Track Listing
1. I Love L.A.
2. Christmas in Cape Town
3. Blues, The
4. Same Girl
5. Mikey's
6. My Life Is Good
7. Miami
8. Real Emotional Girl
9. Take Me Back
10. There's a Party at My House
11. I'm Different
12. Song for the Dead
| Details | | Playing Time: | 39 min. | | Contributing Artists: | Bob Seger, Christine McVie, Don Henley, Linda Ronstadt, Lindsey Buckingham, Paul Simon, Rickie Lee Jones, Wendy Waldman | | Producer: | Lenny Waronker, Russ Titelman | | Distributor: | WEA (Distributor) | | Recording Type: | Studio | | Recording Mode: | Stereo | | SPAR Code: | ADD |
Album Notes
Personnel includes: Randy Newman, Jennifer Warnes, Don Henley (vocals); Steve Lukather (guitar); Larry Williams, Steve Madaio, Ernie Watts, Jerry Hey, Jim Horn, Jon Smith (horns); Ralph Grierson, Niel Larson (piano); David Paich, Michael Boddicker (keyboards); Nathan East (bass); Jeff Porcaro (drums); Lenny Castro, Paulinho Da Costa (percussion); Christine McVie, Wendy Waldman, Lindsey Buckingham, Bob Seger, Linda Ronstadt, Rickie Lee Jones, Paul Simon.
Recorded at Warner Brothers Studios, North Hollywood, California.
Personnel: Randy Newman (vocals, piano); Christine McVie, Don Henley, Jennifer Warnes, Leslie Smith, Lindsey Buckingham, Paul Simon, Rickie Lee Jones, Arno Lucas, Wendy Waldman, Linda Ronstadt, Bob Seger (vocals); Dean Parks, Richard Wachtel, Steve Lukather (guitar); Neil Larsen, Ralph Grierson (piano); David Paich (Fender Rhodes piano, keyboards); Michael Boddicker (synthesizer); Jeff Porcaro (drums); Lenny Castro, Paulinho Da Costa (percussion).
On his '80s recordings, Newman relied on a slick, poppy wall of sound provided by the L.A. session vets that were his longtime compatriots. It's hard to tell whether the smooth, L.A. sound that permeates records like TROUBLE IN PARADISE was an ironic tool to distance Newman from his lyrics, or whether he just dug that sound. Whatever the case, the listener is forced to focus more intently on the lyrics, and the dark sentiments often expressed attain that more of an effective ironic contrast.
There's an ironic paean to Newman's home town ("I Love L.A."), a stab at racism ("Christmas in Capetown") and a stinging satire of California high rollers ("My Life is Good"). On "The Blues," where he's joined by Paul Simon, Newman deflates his own profession, making light of those who express personal pain through music. It's this kind of self-conscious humility that makes Newman's music interesting no matter what the sonic setting.
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