Willard's Wormholes

Johnny Cutler’s Birthday (1973)
Live In The Studio: Good Old Boys Demos

On February 1st, 1973, Randy Newman sat down with producer Russ Titelman to record demos for his 4th album, Good Old Boys – Newman’s acerbic crucifixion of the post-Depression South. These legendary studio-quality tapes show that Newman’s initial concept was very different from the album he ended up with. They also capture Newman’s complete storyline – designed to include segues, sound effects and dialog – which Randy, often comically, details. At its heart, this is a Broadway show composer’s “backer’s demo,” an audition of songs, snippets and ideas, some that would not make the final cut. All the more entertaining because the performance – just Randy at the piano - is so seemingly off-the-cuff. You can just imagine Titelman mentally checking off the lost demographics while listening to the first song, “Rednecks.” These tapes are so good, they were added as bonus tracks to the 2002 reissue of Good Old Boys.

Rednecks
If We Didn’t Have Jesus
Birmingham
The Joke
Louisiana
My Daddy Knew Dixie Howell
Shining
Marie
Good Morning
Birmingham Redux
Doctor, Doctor
Albanian Anthem
Rolling