1983 studio album by Randy Newman
Trouble in Paradise is the seventh studio album by the American musician Randy Newman , released in 1983.[ 2] It includes "I Love L.A. " and the first single, "The Blues", a duet with Paul Simon .[ 3] "Same Girl" is about a woman addicted to heroin.[ 4] Newman supported the album playing shows with the Roches .[ 5]
A cover version of "Real Emotional Girl" by the Canadian singer Patricia O'Callaghan appears on her studio album Real Emotional Girl (2001).
Critical reception
The New York Times wrote: "Newman inhabits his characters so completely that he makes us uneasy, wondering how much self-identification he has invested in their creation. His work achieves its power by that very confusion."[ 9] The Globe and Mail noted that "Newman still has not the least desire to play it safe: he is still tossing up the great American contradictions—the seductiveness of racism and the paranoia of sex—like a circus performer juggling machetes, with the same appalling, exhilarating effect."[ 10]
The Miami Herald determined that most of the songs "defy humming... A couple are essentially free verse set to music."[ 11] The Christian Science Monitor determined that "the polished sound of the album makes it his most commercial effort, yet he has kept his humor and wit alive."[ 12]
The album placed 13th in the 1983 Pazz & Jop Critics Poll ,[ 13] and it was ranked as number 67 on Rolling Stone ' s 100 Greatest Albums of the 80s list.[ 14]
Track listing
All songs written by Randy Newman.
LP Side 1
"I Love L.A. " – 3:29
"Christmas in Capetown" – 4:21
"The Blues" – 3:01
"Same Girl" – 2:53
"Mikey's" – 2:10
"My Life Is Good" – 4:38
LP Side 2
"Miami" – 4:04
"Real Emotional Girl" – 2:28
"Take Me Back" – 4:09
"There's a Party at My House" – 2:50
"I'm Different" – 2:33
"Song for the Dead" – 3:00
Personnel
Randy Newman – vocals, piano, synthesizers, arranger, conductor
Steve Lukather – guitar
David Paich – farfisa organ, Fender Rhodes
Michael Boddicker – synthesizers, piano on "Mikey's", hammond organ on "Miami"
Nathan East – bass guitar
Jeff Porcaro – drums
Lenny Castro – percussion
Paulinho Da Costa – percussion on "Take Me Back", "Christmas in Capetown" and "The Blues"
Ralph Grierson – piano on "Same Girl" and "Real Emotional Girl"
Neil Larsen – piano solo on "The Blues"
Dean Parks – guitar on "I'm Different", guitar solo on "The Blues", mandolin on "Miami"
Waddy Wachtel – rhythm guitar on "I Love L.A"
Paul Simon – vocals on "The Blues"
Larry Williams – horns on "Take Me Back" and "I Love L.A"
Steve Madaio – horns on "Take Me Back"
Ernie Watts – horns on "Take Me Back", sax solo on "My Life Is Good"
Jerry Hey – horns on "There's A Party at My House"
Jim Horn , Jon Smith – horns on "There's A Party at My House" and "Mickey's"
Jennifer Warnes , Wendy Waldman , Linda Ronstadt – backing vocals on "I'm Different" and "Christmas in Capetown"
Don Henley , Bob Seger – backing vocals on "Take Me Back" and "Christmas in Capetown"
Rickie Lee Jones , Arno Lucas , Leslie Smith – backing vocals on "Miami"
Christine McVie , Lindsey Buckingham – backing vocals on "I Love L.A"
Technical
Mark Linett – engineer, mixing
Tim Newman – cover photography
References
^ "Billboard – Google Boeken" . 8 January 1983. Retrieved 24 May 2014 – via Google Books.
^ The Rolling Stone Album Guide . Random House. 1992. p. 504.
^ Tucker, Ken (30 January 1983). "Randy Newman: Idealistic Cynic". The Philadelphia Inquirer . p. H5.
^ Morse, Steve (31 March 1983). "Times Change for Randy Newman". Calendar. The Boston Globe . p. 1.
^ Takiff, Jonathan (25 March 1983). "Randy Newman". Features. Philadelphia Daily News . p. 71.
^ Mark Deming. "Trouble in Paradise – Randy Newman | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards" . AllMusic. Retrieved 24 May 2014 .
^ "CG: Randy Newman" . Robert Christgau. 31 October 1995. Retrieved 24 May 2014 .
^ Rolling Stone Archived 14 July 2007 at the Wayback Machine
^ Rockwell, John (16 January 1983). "Randy Newman's New Album Is Top Pop". The New York Times . p. A29.
^ Lacey, Liam (31 January 1983). "Newman back in paradise lost". The Globe and Mail . p. P18.
^ Kelleher, Terry (20 March 1983). "Music of March". Miami Herald . p. 9L.
^ Winkel, Vincent J. (7 April 1983). "Rock/Pop". Arts/Entertainment. The Christian Science Monitor . p. 16.
^ Christgau, Robert (28 February 1984). "The 1983 Pazz & Jop Critics Poll" . The Village Voice . New York. Retrieved 16 April 2020 .
^ "100 Best Albums of the Eighties: Randy Newman, 'Trouble in Paradise' " . Rolling Stone . 16 November 1989. Retrieved 24 May 2014 .
External links
Studio albums Live albums Compilations Musicals Soundtracks Songs Related