Randy Newman

Newman is a composer and lyricist, as well as a performer (vocals and piano) known for bitingly satirical words that accompany 40s-style melodies. One example of this combination is “Short People,” a song written from the point of view of an absurdly bigoted narrator: “They got little baby legs That stand so low You got to pick ‘em up Just to say hello.”

Music critic Ellen Willis wrote that Newman’s voice “makes me think of wet sand being eased out of a bottle.”

Newman also composed and performed “It’s A Jungle Out There,” which became the theme song for the television show Monk beginning with its second season. The lyrics here express the obsessive-compulsive view of the world that distinguishes the show’s protagonist, Adrian Monk. There was some controversy, because many fans preferred the instrumental music that had served as the theme song in the first season, but Newman’s song seems to have won them over in time.