lament, while "Marie" may be Newman's most heartbreaking and beautiful love song. By inhabiting his characters with uncanny accuracy, Newman achieves a sense of comedy and empathy that might be impossible were he narrating these tales from his own point of view. There are lighter tracks, too, like the good-time "Rolling" and the enigmatic "Naked Man", buteven these are graced with the artist's fine arrangements and ear for melody. Unique, confrontational, and moving, GOODOLD BOYS remains one of Newman's finest achievements.

Customer Reviews

Good old Randy
"Good old boys" is Randy Newman's marvellous 1974 'concept' album about the American South, where Randy himself spent much of his childhood. It sounds fairly similar to his previous album "Sail away" and explores some of the same themes - racism, corrupt government, loneliness, the futility of human existence - but with specific reference to the South. He also instructs us in Southern history with references to Huey P. Long - "Every man a king" and the Mississippi floods of 1927 - "Louisiana 1927" (even more relevant today after Hurricane Katrina), and comments on modern race issues - "Rednecks".

If all this sounds a bit dry, don't worry it's not, the songs all have wonderful sing-along melodies and great settings. Newman obviously has great affection for the South and for every criticism he makes he also points out the great beauty and charm of the place and its people, who are represented by his usual parade of eccentrics and misfits, particularly in "Wedding in Cherokee County". The themes are mainly dealt with on a personal level, as stories relating to one person/family but summing up the whole South, it's like looking through a telescope that scans the whole sweep of the South and then focuses in on one backyard in "Birmingham", Alabama. And it's all filtered through Newman's comic/ironic vision to keep you on your toes and question whether he actually means some of the things he says. He's backed by the cream of LA's session players, including Ry Cooder and John Platania on guitars, Willie Weeks, Red Callender or Russ Titelman on bass and Jim Keltner or Andy Newmark on drums.

This is a truly wonderful record that sounds great and at the same time is very moving and thought provoking. And it also contains probably one of the best songs he has ever written "Guilty", a masterpiece of low key/life understatement.

brilliance, pure brilliance
If you're planning on enjoying some brilliantly crafted classic songs jam-packed with humourous social commentary then 'Good Old Boys' is one of the best places to start looking. This album is a beautiful masterpiece full of tunes that will fill your head and words that will either make you cry or smile.

Take the wonderfully satirical opener 'Rednecks'. Newman's initial doorway to the American South to which the album owes such inspiration. Here the album is packaged alongside the original album of demos Newman set out for the record called 'Johnny Cutler's Birthday'. On this gem of a bonus CD the writer talks and walks us through the concept of the record and describes sights, sounds and atmosphere's of the places he can imagine being the perfect backdrop to his songs.

Dive into the deliciously pretty 'Marie', swim around in the country bop of 'Back On My Feet Again' and float through vivid social imagery of 'Birmingham' and 'Rednecks'. This album is special and manages to capture a true talent at it's peak.

The album features Newman's own orchestral arrangements showing that his bow is perhaps too small for the number of strings he has.

Well worth having in your collection. With this, 'Sail Away' and 'Little Criminal' you'll have everything you need to know about classic intelligent songwriting!

bloody marvellous
Good Old Boys, the zenith of Newman's fine career (so far at least), is an acerbic yet compassionate musical tour of the Deep South. He combines unequivocal condemnation of the bigots that blighted that region for so long with a deep empathy for the people living there - and does so with some of his best ever tunes. In short, a masterpiece of bittersweet songwriting.