In addition to the previously discussed songs, approximately a dozen other Newman- penned demos exist of songs that were later recorded and commercially released by unidentified artists. As before, information has been assembled from demo acetates, written records and Newman himself. (Note: the authors would be most grateful for any help from collectors able to identify the cover artists involved!)
The previously mentioned Interworld sampler, Songs Of Randy Newman, also includes an edited demo of "A Boy Like You", another female vocal-styled tune (sung in the female narrator's voice by a straight-faced Newman on the sampler). Its lyrics ("Hands in your pockets/Eyes on the ground/Chip on your shoulder that's weighin' you down/Mad at the world/Bewildered and lonely..") sound more like a consoling mother's sentiments than the voice of a teen love interest; musically, the song would benefit from a looser studio arrangement. One possible cover by a U.S. group, Summer Set, has been traced to this song title on the KEM label, though Newman's credit as writer has not been confirmed.
"Everybody Else But You", written around 1963 but covered by an unknown artist in 1968, is propelled by a catchy syncopated rhythm track and some of Newman's drier lyrics from this period: "I can hear you laughin' now/What's the matter with you anyhow/Don't you know you're supposed to cry/Because we said goodbye/Yeah, breaking up is hard to do/For everybody else but you." Whether a good-natured poke at Neil Sedaka and other writers of the time ("Just turn on your radio/And listen to what they say/Every song on every show/Says breaking up's a terrible thing"), or just a stretch, the song is a welcome relief from Metric's other cookie-cutter "lost love" songs. Newman himself recorded ten takes of this song for ABC Recording Studios shortly after writing it, complete with a band and backing vocalists; an official release has yet to surface.
Another upbeat number, "Poor Little Rich Boy" (recorded by someone in 1968), features a slim lyrical twist on a popular 1964 song, "Can't Buy Me Love": "I don't have any money/But I'm richer than you/I got a heart full of lovin'/I'm just waitin' to give/And you'll never be that rich/ For as long as you live." Originality aside, the cut does sport a fun soft-rockabilly sound, for the handful of foot-tappers who heard it.
"Yesterday's News," a stroll number with vocal line recalling early-60's Dion, milks its title for yet another metaphor about breaking up ("Just a story no paper could use/A sad tale that ends with the blues.."). Both song and demo have a derivative music factory feel, despite Newman's efforts to lighten it up: "Oh, what a story/It could have been/With me the hero/And you the heroine/A great love story/That never came true..So it just rates a mention or two." Aptly put.
Sounding like something from a lost Freddie and The Dreamers' songbook, "I Don't Know How You Did It" is so ridiculous that it tests one's faith in Newman's sense of humor: he can't be serious, can he? Either a backhanded tribute to the worst kind of Merseypop or a bald attempt to prove his publishers would issue any dreck over quality work, Newman has virtually nothing on his mind here, musically or lyrically. Issued by someone on Liberty/U.A. in 1970.
"Tomorrow Night", a stylish exercise in genre-hopping (Ben E. King's rhumba-with-strings sound), actually works despite its obvious borrowings; even Newman's now-familiar Rejected Male theme shows some edge ("Tomorrow night/Please don't say 'Let's just be friends'/'Cause though it happened before/I still come back for more.."). Though light years from "Stand By Me", the anonymous demo artist does admirable vocal duty, particularly on the astonishing soprano outro. Issued in the U.S. by someone in 1968.
Newman's royalty statements identify two further Metric-period songs issued in Britain: an instrumental, "Long Hot Summer," dating from Newman's Peyton Place sessions, and "There's Just No Pleasing You," a 1965 release traced to UK beat group the Epics (PYE 7N 15829). A demo for this latter song (cowritten with Jackie DeShannon) has also been traced to a 1964 Metric Music demonstration album for DeShannon (M64-3/M64-4), although alternate demos of both songs may exist. All that is known of two other recorded titles, "I've Got My Eye On You" and "Old Fashioned Girl," are royalty payments recieved in 1970 from Sweden for the former song, and in 1968 from Spain and a year later in Japan for the latter. Collectors?
The following Metric-period Newman songs exist on acetates, with vocals performed by various studio "demo" vocalists -- DeShannon, Gates, Jett Powers (AKA P.J. Proby) and Eddie Cochran's girlfriend, Sharon Sheeran, often sang on Metric demos -- however, neither the demo performers' names nor any official commercial releases have been confirmed.
With the lite instrumentation and soulful vocals reminiscent of a 1960's TV show theme, "I Can't Wait for Tomorrow" comes on like it was written by Randy's cheerier twin: "Everything is going my way/Now my nights won't be lonely/All those grey clouds have drifted away/And the sun shines for me only." And as sung on the demo by a member of Phil Spector's backup trio, the Blossoms (most likely Fanita James or Jean King), the damn thing almost works, despite an indelibly grating sing-along chorus. What's missing: a touch of the craftier twin -- otherwise, why not just listen to Pat Boone?
Sounding stuck between a 50's muzak session and a Skyliners' demo, "Lost To Me" shows some thought behind its unpredictable chord changes, but between the drab production and a too- breathy chanteuse, none of the lyrics ("By this time/You've found someone new/If you're happy/I should be too/But my heart won't let me be/'Cause I see/You're completely/Lost to me") hook in.
A rare uptempo throwaway, "At The Saturday Dance" marries a familiar four-chord shuffle to song-by-number lyrics rhyming "Saturday dance", "take a chance" and "new romance." Perhaps boredom had set in, or submission to a give-the-publishers-what-they-want (no matter how redundant) work ethic. Or it may have been the demo's intolerable squonking horn charts.
As sung (part duet/part round) on a demo by Newman and his brother Alan, "Who's There" sounds like a nasal Fleetwoods parody ("Who's there/Standing in the street/Whoops -- it's just the boy/I didn't want to meet.."); in the better-produced studio demo (glockenspiel added), a female vocal group adds some life but little warmth to Newman's flat attempts at humor ("Go away/This is the end/You'll never raid my poor icebox again/I may let you in some day/But now please, please go away"). Quite unlike anything else in Newman's catalogue.
In "Hello River", a nasal male singer valiantly struggles to hold some lengthy notes in key over a monotonous chord pattern; lyrically, Randy gives unrequited love another shot, working in the now-overused water metaphor in the song's title. What at first sounds like a jumper's suicide address ("Hello river/Don't you remember your old friend?") is merely a lover's plea to be taken far from an untrue one ("Wise old river/Now I know why you're so calm/You keep on movin'/ You never stay in one place long"). Harmless and inconsequential.
Just what drove someone to make a demo of "Our New Home" may never be known -- a rare example of a song so appalling as to be queerly fascinating. Over an incongruous mix of classical guitar, piano and triangle, an emotionless vocalist recites the home decorating vows of two newlyweds: "What color shall we paint the door, darling/What color shall we paint the door/ Let's paint it gold like the gateway to heaven/'Cause this heaven will be our new home." Painful.
Despite its anonymous male demo vocalist, "I Wanna Go Home" has a sound similar to Jackie DeShannon's Newman covers (curiously, DeShannon had penned a track by the same title in 1960, appearing on her Edison International single 416); unfortunately, the demo falls short of her other covers musically and lyrically. Centered (perhaps autobiographically) on the regrets of a teen who leaves school and moves out early ("Last fall/When I left my home/I thought I'd have a ball/Being on my own/But now I'm tired/Tired of being alone/And I wanna go home"), this rebel- without-a-car episode comes to a fitting '50's-like finale: "Oh, please make them love me/The way I love them/Then I'll come home again." Robert Young would approve.