Administrative Note: The last time I took a short vacation I arrived home late Sunday evening to find an email from a concerned reader wondering if I was alright. While it’s nice to know that somebody’s worrying about me besides my mother I don’t want anybody to worry unnecessarily. So be aware that I’m taking another short vacation and probably won’t post next week until Monday or Tuesday.

I want to let you know about a couple of new cover blogs. Covering The Mouse specializes in covers of Disney songs, at least until Disney’s lawyers shut them down. Check them out on Tuesday to read a guest post from yours truly.

Cover Lay Down features folk songs. Go there to find covers of folk songs and folk covers of songs from other genres.

This week I turn the spotlight on another of my favorite songwriters, Randy Newman. These days he’s known as a composer of film soundtracks, especially sappy stuff for Disney movies. But back in the day he released albums of very funny, charmingly composed, blackly cynical music. One of my all time favorite songs is Newman’s “Burn On” about the Cuyahoga River catching fire. I’m disappointed that I couldn’t find any covers of that one.

The Bobs “Lonely At The Top”
Richard Bob has a freakishly low voice. Even when you’re just talking to him his voice rattles your breastbone.

Mr. Newman wrote this song for Frank Sinatra, who rejected it because he thought people wouldn’t get the irony. That was probably a good decision since I don’t think the Chairman of the Board was well-equipped for irony.

The Silos “Mama Told Me Not To Come”
A little less wacky, a little more rocking than the Three Dog Night version.

UB40 “I Think It’s Going To Rain Today”
Not too long ago I posted Leonard Nimoy’s timeless version of this song. Here’s a breezy reggae version by real musicians. I like how the chipper music contrasts with the lonely lyrics, much like the balance of sweet and tart in a good key lime pie.

Dana Fuchs “God’s Song (That’s Why I Love Mankind)”
One of Mr. Newman’s most cynical songs gets a scorching blues treatment. I think I’m in love.

Tom Jones “You Can Leave Your Hat On”
This post started out as a Tom Jones tribute. After I realized that I had TJ covering both “You Can Leave Your Hat On” and “Mama Told Me Not To Come” I decided to switch gears and do a Randy Newman tribute. But at some point I will post five covers by Tom Jones. It’s inevitable.

Whoever “they” are, they don’t know what love is. Tom Jones knows what love is.

Randy Newman “Every Man A King” (comp. Huey Long)
Since he’s such a big-shot composer, Mr. Newman rarely covers other people’s songs. But here he is singing a campaign song written by Louisiana governor/senator Huey Long. It’s from his album Good Old Boys, which is sort of a Southern Gothic concept album. Special thanks to George Blowfish for his help in bringing this song to you.