Randy Newman Quotes

Most of my songs are about insensitivity of some kind.

If we'd had another carefree 70s, I'd have been dead. It was a little too carefree, you know? I don't know how carefree they were for me, I think I was worried then, I can't remember what about.

But if you're doing something, show up everyday, and something good might happen - it's not going to happen if you don't show up.

I'm pretty proud of my film music in general.

God bless the potholes on Memory Lane.

I like science - geography, meteorology, cosmology.

You've got troubles, I've got 'em too. There isn't anything I wouldn't do for you. We'll stick together to see it through cause you've got a friend in me.

People become who they are. Even Beethoven became Beethoven.

You keep wondering whether people will see that Barack Obama is a liar and not very bright.

Short people got no reason to live.

I sit here in this chair, I pour myself some whiskey, and watch my troubles vanish into the air.

They don't respect us, so let's surprise them, we'll drop the big one, pulverize them.

I've always had a lot of respect from the people I respected.

It's funny; people get so doctrinaire about music. It should be the last thing you don't have an open mind about.

I like the idea of taking a true classic written by a true genius and essentially destroying it!

The radio is blastin', someone's knockin' at the door. I'm lookin' at my girlfriend, she's passed out on the floor.

I started recording because I was always complaining about the records that I was getting of my songs. At least if I did them and messed them up, I wouldn't have anyone else to blame.

I think the tax cut is ridiculous but so am I.

I ain't saying that I'm better than you, but maybe I am.

I once had dinner with Madonna and I wasn't nervous but within about a minute I found myself talking about underwear.

"Rednecks" always made me nervous to play, but I'm glad I wrote it and I continue to play it. It's just that the language is so rough.

Things aren't black and white in the world.

Cleveland, city of light! City of magic!

I have owned and played a Steinway all my life. It's the best Beethoven piano. The best Chopin piano. And the best Ray Charles piano. I like it, too.

Crank up the Beach Boys, Baby.

I seen her with the milkman, riding down the street. When you're through with my baby, milkman, send her home to me.

I like the performing. And interviews, even. And the stuff that's not sitting in a room by yourself with empty paper. But I never loved writing, to tell you the truth.

I'd like to explain why you fine young men had to be blown apart to defend this mud hole.

What I'm most pleased about is that there's no particular decline. The songs I wrote 40 years ago are no worse and no better - there's a consistency.

Stay away from drugs. They're not worth it. I've tried, but there's none of them that's worth it.

College men from L.S.U., went in dumb, come out dumb, too.

This one guy's wife is such a pretty brown thing, that I'm liable to give her a poke or two. Whaddaya think of that?

I am half a man, holy Jesus, what a drag.

But I don't want to sing everything out of the side of my mouth, I want people to understand what I mean.

This is the Republican Party who has run against Russia for 80 years and you know, (Trump) hasn't mentioned (Putin) except in a positive way.

He got drunk last night, kicked Mama down the stairs. But I'm alright, so I don't care.

We'll have a kid or maybe we'll rent one. He's got to be straight, we don't want a bent one.

Some day you do something where you use everything you know. You don't do it ostentatiously where you see the workings going on. But some day, if you're lucky, that will happen.

I like Public Enemy a great deal.

Mostly, I don't write overtly personal stuff.

I've worked with a band, and it's nice to have someone to travel around with, but I didn't like it as well on stage.

I like to write my lyrics on clay tablets.

I've often written about places that are totally different from anything I know. Sometimes they turn out better.

If I were to die tomorrow, I think they'd say Newman 56, composer of the hit song, Short People. Jumped off a mountain today.

Some fools in the desert with nothing to do...invented me, and they invented you. And other fools keep it all going and growing. Everybody, we're a figment of their imagination.

It's very hard to get rich and famous at a young age and handle it well.

Who would want to break into [the music business]? It's like a bank that's already been robbed.

I don't remember ever having writer's block. If I sit in there for four hours, I'll usually have something.

I always thought my best album was 'Trouble in Paradise.' I was the happiest with that one.

Sometimes what I'm writing is more important to me than the rest of my life. It's more important to me that I'm writing well than anything else.