Nummer 3 in de Real Life Rock Top 10 van Greil Marcus:

Randy Newman interview with Bob Edwards, Morning Edition (NPR, Oct. 8) The day after California voted to smash its government, Newman was discussing The Randy Newman Songbook, Vol. 1, solo piano recordings of 18 of his tunes.

Edwards brought up the new version of the 1972 “Sail Away,” noting that its premise of a con man sweet-talking Africans onto his slave ship with promises of ease and abundance back in the U.S.A. wasn’t exactly in the historical record. “What am I supposed to say,” Newman said, “‘Slavery is bad?’ It’s like falling out of an airplane and hitting the ground, it’s just too easy. And it has no effect.”

“But the contrast is so strong,” Edwards said. “That beautiful melody…”

“It worked out well,” Newman said. “It ended racism in this country. Kids today don’t remember, now that it’s gone away.”