Bad Love (album)

Bad Love is the ninth studio album by American singer-songwriter Randy Newman, released on June 1, 1999. It was Newman's first solo album since 1988's Land of Dreams and followed an 11-year hiatus during which Newman had focused on film soundtracks, receiving several Academy Award nominations.

Bad Love
Studio album by
Randy Newman
ReleasedJune 1, 1999
RecordedSunset Sound & Sound Factory
Capitol Studios 1997–99
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)

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, 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]

Scott Manzler stated "Bad Love ultimately falls short of Newman's early '70s masterworks,"[12] while AllMusic stated 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. Sullivan, Denise. "Bad Love". AllMusic.
  2. "Bad Love". Randynewman.com. Archived from the original on October 9, 1999.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 (September 10). Retrieved September 9, 2014.
  6. DeRogatis, Jim (1999). "Best of recent releases". Chicago Sun-Times (June 27). Archived from the original on September 21, 2014. Retrieved September 9, 2014.
  7. Willman, Chris (1999). "Bad Love Review". Entertainment Weekly. New York (June 4). 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 (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.
  12. Review by Scott Manzler at nudeasthenews.com Archived March 27, 2006, at the Wayback Machine
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