Little Criminals

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
This article is about the music album. For the 1996 film, see Little Criminals (film).
Little Criminals
Warner Bros., Reprise
ProducerLenny Waronker, Russ Titelman
Randy Newman chronology
Good Old Boys
(1974) 		Little Criminals
(1977) 		Born Again
(1979)

Little Criminals is the fifth studio

hit single in its own right. The album itself peaked at #9 on the US Billboard 200 chart
, Newman's highest-charting album to date.

Some of the instrumental work and backing vocals on the album are performed by members of the Eagles. In particular, Glenn Frey played guitar on two tracks, Joe Walsh played guitar on three tracks, and Don Henley and Tim Schmit sang background vocals on one track each. Frey and JD Souther, who had earlier been the duo Longbranch Pennywhistle, sang background vocals on three tracks.

Newman wrote, conducted and played

keyboards on all tracks. Synthesizers were programmed by Michael Boddicker
.

In September 1977 the British music magazine NME published the following interview with Newman talking sardonically about his then new release: "There's one song about a child murderer," Newman deadpans. "That's fairly optimistic. Maybe. There's one called 'Jolly Coppers on Parade' which isn't an absolutely anti-police song. Maybe it's even a fascist song. I didn't notice at the time. There's also one about me as a cowboy called 'Rider in the Rain'. I think it's ridiculous. The Eagles are on there. That's what's good about it. There's also this song 'Short People'. It's purely a joke. I like other ones on the album better but the audiences go for that one."[2]

"Baltimore" was covered by Nina Simone, Nils Lofgren, the Tamlins, David Gray, Billy Mackenzie, Lianne La Havas, Jazmine Sullivan, Mink Stole, and Dr. Samuel Waymon.

"In Germany Before the War" was covered by British band Diesel Park West on their covers album "God Only Knows" in 1992, and by Marianne Faithfull on her album Easy Come, Easy Go, in 2009. The song "I'll Be Home", meanwhile, had been written by Newman years previously, and was originally recorded in 1970 by Harry Nilsson on his album Nilsson Sings Newman and by Tim Hardin on his 1972 album Painted Head.

The album's cover artwork is a photographic portrait of Randy Newman by

Financial District of Los Angeles
.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[3]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[4]
Rolling Stone[5]
The Village VoiceB+[6]

Pazz & Jop Critics Poll,[9] and in 2000 it was voted number 468 in Colin Larkin's All Time Top 1000 Albums.[10]

Track listing

All tracks are written by Randy Newman

Side one
No.TitleLength
1."Short People"2:54
2."You Can't Fool the Fat Man"2:44
3."Little Criminals"3:04
4."Texas Girl at the Funeral of Her Father"2:40
5."Jolly Coppers on Parade"3:46
6."In Germany Before the War"3:39
Side two
No.TitleLength
7."Sigmund Freud's Impersonation of Albert Einstein in America"3:02
8."Baltimore"4:02
9."I'll Be Home"2:47
10."Rider in the Rain"3:54
11."Kathleen (Catholicism Made Easier)"3:35
12."Old Man on the Farm"2:14

Personnel
  1. "Short People" – 2:54
  2. "You Can't Fool The Fatman" – 2:44
  3. "Little Criminals" – 3:04
    • Willie Weeks – bass guitar
    • Andy Newmark, Rick Marotta – drums
    • Glenn Frey – guitar
    • Joe Walsh – guitar, slide guitar
    • Milt Holland – percussion
  4. "Texas Girl at the Funeral of Her Father" – 2:40
    • Ralph Grierson – piano
  5. "Jolly Coppers on Parade" – 3:46
    • Klaus Voormann – bass guitar
    • Milt Holland – congas
    • Jim Keltner – drums, temple blocks
    • Waddy Wachtel – guitar
  6. "In Germany Before the War" – 3:39
    • No contributions are specified
  7. "Sigmund Freud's Impersonation of Albert Einstein in America" – 3:02
    • Willie Weeks – bass guitar
    • Jim Keltner – drums
  8. "Baltimore" – 4:02
    • Glenn Frey, JD Souther – backing vocals
    • Willie Weeks – bass
    • Andy Newmark, Rick Marotta – drums
    • Glenn Frey – guitar
    • Milt Holland – percussion
  9. "I'll Be Home" – 2:47
    • Klaus Voormann – bass guitar
    • Jim Keltner – drums
    • Waddy Wachtel – guitar
  10. "Rider in the Rain" – 3:54
    • Don Henley, Glenn Frey, JD Souther – backing vocals
    • Willie Weeks – bass guitar
    • Rick Marotta – drums
    • Waddy Wachtel – guitar
  11. "Kathleen (Catholicism Made Easier)" – 3:35
    • Willie Weeks – bass guitar
    • Rick Marotta – drums
    • Joe Walsh – guitar
    • Ry Cooder – mandolin
  12. "Old Man on the Farm" – 2:14
    • Randy Newman – piano
Technical
  • Lee Herschberg, Loyd Clifft – engineer
  • Mike Salisbury – cover design
  • Bob Seidemann – cover photography at 1013 7th Street, Los Angeles, California[11]

Charts

Sales and certifications

Certifications for Little Criminals
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Canada (Music Canada)[20] Gold 50,000^
Netherlands (NVPI)[21] Gold 50,000^
United States (RIAA)[22] Gold 500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

  1. ^ Liner notes, Guilty: 30 Years of Randy Newman, 1998
  2. ^ Tobler, John (1992). NME Rock 'N' Roll Years (1st ed.). London: Reed International Books Ltd. p. 304. CN 5585.
  3. ^ AllMusic review
  4. ISBN 978-0195313734
    .
  5. ^ Rolling Stone review
  6. ^ Christgau, Robert (October 31, 1977). "Christgau's Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. New York. Retrieved April 29, 2013.
  7. ^ Maslin, Janet (25 Sep 1977). "Randy Newman: The Moral Is Implicit". The New York Times. p. 96.
  8. ^ "Hits of the Week" (PDF). Record World. March 25, 1978. p. 1. Retrieved 2023-02-15.
  9. ^ Christgau, Robert (January 23, 1978). "The 1977 Pazz & Jop Critics Poll". The Village Voice. New York. Retrieved April 16, 2020.
  10. ISBN 0-7535-0493-6
    .
  11. ^ "Musical Maps".
  12. ISBN 0-646-11917-6
    .
  13. ^ "RPM Top 100 Albums - March 4, 1978" (PDF).
  14. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Randy Newman – Little Criminals" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved October 29, 2021.
  15. ^ "Charts.nz – Randy Newman – Little Criminals". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 29, 2021.
  16. ^ "Randy Newman Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved October 29, 2021.
  17. ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Album 1977". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved October 29, 2021.
  18. ^ "RPM Top 100 Albums of '78 - December 30, 1978" (PDF).
  19. ^ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1978". Billboard. Retrieved October 29, 2021.
  20. ^ "Canadian album certifications – Randy Newman – Little Criminals". Music Canada. Retrieved June 1, 2023.
  21. ^ "Dutch album certifications – Randy Newman – Little Criminals" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers. Retrieved July 16, 2022. Enter Little Criminals in the "Artiest of titel" box. Select 1978 in the drop-down menu saying "Alle jaargangen".
  22. ^ "American album certifications – Randy Newman – Little Criminals". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved June 1, 2023.
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