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

Your rating:
Total ratings: 888









Released: 1972
Length: 2:45
Plays (last 30 days): 0
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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. 
Posted 1 year ago by xrdstv    [ Reply ]
Posted 1 year ago by HenryT88    [ Reply ]
Early 20s when this album came out. Outstanding. Probably banned in Florida and elsewhere.
Posted 1 year ago by iloveradio    [ Reply ]
Minstrelsy
Posted 1 year ago by thewiseking    [ Reply ]
 smartn1 wrote:

His sound is immediately recognizable




and fake
Posted 1 year ago by thewiseking    [ Reply ]
The segue from Ten Million Slaves to this makes this all the more biting.
Posted 1 year ago by plaid    [ Reply ]
Mr Newman wrote some sharply biting lyrics.  Sharp.  Biting.  Very.
Posted 1 year ago by unclehud    [ Reply ]
Please let democracy live on FFS
Posted 1 year ago by marysclark    [ Reply ]
His sound is immediately recognizable


Posted 2 years ago by smartn1    [ Reply ]
 laserace wrote:

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




playing it now
Posted 2 years ago by xrdstv    [ Reply ]
Wow. First time hearing this AND my throat tightened up reading/listening to the lyrics.
Posted 2 years ago by xrdstv    [ Reply ]
cruel country followed by sail away. 
Bill, what, no paul simons american tune?
Posted 2 years ago by laserace    [ Reply ]
not a fan of Randy Newman
Posted 2 years ago by Jeffrey_Mishik    [ Reply ]
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.
Posted 2 years ago by Madness1954    [ Reply ]
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.
Posted 2 years ago by timmus    [ Reply ]
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. 
Posted 3 years ago by dmcanany    [ Reply ]
What an Amazing song
Posted 3 years ago by sajitjacob    [ Reply ]
Could we please have more of Randy Newman on RP? That would be great.
Posted 3 years ago by Laptopdog    [ Reply ]
PROFOUND
Posted 3 years ago by tlbritton    [ Reply ]
 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!
Posted 4 years ago by derhey9416    [ Reply ]
 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.

Posted 4 years ago by cc_rider    [ Reply ]
Brilliant man
Posted 4 years ago by murr69st335    [ Reply ]
Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee's cover of this song is amazing!
Posted 4 years ago by macadavy    [ Reply ]
 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.
Posted 4 years ago by talexb    [ Reply ]
Thought this was that Toy Story song until I heard the lyrics - uh no.
Posted 5 years ago by newbolddrive    [ Reply ]
chilling. First time I have heard this. Gives me goosebumps.
Posted 5 years ago by dmcanany    [ Reply ]
One of the best!
Posted 5 years ago by dublanica    [ Reply ]
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.
Posted 5 years ago by yobyot    [ Reply ]
I got to this tune via PSD.  I'm guessing it hasn't been on the regular playlist for awhile
Posted 6 years ago by the_jake    [ Reply ]
The version on the Randy Newman Songbook Vol. 1 is quite good also.
Posted 6 years ago by nutrod42    [ Reply ]
 Daveinbawlmer wrote:

Probably one of America's best ever singer/songwriters.
 
I wouldn't bother to qualify that...
modern day Stephen Foster.
Posted 12 years ago by MiracleDrug    [ Reply ]
Probably one of America's best ever singer/songwriters.
Posted 18 years ago by Daveinbawlmer    [ Reply ]
his best LP. Such depth.
Posted 18 years ago by MCKY    [ Reply ]
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.
Posted 18 years ago by rixtar99    [ Reply ]
There's something about Randy Newman's music that just makes me smile.
Posted 18 years ago by ingoldsby    [ Reply ]
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".
Posted 19 years ago by etwilson    [ Reply ]
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.
Posted 19 years ago by tonyp2    [ Reply ]
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.
Posted 19 years ago by Roverfish    [ Reply ]
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.
Posted 20 years ago by jeannnie    [ Reply ]
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.
Posted 20 years ago by indypaul    [ Reply ]
anybody see MadTV's skit about him? Pretty damn funny.
Posted 20 years ago by DownHomeGirl    [ Reply ]
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.
Posted 20 years ago by upinya    [ Reply ]
why can't Randy Newman and John Hiatt have a fight to the death. At least we'd be rid of one of them.
Posted 20 years ago by red5_bc    [ Reply ]
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.
Posted 20 years ago by rulebritannia    [ Reply ]
I love this guy!
Posted 20 years ago by Enrique    [ Reply ]
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?
Posted 20 years ago by Malc    [ Reply ]
What an amazing songwriting career this man has had--what--40 yrs?
Posted 20 years ago by artmarcia    [ Reply ]
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.
Posted 21 years ago by newwavegurly    [ Reply ]
Amazing song, many thanks
Posted 21 years ago by moon_shadow    [ Reply ]
A classic. Thanks for playing more quality tunes, Bill.
Posted 21 years ago by Flying_Donut    [ Reply ]