The Randy Newman cover he thought completely “missed the point”
When folks under the age of 35 hear the name Randy Newman, they’re struck in the chest by the beast named ‘nostalgia’, casting their willful minds back to the simpler times circa Toy Story 1995.
However, those who are more familiar with Newman’s discography might recall his more politically engaged track, ‘Sail Away’, which demonstrates a perfect example of musical irony. A deceptively bright melody is married with lyrics that reveal a biting critique of America’s darkest chapter. The track guides us through a narrative adopting the perspective of a duplicitous recruiter, enticing Africans onto slave ships with promises of paradise across the ocean.
Newman doesn’t go for the obvious, but instead, he gets inside the mind of the sinister salesman, selling a nightmare as a dream. But not everyone clocked it. Bobby Darin, for one, got it quite wrong—shamefully wrong, even. When he covered ‘Sail Away’ in 1972, he sang it straight. He smoothed out the edges and progressive irony. He turned it into a warm invitation to the land of the free. No menace, no bite. Just a welcoming smile. Newman was baffled.
This misinterpretation isn’t unique to Darin. Newman’s skill for crafting songs that inhabit morally ambiguous characters often leads to varied readings. For instance, his track ‘Short People’ is a satirical jab at prejudice that some listeners took at face value. ‘Sail Away’ operates similarly, luring listeners like a siren with its serene melody while delivering a scathing commentary on the false promises made to enslaved Africans. An excellent example of the Sound Dissonance effect that Newman has always been the master of.
“I had this idea of a slave ship and a sea shanty,” Newman told Rolling Stone, “this guy standing in a clearing, singing to a crowd of natives. These people in my songs don’t know they’re bad. They think they’re fine. I didn’t just want to say, ‘Slavery is awful’. It’s too easy. I wasn’t doing Roots. I knew Bobby Darin pretty well. He covered this [in 1972], but he was such a musical guy that he missed the point.”
Etta James covered ‘Sail Away’ too, infusing it with a depth that suggests she grasped its true essence. Newman vouched for her understanding, emphasising that she absolutely knew what the song was about. Etta’s rendition resonates with the pain and betrayal embedded in the lyrics, offering a poignant interpretation that aligns with Newman’s original intent.
Newman’s work demands a nuanced understanding and an open mind, whether it’s meant to make you feel warm and fuzzy or cast light on painful historical events. Without it, the message can easily be lost or, worse, misconstrued. Darin’s mistake proves one thing: irony is a game that leans on a knife-edge. Play it too safe, and you miss the punchline. Play it wrong, and you become the joke. It’s a testament to his songwriting prowess that a single composition can evoke such varied responses, depending on the lens through which it’s viewed.
