 Sail Away (1972) [ larger cover art ] |
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No one likes us, I don't know why
We may not be perfect, but heaven knows we try
But all around even our old friends put us down
Lets drop the big one and see what happens
We give them money, but are they grateful?
No, they're spiteful and they're hateful
They don't respect us, so let's surprise them
We'll drop the big one and pulverize them
Asia's crowded and Europe's too old
Africa is far too hot and Canada's too cold
And South America stole our name
Let's drop the big one
There'll be no one left to blame us
We'll save Australia
Don't wanna hurt no kangaroo
We'll build an All American amusement park there
They got surfin too
Boom goes London and boom Paris
More room for you and more room for me
And every city the whole world round
Will just be another American town
Oh how peaceful it will be
We'll set everybody free
You'll wear a Japanese kimono
And there'll be Italian shoes for me
They all hate us anyhow
So lets drop the big one now
Let's drop the big one now
| justin_cook (Ventura, CA) | Posted: Apr 23, 2013 - 11:09 mchernaik wrote: "South America stole our name..." Pure genius. Yes, he's so often reflecting the righteous absurdity/ignorance we manage to brew in the United States. Amerigo Vespucci landed in Brazil. Don't think he ever made it to North America at all. I love the song title too. |
| ziggytrix (Dallas, TX) | Posted: Apr 23, 2013 - 11:01 Anyone else reminded of the AlbionBlackSheep flash animation The End of the World (NSFW) by these lyrics? |
| jmsmy (Music Town, Klein, Texas) | Posted: Apr 23, 2013 - 10:40 Oh and save Canada, The UK, Ireland & Greenland. |
| Highlowsel (New York City) | Posted: Feb 19, 2013 - 12:58 Hilariously sarcastic Randy Newman at his best. Loved it then. Love it even more today. I read somewhere that he once played this song in a concert over in Europe in the mid-70's. The Europeans didn't quite know how to take it.....was he being sarcastic...was he for real? The essence of their puzzlement with American's then...and probably still the essence of the bewilderment today....can't say I blame them....sometime I got's to think we're a remarkably bi-polar society. So it goes. Highlow American Net'Zen |
| John2341 (Netherlands) | Posted: Feb 19, 2013 - 12:54 kcar wrote: Americans do not gently part with their ignorance or exceptionalism. Well, I think it's just overcompensation. |
| skyguy (CO) | Posted: Feb 19, 2013 - 12:52 Mama don't allow no above ground nuclear testing around here, we don't care what mama don't allow ....boom! |
| offroadbiker (gooder 'n grits) | Posted: Nov 17, 2012 - 11:53 Holy crap this song is from 1972?! I thought it was from this decade. Still just as relevant today as it was 30 years ago. Yay, human race. |
| BikeCoachDave (Columbia, Ky.) | Posted: Apr 10, 2012 - 12:50 left foot, right foot, left foot, right foot. |
| cc_rider (Austin Texas. Y'all.) | Posted: Apr 10, 2012 - 12:50 Randy Newman for President... |
| Jared (South Central...MA) | Posted: Mar 09, 2012 - 20:50 3 ->6. In a mood I guess. |
| fredriley (Nottingham, UK) | Posted: Jan 06, 2012 - 08:54 "No one likes us, and we don't care" - the motto of Millwall FC fans. |
| Dalebarely | Posted: Jan 06, 2012 - 08:54 This has to be Will Sasso |
| Cynaera (In a hammock under my own vine and fig tree.) | Posted: Dec 05, 2011 - 13:55 philbertr wrote: I say we f#%kin' nuke 'em all!!! Who needs 'em any way?! Towel heads, pinkos, slants, spear chuckers, Ruskies, all them people that ain't God-fearin' Christian white folks like us!! I just know you're going extra-heavy on the sarcasm. I think I probably fit into one of those categories to be nuked. I'm white (actually, I'm sort of a lovely fleshy pink color) but I don't fear God (in fact, I don't even like Him much these days), I'm not really a Christian (I'm flirting with Druidism at the moment, but Cthulu is starting to look pretty good, too), and I'm totally against nukes. But I absolutely love Randy Newman's music. His sense of nuance and vocal inflection is impeccable.  |
| bachbeet | Posted: Nov 03, 2011 - 22:45 A song with a serious message. Yet he always used humor. I especially like the line "don't wanna hurt no kangaroo." |
