Good Old Boys

Infobox Album
Name = Good Old Boys
Type = studio
Longtype = / Concept album
Artist = Randy Newman


Released = September 10, 1974
Recorded =
Genre = Rock
Length = 33:28
Label = Reprise Records
Producer = Lenny Waronker, Russ Titelman
Reviews =
* Allmusic rating|5|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:9lq8b5m4tsqg link]
*Robert Christgau (A) [http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?name=randy+newman link]
*"Rolling Stone" rating|5|5 [http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/randynewman/albums/album/129751/review/6068141/good_old_boys link]
Last album = "Sail Away"
(1972)
This album = "Good Old Boys"
(1974)
Next album = "Little Criminals"
(1977)

"Good Old Boys" is the fifth album by Randy Newman, released in September of 1974 on Reprise Records, catalogue number 2193. It peaked at #36 on the Billboard 200, Newman's first album to obtain major commercial success. The premiere live performance of the album took place on October 5, 1974, at the Great South East Music Hall in Atlanta, Georgia, with guest Ry Cooder and Newman conducting the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.

Genesis

Initially envisioned as a concept album about a character named Johnny Cutler, an everyman of the Deep South, a demo of which was recorded by Newman on February 1, 1973. These thirteen songs were subsequently released as the bonus disc for the 2002 reissue, entitled Johnny Cutler's Birthday.

The kernel of this concept survived into the released album, although as Newman's take on viewpoints from the inhabitants of the Deep South in general, rather than from a single individual character. As on his previous release, Newman addressed generally taboo topics such as slavery and racism, most stringently on the opening song "Rednecks," a simultaneous satire on institutional racism in the Deep South and the hypocrisy of the northern states in response.

Newman also incorporates actual historical events into the album, remarking upon the Great Mississippi Flood from 1927 on "Louisiana 1927" and a plea to Richard Nixon to alleviate poverty as a result of the recession of the mid-1970s on "Mr President (Have Pity on the Working Man)." Preceding an original song illustrating the achievements of Louisiana Governor Huey P. Long, Newman performs a cappella with members of The Eagles on a song written by Long himself, "Every Man A King."

ingles

On the same day as the album, the track "Guilty" was released as Reprise single 1324, with "Naked Man" on the b-side, and on January 29, 1975, the track "Louisiana 1927" was released as Reprise single 1387, with "Marie" on the flip. Neither single appeared on the Billboard Hot 100. Discographical information regarding these singles as included in the 2002 reissue insert booklet is partially incorrect.

Reception

Robert Christgau gave the album an A rating upon release, and the both the 1992 edition of the "Rolling Stone Album Guide" and allmusic.com gave it a five-star rating. RS500|393 It spent two weeks in the Top 40 of the album chart in late 1974, with a total of 21 weeks in the Billboard 200. It also earned a gold record in The Netherlands.

On May 21, 2002, an expanded edition of the album was issued by Rhino Records on compact disc, including a bonus track demo of "Marie" and a second disc containing the February, 1973 demos entitled "Johnny Cutler's Birthday". Included in these demo recordings are Newman's verbal descriptions of sound effects and other characters, the songs as a whole describing a narrative in the vein of integrated musicals dating from the 1940s. "Doctor, Doctor" is an early version of "Back on My Feet Again."

All tracks were written and arranged by Randy Newman; strings arranged by Nick DeCaro on "Marie" and "Rollin';" Moog and ARP synthesizers programmed by Malcolm Cecil and Robert Margouleff.

Personnel:

* Randy Newman - vocals, piano, electric piano, synthesizer
* Ry Cooder - bottleneck guitar on "Back On My Feet Again"
* John Platania - electric guitar
* Ron Elliot - acoustic guitar
* Dennis Budimir - acoustic guitar
* Al Perkins - pedal steel guitar
* Russ Titelman - bass
* Willie Weeks - bass
* Red Callender - bass
* Jim Keltner - drums
* Andy Newmark - drums
* Bobbye Hall Porter - percussion
* Milt Holland - percussion
* Glenn Frey - background vocals
* Don Henley - background vocals
* Bernie Leadon - background vocals

Track listing

#"Rednecks"
#"Birmingham"
#"Marie"
#"Mr. President (Have Pity on the Working Man)"
#"Guilty"
#"Louisiana 1927"
#"Every Man a King" (Huey P. Long, Castro Carazo)
#"Kingfish"
#"Naked Man"
#"Wedding in Cherokee County"
#"Back on My Feet Again"
#"Rollin'"

2002 Reissue

Disc one

#"Rednecks"
#"Birmingham"
#"Marie"
#"Mr. President (Have Pity on the Working Man)"
#"Guilty"
#"Louisiana 1927"
#"Every Man a King"
#"Kingfish"
#"Naked Man"
#"Wedding in Cherokee County"
#"Back on My Feet Again"
#"Rollin'"
#"Marie" (demo version)

Disc two

Johnny Cutler's Birthday
#"Rednecks"
#"If We Didn't Have Jesus"
#"Birmingham"
#"Joke"
#"Louisiana"
#"My Daddy Knew Dixie Howell"
#"Shining"
#"Marie"
#"Good Morning"
#"Birmingham Redux"
#"Doctor, Doctor"
#"Albanian Anthem"
#"Rolling"

ee also

* Good old boys (origin of the title).