"The ultimate, undiluted concentrate of sweet and sour songwriting genius. A monument not only to Newman’s half-century of great songwriting but to this moment in history when all the bad Ameri-karma he’s so drolly, poignantly characterised and set to quavers and crotchets in that time achieves its purest distillation in The Donald’s tilt at the presidency.  Of the 56 songs Newman revisits with just voice and piano there’s not a duff song or performance. The ideal binge listen for when they drop the big one." – Mojo* * * * * 

Just announced, and just in time for Christmas, The Randy Newman Songbook which came out as a limited edition vinyl box set a little while back, will be released as a 3CD set on December 16. It contains the three Songbook albums (Vol. 1, Vol. 2, Vol. 3).  Vol. 1 is remastered, and Vol. 3 includes 5 bonus tracks.

Pick up a copy of The Randy Newman Songbook here.

Songbook Vol. 1 was originally released in 2003, and Songbook Vol. 2 followed in 2011. Songbook Vol. 3 came out some months ago, and featured new versions of some of his biggest songs, including "I Love LA", "Short People" and his Toy Story favourite "You’ve Got a Friend In Me". The series featured new and completely solo recordings of songs from throughout Newman’s five-decade career.

Here’s Randy's delightful new ‘songbook’ version of "You’ve Got A Friend In Me" (if you’ve got teenage kids you’ll know this song perhaps a little too well from the umpteen times they watched Toy Story when they were younger...):

Tracklisting:
CD1 – Volume 1

1. It's Lonely At The Top  (3:13)
2. God's Song (That's Why I Love Mankind) (3:23)
3. Louisiana 1927 (2:56)
4. Let Me Go  (2:37)
5. Rednecks (3:05)
6. Avalon (Instrumental) (0:58)
7. Living Without You (2:16)
8. I Think It's Going to Rain Today (2:57)
9. You Can Leave Your Hat On (2:32)
10. It's Money That I Love (2:16)
11. Marie (2:56)
12. When She Loved Me (Instrumental) (1:03)
13. Sail Away (2:58)
14. The World Isn't Fair (3:07)
15. Political Science (2:02)
16. The Great Nations Of Europe (3:24)
17. In Germany Before The War (3:49)
18. Ragtime (Instrumental)  (1:25)

CD2 – Volume 2

1. Dixie Flyer (3:20)
2. Yellow Man (2:05)
3. Suzanne (2:48)
4. The Girls In My Life (Part 1) (3:20)
5. Kingfish  (2:17)
6. Losing You  (2:46)
7. Sandman's Coming (2:18)
8. My Life Is Good  (3:27)
9. Birmingham (2:22)
10. Last Night I Had A Dream (1:58)
11. Same Girl  (2:46)
12. Baltimore (3:05)        
13. Laugh and Be Happy (2:20)    
14. Lucinda (1:37)            
15. Dayton, Ohio – 1903 (1:54)   
16. Cowboy (2:21)           

CD3 – Volume 3 + Extras (*)

1. Short People (2:08)
2. Mama Told Me Not to Come (1:54)
3. Love Story (3:04)
4. Burn On (2:28)
5. You’ve Got a Friend in Me (2:04)
6. Rollin’ (2:31)
7. Guilty (2:45)
8. Simon Smith and the Amazing Dancing Bear (1:46)
9. Davy the Fat Boy (2:38)
10. Red Bandana (2:19)
11. Old Man (2:36)
12. Real Emotional Girl (2:31)
13. I Love to See You Smile (2:26)
14. I Love L.A. (2:31)
15. Bad News from Home (2:58)
16. I’ll Be Home (2:23)
17. Feels Like Home (4:52) *
18. A Wedding in Cherokee County (2:57) *
19. Family Album: Homage to Alfred, Emil and Lionel Newman (1:03) *
20. A Few Words in Defense of Our Country (4:06) *
21. I'm Dreaming (3:12) *