| ce (the Netherlands) | Posted: Oct 03, 2011 - 09:12 jeremy52 wrote: A co-worker of mine just stopped by my office about five minutes to make me aware of more explosions happening right now in downtown Baghdad. Her straight-faced take on the situation: We should "just drop a few nukes on Iraq and get the damn thing over with". And then I hear this sone on RP. Sheesh. How appropriate. A great tune from Mr. Newman. Though probably written with the Cold War in mind, it's more relevant now than ever. I occasionally remark that, in my opinion, all people who remark that, in their opinion, certain other people should just be hanged, should just be shot. Or vice versa. I forget. |
| mchernaik | Posted: Oct 03, 2011 - 09:01 "South America stole our name..." Pure genius. |
| kcar | Posted: Sep 01, 2011 - 23:28 robotbass wrote: Amazing...the lyric is still pertinent today. Americans do not gently part with their ignorance or exceptionalism. |
| robotbass (Boston Area) | Posted: Aug 01, 2011 - 13:35 Amazing...the lyric is still pertinent today. |
| Nerubo (Denver, CO) | Posted: Aug 01, 2011 - 13:32 Nerubo wrote: Perhaps it's because I have a degree in Political Science, but the line "And South America stole our name" made me genuinely LOL. Hmm, replying to my own comment - never a good sign. However, I felt compelled to say two things
|
| Nerubo (Denver, CO) | Posted: May 30, 2011 - 12:58 Perhaps it's because I have a degree in Political Science, but the line "And South America stole our name" made me genuinely LOL. |
| Cynaera (South of Neanderthal) | Posted: Mar 28, 2011 - 09:23 Some people just don't "get" Randy Newman's humor. Remember when "Short People" came out and was banned from the airwaves because it was so "prejudicial"? Personally, I love his scathing lyrics - he and Richard Thompson are both masters of sarcasm (or is it satire?) Thumbs up for this song!  |
| aelfheld | Posted: Mar 28, 2011 - 09:01 Prince Metternich as popular music. |
| Lakeview (Great White North) | Posted: Mar 28, 2011 - 09:00 All I hear in Randy's music is Disney and Toy Story. He's over-saturated himself out of the market for serious music in my opinion. |
| mchernaik | Posted: Nov 22, 2010 - 14:11 RobRyan wrote: This song (Political Science) made it into the FM rotation back in the '70's and was my introduction to Randy Newman. This album is so good, and so sarcastic. I especially like "God's Song (That's Why I Love Mankind)." Love this one too. Thanks for posting the lyrics!God's Song (That's Why I Love Mankind) Cain slew Abel, Seth knew not why For if the children of Israel were to multiply Why must any of the children die? So he asked the Lord And the Lord said: "Man means nothing he means less to me than the lowliest cactus flower or the humblest yucca tree he chases round this desert cause he thinks that's where i'll be that's why i love mankind I recoil in horror from the foulness of thee from the squalor and the filth and the misery How we laugh up here in Heaven at the prayers you offer me That's why i love mankind" The Christians and the Jews were having a jamboree The Buddhists and the Hindus joined on satellite TV They picked their four greatest priests And they began to speak They said "Lord the plague is on the world Lord no man is free The temples that we built to you Have tumbled into the sea Lord, if you won't take care of us Won't you please please let us be?" And the Lord said And the Lord said "I burn down your cities—how blind you must be I take from you your children and you say how blessed are we You must all be crazy to put your faith in me That's why i love mankind You really need me That's why i love mankind" |
| mchernaik | Posted: Nov 22, 2010 - 14:09 Genius. Thanks RP! |
| The_Enemy (The Sewer) | Posted: Jun 16, 2010 - 09:14 "If I was President, only thing going to China would be MISSILES!" — Joad Cressbeckler, Presidential Candidate, 2008 Election |
| ladron (Sam Diego, CA) | Posted: Apr 13, 2010 - 19:50 Jared wrote: Wow, with one stroke of your brush, you've hit some of the major people I don't really care to hear at all. Still love the dichotomy of RP for that anyways. Dichotomy indeed - I absolutely love all of the people mentioned. Different strokes... |
| MJMJ | Posted: Feb 09, 2010 - 16:10 I believe it's called satire |
| KurtfromLaQuinta (Yep. I'm still here in La Quinta.) | Posted: Feb 09, 2010 - 16:01 Amen Randy. Sarcasm aside. |
| lmic (Influential In All The Wrong Ways) | Posted: Nov 07, 2009 - 11:13 mafe wrote: We'll save Australia Don't wanna hurt no kangaroo At the rate we're glibly driving the charismatic megafauna extinct from planet earth, this is the only line that doesn't ring true.  |
