Bad Love (album)

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For the Summer Camp album, see Summer Camp (band).

Bad Love
Sunset Sound
  • Sound Factory
  • Capitol (Hollywood)
    • GenreRock
    Length44:45
    LabelDreamworks
    ProducerMitchell Froom, Tchad Blake
    Randy Newman chronology
    Guilty: 30 Years of Randy Newman
    (1998)     		Bad Love
    (1999)     		The Randy Newman Songbook Vol. 1
    (2003)

    Bad Love is the tenth studio album by American singer-songwriter

    Academy Award
    nominations.

    Background

    The album finds Newman bitter and satirical – as "biting as ever, yet unafraid to tackle personal and heartfelt concerns".[1] Newman tackles issues such as the state of American culture in "My Country", which chronicles suburbia's growing dependence on television[citation needed], and "The World Isn’t Fair", which takes a look at the world through the eyes of Karl Marx. Another subject is aging – "Shame" takes a negative look at an "older man courting a younger woman" via the barbed lyrics and an exchange between the lead vocalist and the backing singer. "I’m Dead (But I Don't Know It)" is more self-referential in dealing with aging rock stars and commenting: "Everything I write sounds the same / Each record that I’m making / Is like a record that I’ve made / Just not as good".

    "Every Time It Rains" was composed for Michael Jackson but he declined to record it,[2] while "I Miss You" was composed for Newman's ex-wife.[3]

    Newman later said, "Before I started Bad Love, I wasn't exactly sure I could do a rock 'n' roll record at 65, or however old I was. But I was satisfied that it was a good record. Maybe my best record."[4]

    This album was Newman's only release for DreamWorks Records.

    Critical reception

    Professional ratings
    Review scores
    SourceRating
    AllMusic[1]
    The Austin Chronicle[5]
    Chicago Sun-Times[6]
    Entertainment WeeklyB+[7]
    Hot Press10/12[8]
    Rolling Stone[9]
    The Village VoiceA[10]

    It received generally positive reviews from critics, placing 11th in the 1999

    Pazz & Jop Critics Poll.[11]

    AllMusic stated that the songs on Bad Love "should rest comfortably alongside his other four-star offerings."[1]

    Track listing

    All songs written by Randy Newman.

    1. "My Country" – 5:40
    2. "Shame" – 4:54
    3. "I'm Dead (But I Don't Know It)" – 3:25
    4. "Every Time It Rains" – 3:33
    5. "The Great Nations of Europe" – 3:26
    6. "The One You Love" – 3:39
    7. "The World Isn't Fair" – 2:44
    8. "Big Hat, No Cattle" – 4:24
    9. "Better Off Dead" – 4:03
    10. "I Miss You" – 3:55
    11. "Going Home" – 2:06
    12. "I Want Everyone to Like Me" – 2:59

    Personnel

    Notes

    1. ^ a b c Sullivan, Denise. "Bad Love". AllMusic.
    2. ^ "Bad Love". Randynewman.com. Archived from the original on October 9, 1999.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
    3. ^ Chilton, Martin (October 23, 2015). "Randy Newman Q&A: 'I try to shut up, but I can't'". The Telegraph. Retrieved January 15, 2020.
    4. ^ Keith Phipps (October 8, 2003). "Randy Newman". A.V. Club.
    5. ^ McCord, Jeff (1999). "Randy Newman: Bad Love". The Austin Chronicle. No. September 10. Retrieved September 9, 2014.
    6. ^ DeRogatis, Jim (1999). "Best of recent releases". Chicago Sun-Times. No. June 27. Archived from the original on September 21, 2014. Retrieved September 9, 2014.
    7. ^ Willman, Chris (1999). "Bad Love Review". Entertainment Weekly (June 4). New York. Retrieved September 9, 2014.
    8. ^ O'Hare, Colm (1999). "Bad Love". Hot Press (July 21). Retrieved September 9, 2014.
    9. ^ Rolling Stone review
    10. ^ Christgau, Robert (1999). "Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. No. June 22. New York. Retrieved September 9, 2014.
    11. ^ Christgau, Robert (February 22, 2000). "The 1999 Pazz & Jop Critics Poll". The Village Voice. New York. Retrieved April 16, 2020.
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