Main content

Randy Newman

Kirsty Young's castaway is singer-songwriter Randy Newman.

Kirsty Young's castaway this week is the American composer, singer and song-writer Randy Newman. Colleagues say he stands shoulder-to-shoulder with musical legends Cole Porter and George Gershwin. He first made his name by writing mordant and often satirical pop songs - including A Few Words in Defence of Our Country, Political Science and Short People. For the past 25 years he has been better known for his Hollywood film music - including writing the scores for the first four Disney/Pixar films. He held the unique distinction for being Oscar-nominated 15 times without winning until 2002, when he picked up the award for Best Original Song for If I Didn't Have You from Monsters Inc. His songs are often written from the point of view of unlikeable characters - from slave masters to stalkers - it was a style, he acknowledges, that wasn't universally liked, but he adds: "I wouldn't have it any differently".

[Taken from the original programme material for this archive edition of Desert Island Discs]

Favourite track: The 3rd movement of String Quartet No.16 in F Major by Ludwig van Beethoven
Book: The Divine Comedy (with translation) by Dante Alighieri
Luxury: A piano.

Available now

45 minutes

Last on

Fri 24 Oct 2008 09:00
大象传媒 Radio 4

More episodes

Previous

Sanjeev Bhaskar

Next

Ian Bostridge

See all episodes from Desert Island Discs

Music Played

  • Castaway's Favourite

    • Ludwig van Beethoven

      String Quartet No. 16 in F major, Op. 135

      Orchestra: The Hollywood String Quartet

      • Beethoven: String Quartets.
      • Testament.

  • Alfred Newman

    Goodbyes

    • How Green Was My Valley.
    • Twentieth Century.

  • George Jones

    The Door

    • The Best of George Jones.
    • EPIC.

  • Fletcher Henderson

    The Stampede

    • Fletcher Henderson / 1925-28.
    • 大象传媒.

  • Igor Stravinsky

    Sacrificial Dance (from The Rite of Spring)

    Orchestra: The Boston Philharmonic Orchestra Conductor: Benjamin Zander

    • Stravinsky: Rite of Spring.
    • I.M.P..

  • Dmitry Shostakovich

    Symphony No. 15 in A major - 1st movement

    Orchestra: London Philharmonic Orchestra Conductor: Bernard Haitink

    • Shostakovich: The Symphonies.
    • London.

  • Gustav Mahler

    Symphony No. 9 in D major - 4th movement

    Orchestra: Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra Conductor: Herbert von Karajan

    • Mahler: Symphony No.9.
    • Deutsche Grammophon.

  • Ray Charles

    Come Rain or Come Shine

    • The Genius of Ray Charles.
    • Atlantic.

  • Book Choice

    • The Divine Comedy (with translation) - Dante Alighieri

  • Luxury Choice

    • A piano

Credits

Presenter Kirsty Young
Interviewed Guest Randy Newman

Broadcasts

  • Sun 19 Oct 2008 11:15
    大象传媒 Radio 4
  • Fri 24 Oct 2008 09:00
    大象传媒 Radio 4

Featured in...

The Desert Island Discs podcast

The Desert Island Discs podcast

Subscribe or download individual episodes.

Listen to over 2,000 programmes

Click above to browse castaways, from 1942 to today.

Articles

Read the surprising things we've learned about some stand-out castaways.

Podcast