Bad Love (Randy Newman album)

Infobox Album | Name = Bad Love
Type = Album
Artist = Randy Newman


Released = July 1 1999
Recorded = Recorded at Sunset Sound Factory & Capitol Studios, Hollywood, California
Genre = Rock
Length =
Label = Dreamworks
Producer = Mitchell Froom Tchad Blake
Reviews =
*Allmusic Rating|3.5|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:lj9us30la3pg]
*"Rolling Stone" Rating|3.5|5 [http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/randynewman/albums/album/165247/review/5942214/bad_love link]
Last album = ""
(1998)
This album = "Bad Love"
(1999)
Next album = "The Randy Newman Songbook Vol. 1"
(2003) |

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.

Whilst warmly received by critics, it was felt that it was not quite a return to form. Scott Manzler stated "Bad Love" ultimately falls short of Newman's early '70s masterworks" [Review by Scott Manzler at [http://www.nudeasthenews.com/reviews/395 nudeasthenews.com] ] while Allmusic stated the songs on "Bad Love" "should rest comfortably alongside his other four-star offerings" [Review by Denise Sullivan at [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:lj9us30la3pg All Music Guide] ] .

The album finds Newman bitter and satirical - as "biting as ever, yet unafraid to tackle personal and heartfelt concerns" [Review by Denise Sullivan at [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:lj9us30la3pg All Music Guide] ] - 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 to record but Jackson declined to do so [http://web.archive.org/web/19991009084349/http://www.randynewman.com/badlove.html Randy Newman Home Page ] ] .

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 Leisz - pedal steel guitar
* Brandon Fields - saxophone
* Martin Krystall - saxophone
* Jack Nimitz - saxophone
* Brian Scanlon - saxophone
* Tom Scott - saxophone
* Stu Blumberg - trumpet
* Oscar Brashear - trumpet
* Bruce Fowler - trombone
* George Thatcher - trombone
* James Self - tuba
* Mitchell Froom - keyboards
* Greg Cohen - bass
* Pete Thomas - 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 Pedersen - background vocals

Notes