| Jared (South Central...MA) | Posted: Aug 04, 2009 - 21:28 copymonkey wrote: If we were only exposed to artists who 'can sing'—judging by hundreds of posters' opinions—we would be deprived of the songs of: Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Leonard Cohen, Tom Waits, Tom Petty, Lyle Lovett, Randy Newman, Elvis Costello, Lucinda Williams, Mark Knopfler, Neil Young, Ray Davies, Pete Townshend, and more. I don't think I'd want to live in that world. Wow, with one stroke of your brush, you've hit some of the major people I don't really care to hear at all. Still love the dichotomy of RP for that anyways. |
| jadewahoo (Beautiful Earth) | Posted: Aug 04, 2009 - 21:26 I give it a 10 for the sheer audacity of sarcasm Randy Newman is able to pull off in this song. |
| copymonkey (in the northeast, but not near anywhere cool) | Posted: Jun 02, 2009 - 09:47 noiseindustries wrote: You know, the message may be valid, interesting, provocative, but why the heck does he need to sing it when he obviously can't? Just my humble opinion, typed as I cleaned the vomit from my keyboard... If we were only exposed to artists who 'can sing'—judging by hundreds of posters' opinions—we would be deprived of the songs of: Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Leonard Cohen, Tom Waits, Tom Petty, Lyle Lovett, Randy Newman, Elvis Costello, Lucinda Williams, Mark Knopfler, Neil Young, Ray Davies, Pete Townshend, and more. I don't think I'd want to live in that world. |
| pannaramma (not from around here) | Posted: Jun 02, 2009 - 09:43 More relevant than ever. |
| RobRyan (Canyon Country, CA) | Posted: Jun 02, 2009 - 09:43 diazo wrote: I agree. I tried uploading "God's Song" a year or so ago and it was rejected. Maybe Bill figures he stirs up enough trouble with XTC's "Dear God"? Wow, what a shame! |
| Papernapkin (Mountain View, CA) | Posted: May 01, 2009 - 16:41 mafe wrote: No one likes us-I don't know why We may not be perfect, but heaven knows we try But all around, even our old friends put us down Let's drop the big one and see what happens We give them money-but are they grateful? No, they're spiteful and they're hateful They don't respect us-so let's surprise them We'll drop the big one and pulverize them Asia's crowded and Europe's too old Africa is far too hot And Canada's too cold And South America stole our name Let's drop the big one There'll be no one left to blame us We'll save Australia Don't wanna hurt no kangaroo We'll build an All American amusement park there They got surfin', too Boom goes London and boom Paris More room for you and more room for me And every city the whole world round Will just be another American town Oh, how peaceful it will be We'll set everybody free You'll wear a Japanese kimono And there'll be Italian shoes for me They all hate us anyhow So let's drop the big one now Let's drop the big one now  I like his work better in print than on the air. |
| diazo (high in the northern rockies) | Posted: Feb 27, 2009 - 15:06 RobRyan wrote: This song (Political Science) made it into the FM rotation back in the '70's and was my introduction to Randy Newman. This album is so good, and so sarcastic. I especially like "God's Song (That's Why I Love Mankind)." ... I agree. I tried uploading "God's Song" a year or so ago and it was rejected. Maybe Bill figures he stirs up enough trouble with XTC's "Dear God"? |
| That_SOB (The Dark Side of the Tune) | Posted: Oct 24, 2008 - 07:27 There are far too many wonderful R. Newman tunes to have a "favorite" but this comes close ... . . Louisiana is great, America is another zinger... |
| philbertr (Hurricane Target Florida) | Posted: Oct 24, 2008 - 07:24 I say we f#%kin' nuke 'em all!!! Who needs 'em any way?! Towel heads, pinkos, slants, spear chuckers, Ruskies, all them people that ain't God-fearin' Christian white folks like us!! |
| noiseindustries (Boston, Massachusetts, USA) | Posted: Oct 24, 2008 - 07:23 You know, the message may be valid, interesting, provocative, but why the heck does he need to sing it when he obviously can't? Just my humble opinion, typed as I cleaned the vomit from my keyboard... |
