Randy Newman is one of my favorite songwriters, which is a phrase that, to paraphrase Jack Donaghy, anyone with two ears and brain should be able to say. Though I revel in the reservoirs of dark cynicism that bubble up into his most famous songs (the bleakly brilliant slavery sales pitch “Sail Away;” the satiric “Political Science” that remains shockingly relevant forty years after he first recorded it; even the widely misunderstood mockery of prejudice in “Short People”), I have to admit to having a particular soft spot for, well, Newman’s underappreciated soft spot. When Newman started penning songs for Pixar movies or even more blatantly sentimental fare for Ron Howard comedies, it was a surprise to everyone, including Newman, who once joked about the difficulty in writing lyrics without using the word “dammit.” That side of Randy Newman had always been there though, just a little overshadowed by the caustic humor.

I’d love to say that I started my Newman collection with 12 Songs or some other classic early album, but instead the first record of his I owned was 1988’s Land of Dreams (which, to be fair, is a pretty great album that wilts only in comparison with Newman’s best work). The lead single was “It’s Money That Matters,” which sounded like Newman trying to write the song that was expected of it, and the rest of the album was dotted with examples of scorched autobiography and full-on spoofery. But then there, nestled into the middle of the album, as if Newman was kinda hoping no one would notice it, was a song that was purely sweet and kind: “Something Special.”

Well, maybe not purely. It may be a testimony to the enduring uniqueness of a love affair, but even Newman can’t help but include lines like, “It looks so easy, but it isn’t you know.” Still, the prevailing sentiment was less curmudgeonly than the Newman norm, and more in keeping with a guy who might one day find the capacity to tell someone that he loves to see them smile. All wrapped up in the cynical romanticism of being a teenager tiptoeing into adulthood, the song was perfect for me. In a ironic twist that might be pleasing to Newman, the well-worn comfort of the song seemed distant enough to me at the time that my primary sensation in listening to the this warmly affectionate work was one of wistful sadness. Surely that would give him a certain satisfaction.

Listen or download –> Randy Newman, “Something Special”

(Disclaimer: As far as I can tell, Land of Dreams is out of print as a physical item that can be ordered from your favorite local, independently-owned record store. It also appears that the song hasn’t appeared on any of the myriad of Newman collections that have been issued over the years, but I’ll not stake my turntable on that. It also looks like 12 Songs is out of print, but there’s no way that’s right. Is there? Anyway, I digress. The point is this: I share this song not to nefarious pluck pennies from the pocket of Mr. Newman or any record shop proprietor, but to gush about my love for the music and perhaps, dear reader, encourage you to purchase some other Randy Newman music in the conventional fashion. Though I have no ill intent, I understand that copyright laws work they way they work, and I will gladly remove this song from the interweb if asked or ordered to do so by someone with due authority to take such an action.)