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Randy Newman — Sail Away
Album: Sail Away
Avg rating:
7.4

Your rating:
Total ratings: 874









Released: 1972
Length: 2:46
Plays (last 30 days): 2
In America you get food to eat
Won't have to run through the jungle
And scuff up your feet
You just sing about Jesus and drink wine all day
It's great to be an American

Ain't no lion or tiger, ain't no mamba snake
Just the sweet watermelon and the buckwheat cake
Ev'rybody is as happy as a man can be
Climb aboard, little wog, sail away with me

Sail away, sail away
We will cross the mighty ocean into Charleston Bay
Sail away, sail away
We will cross the mighty ocean into Charleston Bay

In America every man is free
To take care of his home and his family
You'll be as happy as a monkey in a monkey tree
You're all gonna be an American

Sail away, sail away
We will cross the mighty ocean into Charleston Bay
Sail away, sail away
We will cross the mighty ocean into Charleston Bay
Comments (53)add comment
Such powerful lyrics. 
Early 20s when this album came out. Outstanding. Probably banned in Florida and elsewhere.
Minstrelsy
 smartn1 wrote:

His sound is immediately recognizable




and fake
The segue from Ten Million Slaves to this makes this all the more biting.
Mr Newman wrote some sharply biting lyrics.  Sharp.  Biting.  Very.
Please let democracy live on FFS
His sound is immediately recognizable


 laserace wrote:

cruel country followed by sail away. 
Bill, what, no paul simons american tune?




playing it now
Wow. First time hearing this AND my throat tightened up reading/listening to the lyrics.
cruel country followed by sail away. 
Bill, what, no paul simons american tune?
not a fan of Randy Newman
One of the many things I love about RP is how I get to study the words as the song plays, giving me a much better understanding of songs I have casually listened to for years. Like this Randy Newman song for example.
I still remember the late 1980s and early 1990s, there was a phase where it seemed every PG-13 comedy movie was required by federal law to start with a Randy Newman song.
An awesome transition from 10 million slaves. 

And, damn what a wickedly beautiful song this is. A 10 for me. A gut-wrenching song about slavery and the lies that support it. 
What an Amazing song
Could we please have more of Randy Newman on RP? That would be great.
PROFOUND
 dmcanany wrote:
chilling. First time I have heard this. Gives me goosebumps.
 
You sound like you could benefit from a dive into his back catalog...bon appetit!
 yobyot wrote:
A genuis. A monster of musical talent. This song, from 1972 IIRC, is among the most bittersweet and serious musical depictions of the cruelty of slavery ever written. Only a southerner (and a Jewish southerner, at that) could have captured the evil of the slave driver and the hopes of the victims -- "You all gonna be an American."

This is a musical masterpiece we'll be listening to in 2172.
 Well said. The casual listener of his music usually misses the point and finds him offensive. In fact he's quite the opposite - picking at the painful parts of our history and society.
Thank you.
c.

Brilliant man
Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee's cover of this song is amazing!
 ingoldsby wrote:
There's something about Randy Newman's music that just makes me smile.
 

I couldn't put it any better than this. I just love his songs.
Thought this was that Toy Story song until I heard the lyrics - uh no.
chilling. First time I have heard this. Gives me goosebumps.
One of the best!
A genuis. A monster of musical talent. This song, from 1972 IIRC, is among the most bittersweet and serious musical depictions of the cruelty of slavery ever written. Only a southerner (and a Jewish southerner, at that) could have captured the evil of the slave driver and the hopes of the victims -- "You all gonna be an American."

This is a musical masterpiece we'll be listening to in 2172.
I got to this tune via PSD.  I'm guessing it hasn't been on the regular playlist for awhile
The version on the Randy Newman Songbook Vol. 1 is quite good also.
 Daveinbawlmer wrote:

Probably one of America's best ever singer/songwriters.
 
I wouldn't bother to qualify that...
modern day Stephen Foster.
Probably one of America's best ever singer/songwriters.
his best LP. Such depth.
ingoldsby wrote:
There's something about Randy Newman's music that just makes me smile.
not to mention great soundtracks like Ragtime and The Natural I Love L.A.
There's something about Randy Newman's music that just makes me smile.
Sail Away was the first LP that I bought myself. I still think that it's pretty much a flawless album, lets hear more, maybe "Lonely at the top".
I'm a fan of RP: I like the breadth of what's presented even if some of it (like what preceded this song) seems a little shallow. Then Randy comes on. A Newman breath of irony, cynicism, tenderness and other complicated emotions. Kind of makes me proud to be part of a country that Randy Newman has wandered around in.
red5_bc wrote:
why can't Randy Newman and John Hiatt have a fight to the death. At least we'd be rid of one of them.
So long as they take you with them. Randy's a genius, pure and simple. Great tune.
I have everything Randy ever produced. He's fabulous, and I even love the sound of his singing! It's hard to say which of his material is my favorite, since I love it all....but if stranded on a desert island, I'd be a happy camper with his autobiographical CD ,' Land of Dreams' and his much under-rated masterpiece, ' Randy Newman's Faust'. I'd like to hear Randy's song 'Dixie Flyer' played off of his album 'Land of Dreams'. I never tire of it.
red5_bc wrote:
why can't Randy Newman and John Hiatt have a fight to the death. At least we'd be rid of one of them.
You can always turn it off if you don't like it. Leave Randy and John to those of us who appreciate good music and lyrics.
anybody see MadTV's skit about him? Pretty damn funny.
red5_bc wrote:
why can't Randy Newman and John Hiatt have a fight to the death. At least we'd be rid of one of them.
Wow. Well, at least you can rest easy knowing that you are alone in your opinion. Jeez, take it easy already.
why can't Randy Newman and John Hiatt have a fight to the death. At least we'd be rid of one of them.
N8409Y wrote:
wow. it's amazing that i would post a 9 and bring the average down! anyway, randy was at his best on this album (God's song), sail away, political science. just an amazing songwriter. i sat about three feet away from him back in 1975 at a coffee house called "amazing grace" in evanston, illinois. a wonderful experience. bill, don't be shy about playing this, or any song off of this album (cd?).
Great image from the IL cafe. This is my favorite RN disk as well. I always thought this song was iconic, up with the best Dylan protest songs. It appears it was a bit too ironic for mass distribution. Ironically, Newman got his greatest recognition for Short people - cute but light compared to Sail Away - and for Toy Story, very well done but minus the great social messages of Burn On, Political Science and this song.
I love this guy!
Glad to hear all the listeners who have posted fall into the "intellegent" rock listener catagory. How many people just don't get Randy out there, or even get offended?
What an amazing songwriting career this man has had--what--40 yrs?
Okay, so folks may not like me for saying this but... I really think this is a good song BUT I have a hard time taking it seriously with Randy Newman singing it. I know he's a great songwriter and musician, but I don't think his voice is that great for a song with depth, such as this.
Amazing song, many thanks
A classic. Thanks for playing more quality tunes, Bill.