louise on the left (coast)

I had a feeling Randy Newman would call us out for our human foibles during this 2012 presidential race, however did not expect to hear quite such a note of despair to his voice. At first Newman's ballad appears to be nothing more than a sweet, humorous lament. However as the melody unfurls we hear the deceptively simple harmonies limp awkwardly toward it's real message: We are forever bound in ugliness to a sinking ship of racism: And he makes this point not just musically, but by stringing together lyrics as funny as salt in a wound; Within a tune all but refusing to hummed. This is no amusing ditty; this is our historic demise. We do seem to be a nation of folks unable to heed either common sense or God's warning wrath. And I, too, am heartbroken by what I fear is our endless, tragic ignorance. When will we ever learn?