Little Criminals

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Little Criminals
Little Criminals cover
Studio album by Randy Newman
Released 1977
Recorded Jul 1977-Sep 1977 Warner Bros. Recording Studios, North Hollywood, and The Burbank Studios
Genre Rock
Length 38:21
Label Warner Bros. Records Reprise Records
Producer Lenny Waronker and Russ Titelman
Professional reviews
Randy Newman chronology
Good Old Boys
(1974)		 Little Criminals
(1977)		 Born Again
(1979)

Little Criminals is a 1977 album from Randy Newman. Like most of Newman's work, the album eschews traditional pop-music themes (there is not one love song on the whole album) in favor of musical story-telling, often featuring quirky characters and cynical views. The first song on the album — "Short People" — became a hit single in its own right. The album itself peaked at #9 on the pop albums chart, Newman's highest-charting album to date.

Most of the instrumental work and backing vocals on the album are performed by the Eagles, who are listed in the album credits individually (and not by group name, possibly to avoid a contract dispute with their record label).

The song Baltimore was covered by Nina Simone and by The Tamlins

Randy Newman wrote, conducted and played keyboards on all tracks. Synthesizers were programmed by Mike Boddicker


1. "Short People"


2. "You Can't Fool The Fatman"


3. "Little Criminals"
  • Bass - Willie Weeks
  • Drums - Andy Newmark, Rick Marotta
  • Guitar - Glen Frey
  • Guitar, Guitar [Slide] - Joe Walsh
  • Percussion - Milt Holland


4. "Texas Girl at the Funeral of Her Father"
  • Piano - Ralph Grierson


5. "Jolly Coppers on Parade"
  • Bass - Klaus Voorman
  • Congas - Milt Holland
  • Drums, Percussion [Temple Blocks] - Jim Keltner
  • Guitar - Waddy Wachtel


6. "In Germany Before the War"


7. "Sigmund Freud's Impersonation of Albert Einstein in America"
  • Bass - Willie Weeks
  • Drums - Jim Keltner


8. "Baltimore"
  • Backing Vocals - Glen Frey, J.D. Souther
  • Bass - Willie Weeks
  • Drums - Andy Newmark, Rick Marotta
  • Guitar - Glen Frey
  • Percussion - Milt Holland


9. "I'll Be Home"
  • Bass - Klaus Voorman
  • Drums - Jim Keltner
  • Guitar - Waddy Wachtel


10. "Rider in the Rain"
  • Backing Vocals - Don Henley, Glen Frey, J.D. Souther
  • Bass - Willie Weeks
  • Drums - Rick Marotta
  • Guitar - Waddy Wachtel


11. "Kathleen (Catholicism Made Easier)"
  • Bass - Willie Weeks
  • Drums - Rick Marotta
  • Guitar - Joe Walsh
  • Mandolin - Ry Cooder


12. "Old Man on the Farm"
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