Good Old Boys

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Work

Good Old Boys · Randy Newman first conceived this album as a concept record about Johnny Cutler, an ordinary man from the Deep South. That idea partly survived, but the album became a collection of glimpses of the people of the South in general. As on his previous record, he touches on taboo subjects such as slavery and racism. The opening track Rednecks is a satire on both the institutional racism of the South and the hypocrisy of the North.

He also works in historical events: Louisiana 1927 is about the great Mississippi flood. For Every Man a King, a song by the Louisiana politician Huey Long, he played with members of the Eagles. The album was released in September 1974 and was his first big commercial success, reaching number 36 in the American chart. Robert Christgau gave it an A, and later guides rated it with five stars.

Listening

Track list

1. 1Rednecks3:09Apple Music ↗
2. 2Birmingham2:46Apple Music ↗
3. 3Marie3:09Apple Music ↗
4. 4Mr. President (Have Pity On the Working Man)2:46Apple Music ↗
5. 5Guilty2:33Apple Music ↗
6. 6Louisiana 19272:56Apple Music ↗
7. 7Every Man a King1:03Apple Music ↗
8. 8Kingfish2:45Apple Music ↗
9. 9Naked Man3:09Apple Music ↗
10. 10A Wedding In Cherokee County3:09Apple Music ↗
11. 11Back On My Feet Again3:22Apple Music ↗
12. 12Rollin'2:55Apple Music ↗
13. 13Marie (Demo Version)2:52Apple Music ↗

30-second previews via Apple Music. Listen to the whole album on Apple Music ↗