Trouble in Paradise is the seventh studio album by the American musician Randy Newman, released in 1983.[2] It includes "I Love L.A." and the first single, "The Blues", a duet with Paul Simon.[3] "Same Girl" is about a woman addicted to heroin.[4] Newman supported the album playing shows with the Roches.[5]
| Trouble in Paradise | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | January 17, 1983[1] | |||
| Recorded | 1982–1983 | |||
| Studio | Warner Bros. Recording Studios (North Hollywood, Los Angeles) | |||
| Length | 39:36 | |||
| Label | Warner Bros. | |||
| Producer | Russ Titelman, Lenny Waronker | |||
| Randy Newman chronology | ||||
| ||||
A cover version of "Real Emotional Girl" by the Canadian singer Patricia O'Callaghan appears on her studio album Real Emotional Girl (2001).
Critical reception edit
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [6] |
| Robert Christgau | A−[7] |
| Rolling Stone |  [8] |
The New York Times wrote: "Newman inhabits his characters so completely that he makes us uneasy, wondering how much self-identification he has invested in their creation. His work achieves its power by that very confusion."[9] The Globe and Mail noted that "Newman still has not the least desire to play it safe: he is still tossing up the great American contradictions—the seductiveness of racism and the paranoia of sex—like a circus performer juggling machetes, with the same appalling, exhilarating effect."[10]
The Miami Herald determined that most of the songs "defy humming... A couple are essentially free verse set to music."[11] The Christian Science Monitor determined that "the polished sound of the album makes it his most commercial effort, yet he has kept his humor and wit alive."[12]
The album placed 13th in the 1983 Pazz & Jop Critics Poll,[13] and it was ranked as number 67 on Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Albums of the 80s list.[14]
Track listing edit
All songs written by Randy Newman.
LP Side 1
- "I Love L.A." – 3:29
- "Christmas in Capetown" – 4:21
- "The Blues" – 3:01
- "Same Girl" – 2:53
- "Mikey's" – 2:10
- "My Life Is Good" – 4:38
LP Side 2
- "Miami" – 4:04
- "Real Emotional Girl" – 2:28
- "Take Me Back" – 4:09
- "There's a Party at My House" – 2:50
- "I'm Different" – 2:33
- "Song for the Dead" – 3:00
Personnel edit
- Randy Newman – vocals, piano, synthesizers, arranger, conductor
- Steve Lukather – guitar
- David Paich – farfisa organ, Fender Rhodes
- Michael Boddicker – synthesizers, piano on "Mikey's", hammond organ on "Miami"
- Nathan East – bass guitar
- Jeff Porcaro – drums
- Lenny Castro – percussion
- Paulinho Da Costa – percussion on "Take Me Back", "Christmas in Capetown" and "The Blues"
- Ralph Grierson – piano on "Same Girl" and "Real Emotional Girl"
- Neil Larsen – piano solo on "The Blues"
- Dean Parks – guitar on "I'm Different", guitar solo on "The Blues", mandolin on "Miami"
- Waddy Wachtel – rhythm guitar on "I Love L.A"
- Paul Simon – vocals on "The Blues"
- Larry Williams – horns on "Take Me Back" and "I Love L.A"
- Steve Madaio – horns on "Take Me Back"
- Ernie Watts – horns on "Take Me Back", sax solo on "My Life Is Good"
- Jerry Hey – horns on "There's A Party at My House"
- Jim Horn, Jon Smith – horns on "There's A Party at My House" and "Mickey's"
- Jennifer Warnes, Wendy Waldman, Linda Ronstadt – backing vocals on "I'm Different" and "Christmas in Capetown"
- Don Henley, Bob Seger – backing vocals on "Take Me Back" and "Christmas in Capetown"
- Rickie Lee Jones, Arno Lucas, Leslie Smith – backing vocals on "Miami"
- Christine McVie, Lindsey Buckingham – backing vocals on "I Love L.A"
- Technical
- Mark Linett – engineer, mixing
- Tim Newman – cover photography
References edit
- ^ "Billboard – Google Boeken". 8 January 1983. Retrieved 24 May 2014 – via Google Books.
- ^ The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. p. 504.
- ^ Tucker, Ken (30 January 1983). "Randy Newman: Idealistic Cynic". The Philadelphia Inquirer. p. H5.
- ^ Morse, Steve (31 March 1983). "Times Change for Randy Newman". Calendar. The Boston Globe. p. 1.
- ^ Takiff, Jonathan (25 March 1983). "Randy Newman". Features. Philadelphia Daily News. p. 71.
- ^ Mark Deming. "Trouble in Paradise – Randy Newman | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 24 May 2014.
- ^ "CG: Randy Newman". Robert Christgau. 31 October 1995. Retrieved 24 May 2014.
- ^ Rolling Stone Archived 14 July 2007 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Rockwell, John (16 January 1983). "Randy Newman's New Album Is Top Pop". The New York Times. p. A29.
- ^ Lacey, Liam (31 January 1983). "Newman back in paradise lost". The Globe and Mail. p. P18.
- ^ Kelleher, Terry (20 March 1983). "Music of March". Miami Herald. p. 9L.
- ^ Winkel, Vincent J. (7 April 1983). "Rock/Pop". Arts/Entertainment. The Christian Science Monitor. p. 16.
- ^ Christgau, Robert (28 February 1984). "The 1983 Pazz & Jop Critics Poll". The Village Voice. New York. Retrieved 16 April 2020.
- ^ "100 Best Albums of the Eighties: Randy Newman, 'Trouble in Paradise'". Rolling Stone. 16 November 1989. Retrieved 24 May 2014.
External links edit
- Trouble in Paradise at Discogs (list of releases)