| RobRyan (Canyon Country, CA) | Posted: Sep 22, 2008 - 15:50 This song (Political Science) made it into the FM rotation back in the '70's and was my introduction to Randy Newman. This album is so good, and so sarcastic. I especially like "God's Song (That's Why I Love Mankind)." God's Song (That's Why I Love Mankind) Cain slew Abel, Seth knew not why For if the children of Israel were to multiply Why must any of the children die? So he asked the Lord And the Lord said: "Man means nothing he means less to me than the lowliest cactus flower or the humblest yucca tree he chases round this desert cause he thinks that's where i'll be that's why i love mankind I recoil in horror from the foulness of thee from the squalor and the filth and the misery How we laugh up here in Heaven at the prayers you offer me That's why i love mankind" The Christians and the Jews were having a jamboree The Buddhists and the Hindus joined on satellite TV They picked their four greatest priests And they began to speak They said "Lord the plague is on the world Lord no man is free The temples that we built to you Have tumbled into the sea Lord, if you won't take care of us Won't you please please let us be?" And the Lord said And the Lord said "I burn down your cities—how blind you must be I take from you your children and you say how blessed are we You must all be crazy to put your faith in me That's why i love mankind You really need me That's why i love mankind" |
| snark (Massachusetts) | Posted: Sep 22, 2008 - 15:41 Play more Randy.... more more more |
| scraig (Santa Barbara, CA) | Posted: Sep 22, 2008 - 15:40 When growing up, this was my father's response to international diplomacy. |
| oufason (Dallas, TX) | Posted: Oct 10, 2006 - 13:31 BillG wrote: Not sure what you mean - but if you think that Randy Newman (or me) intended this to be taken literally, let me assure you that this song is as sarcastic as it gets. His comment falls into the "if I have to explain it, you wouldnt understand" column. I will bump up my next donation to make up for this guy |
| BillG (Paradise, CA) | Posted: Oct 10, 2006 - 13:02 BadMongo wrote: Damnit Bill! I've donated before, and I was really thinking of doing it again. Soon it's my birthday, and was hoping for some awsome RP stuff. But today you have broken my heart.
Hope this isn't the evolution of music! Not sure what you mean - but if you think that Randy Newman (or me) intended this to be taken literally, let me assure you that this song is as sarcastic as it gets. |
| 2ndGenGeek (South side Chicago) | Posted: Oct 10, 2006 - 12:12 It would seem as if this is Kim Jong Il's favorite song. |
| Jack_Jefferson (Columbus, OH) | Posted: Oct 10, 2006 - 12:06 I like this song because, like the Short People song, Randy is portraying a character with those sentiments. Just remember that, next time you hear some right-wing dolt on AM radio using it to make his point. Honest to god, I heard some dumb-@ss on WLW or WTVN once on a drive using this song to make his point about attacking Iraq three years ago. You'd think Randy Newman could sue for such blatant mis-representation of his work. mafe wrote: No one likes us-I don't know why
We may not be perfect, but heaven knows we try But all around, even our old friends put us down Let's drop the big one and see what happens We give them money-but are they grateful? No, they're spiteful and they're hateful They don't respect us-so let's surprise them We'll drop the big one and pulverize them Asia's crowded and Europe's too old Africa is far too hot And Canada's too cold And South America stole our name Let's drop the big one There'll be no one left to blame us We'll save Australia Don't wanna hurt no kangaroo We'll build an All American amusement park there They got surfin', too Boom goes London and boom Paris More room for you and more room for me And every city the whole world round Will just be another American town Oh, how peaceful it will be We'll set everybody free You'll wear a Japanese kimono And there'll be Italian shoes for me They all hate us anyhow So let's drop the big one now Let's drop the big one now |
| BadMongo (Norway) | Posted: Oct 10, 2006 - 12:01 Damnit Bill! I've donated before, and I was really thinking of doing it again. Soon it's my birthday, and was hoping for some awsome RP stuff. But today you have broken my heart. Hope this isn't the evolution of music! |
| aflanigan (Downstream) | Posted: Oct 10, 2006 - 11:59 It was great seeing Randy on the Colbert Report last night, and as a special treat he played this song (apropos, of course). |
| hippiechick (Chi-town) | Posted: Oct 10, 2006 - 11:58 How appropos for today! |