Various Artists - On Vine Street: The Early Songs of Randy Newman

Randy Newman has been arranging and recording his own wonderful compositions for almost 40 years. For the best part of a decade before that, he was busy building his reputation as one of the greatest songwriters of his and future generations. On Vine Street is a lovingly compiled overview of what Randy Newman wrote for others in the days before he found his own voice.

Concentrating on songs that Randy wrote between 1962-1969, this 24-track set acquaints the listener with the original or early versions of songs that have passed into the realms of standards (I Think It's Going To Rain Today, Mama Told Me (Not to Come) and more.

On Vine Street also features many recordings of songs from Randy's early days as a staff writer at Metric Music that have never been reissued before in any format. Several of these appear here in stereo for the first time, too.

Randy Newman's reputation as a songwriter was firmly established long before he ever had a hit record of his own. A look at our artist roster will demonstrate the quality of the talent that lined up to record Randy's songs, and a listen to any one of our two dozen tracks will confirm why they did so. Album Description

Good collection of early Newman the songwriter

Randy Newman is one of our greatest songwriters and composers.He is,however,limited vocally,as he himself has noted.When Nilsson offered to do an album of his songs,Newman said he was very happy at the prospect since Harry could do things with his voice that he couldn't do-like hold a note.Here we have a good mix of both familiar and unfamiliar songs by a bunch of folks who sing quite well and do Newman justice. Scott Walker,Gene Pitney,Gene McDaniels,Dusty Springfield,Nilsson and,yes,Rick Nelson are among the high points of this album.The abrupt ending of Nelson's song may be due to its inclusion in a Newman medley on Nelson's album.Although I haven't heard it, I do know that "Love Story" is reprised later in the medley ,perhaps with the last line saved for that appearance,for dramatic effect. My only criticism of the album being reviewed here would be that I don't think it's quite as good as the afore referenced "Nilsson Sings Newman" ,one of the best albums ever.Still,this CD has a lot more songs than Nilsson's,so I would recommend buying both. July 20, 2008

A wonderful collection, but...

Of course, nobody sings Newman like Newman. However, this long overdue collection includes many inspired versions by other performers. There's just one odd man out: Rick Nelson, who had the nerve to rob the classic "Love Story" from its final verse, leaving the ending up in the air. The original lyrics, giving this subtle story its bittersweet aftertaste, go like this:

"When our kids are grown
With kids of their own
They'll send us away
To a little home in Florida
We'll play checkers all day
Until we pass away..."

Could it be this was too depressing for Nelson's taste? The liner notes, extensive as they are, don't offer an explanation. Well, nobody knows how to kill a Randy Newman song like Rick Nelson, that's for sure.
April 22, 2008

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