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Little Criminals

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Released
  
September 23, 1977

Little Criminals (1977)
  
Born Again (1979)

Release date
  
23 September 1977

Genre
  
Rock music

Length
  
38:21

Artist
  
Randy Newman

Label
  
Warner Bros. Records

Little Criminals httpsuploadwikimediaorgwikipediaen224Ran

Recorded
  
July–September 1977 Warner Bros. Recording Studios, North Hollywood, and The Burbank Studios

Producers
  
Lenny Waronker, Russ Titelman

Similar
  
Randy Newman albums, Rock music albums

Randy newman short people


Little Criminals is a 1977 album by Randy Newman. Like most of Newman's work, the album eschews traditional pop-music themes ("I'll Be Home" is the only love song on the album) in favor of musical story-telling, often featuring quirky characters and cynical views. The first song on the album – "Short People" – became a hit single in its own right. The album itself peaked at #9 on the US Billboard 200 chart, Newman's highest-charting album to date.

Contents

Some of the instrumental work and backing vocals on the album are performed by members of the Eagles. In particular, Glenn Frey played guitar on two tracks, Joe Walsh played guitar on three tracks, and Don Henley and Tim Schmit sang background vocals on one track each. Frey and J. D. Souther, who had earlier been the duo Longbranch Pennywhistle, sang background vocals on three tracks.

Newman wrote, conducted and played keyboards on all tracks. Synthesizers were programmed by Michael Boddicker.

In September 1977 the British music magazine NME published the following interview with Newman talking sardonically about his then new release: "There's one song about a child murderer," Newman deadpans. "That's fairly optimistic. Maybe. There's one called 'Jolly Coppers on Parade' which isn't an absolutely anti-police song. Maybe it's even a fascist song. I didn't notice at the time. There's also one about me as a cowboy called 'Rider in the Rain'. I think it's ridiculous. The Eagles are on there. That's what's good about it. There's also this song 'Short People'. It's purely a joke. I like other ones on the album better but the audiences go for that one."

The song "Baltimore" was covered by Nina Simone, Nils Lofgren, The Tamlins, David Gray, Billy Mackenzie, Lianne La Havas, Jazmine Sullivan and in 2015 Nedric Nedo. "In Germany Before the War" was covered by British band Diesel Park West on their covers album "God Only Knows" in 1992. The song "I'll Be Home", meanwhile, had been written by Newman years previously, and was originally recorded in 1970 by Harry Nilsson on his album Nilsson Sings Newman.

Randy newman you can t fool the fat man


Track listing

All tracks written by Randy Newman.

Personnel

  • Randy Newman - vocals, keyboards and synthesizer
  • Michael Boddicker - additional synthesizer and synthesizer programming
    1. "Short People" – 2:54
    2. Backing Vocals: Glenn Frey, J.D. Souther, Tim Schmit
    3. Bass: Klaus Voormann
    4. Congas: Milt Holland
    5. Drums: Jim Keltner
    6. Guitar: Waddy Wachtel
    7. "You Can't Fool The Fatman" – 2:44
    8. Bass: Willie Weeks
    9. Congas: Milt Holland
    10. Drums: Andy Newmark
    11. "Little Criminals" – 3:04
    12. Bass: Willie Weeks
    13. Drums: Andy Newmark, Rick Marotta
    14. Guitar: Glenn Frey
    15. Guitar, Guitar (Slide): Joe Walsh
    16. Percussion: Milt Holland
    17. "Texas Girl at the Funeral of Her Father" – 2:40
    18. Piano: Ralph Grierson
    19. "Jolly Coppers on Parade" – 3:46
    20. Bass: Klaus Voormann
    21. Congas: Milt Holland
    22. Drums, Temple Blocks: Jim Keltner
    23. Guitar: Waddy Wachtel
    24. "In Germany Before the War" – 3:39
    25. No contributions are specified
    26. "Sigmund Freud's Impersonation of Albert Einstein in America" – 3:02
    27. Bass: Willie Weeks
    28. Drums: Jim Keltner
    29. "Baltimore" – 4:02
    30. Backing Vocals: Glenn Frey, J.D. Souther
    31. Bass: Willie Weeks
    32. Drums: Andy Newmark, Rick Marotta
    33. Guitar: Glenn Frey
    34. Percussion: Milt Holland
    35. "I'll Be Home" – 2:47
    36. Bass: Klaus Voormann
    37. Drums: Jim Keltner
    38. Guitar: Waddy Wachtel
    39. "Rider in the Rain" – 3:54
    40. Backing Vocals: The Eagles
    41. Bass: Willie Weeks
    42. Drums: Rick Marotta
    43. Guitar: Waddy Wachtel
    44. "Kathleen (Catholicism Made Easier)" – 3:35
    45. Bass: Willie Weeks
    46. Drums: Rick Marotta
    47. Guitar: Joe Walsh
    48. Mandolin: Ry Cooder
    49. "Old Man on the Farm" – 2:14
    50. Piano: Randy Newman

    Songs

    1Short People2:57
    2You Can't Fool the Fat Man2:47
    3Little Criminals3:06

    References

    Little Criminals Wikipedia