Randy Newman's Putin

October 25, 2016 9:54 AM

"Putin" is a new song and video by Randy Newman, from an as-yet untitled album due next spring. A review in Pitchfork by Greil Marcus. A Washington Post interview about the song. A Telegraph interview from last year. His last album of new material was 2008's Harps and Angels (not counting five film scores and two volumes of his Songbook series). His last music video was 2012's "I'm Dreaming" (prev).
posted by rollick (14 comments total)

ok, this isn't a comment about the song, but the first line of that Pitchfork article is wrong:

1. “Last Week Tonight with John Oliver” (HBO, October 9) This is the best show on television.

No, the best show on television is "Full Frontal with Samantha Bee".

John Oliver is good but Samantha Bee is great.
posted by Pendragon at 10:05 AM on October 25, 2016 [1 favorite]

Putin is way more enjoyable than it should be. Sadly, I mean both the song and, in pop culture now, the man. Not sure what to make of that and where it'll lead, but the song, at least, amused while I pondered it.
posted by gusottertrout at 10:07 AM on October 25, 2016

... I’ll tell you, another thing that inspired it, there’s an old song in the ‘40s, by the Golden Gate Quartet, a gospel song called “Stalin Wasn’t Stallin’ ...

A little sad he didn't write "Putin Wasn't Pootin'."
posted by octobersurprise at 10:17 AM on October 25, 2016

I enjoyed the song, and like all "Putin" songs (like Ra-ra-rasputin) it's quite catchy*.

But there's only one realllll Putin song, and that's Put Put Putin by Rammelhof.

*aw geeeeeez Now I'm sure I'm going to have some horrible medley in my head from these, something like "Vladimir - Put-put Putin, Russian's Greatest Love Machine, he can power a nuclear reactor with the left side of his brain. . . "
posted by barchan at 10:18 AM on October 25, 2016 [3 favorites]

Randy Newman, National Treasure
posted by Room 641-A at 10:26 AM on October 25, 2016 [5 favorites]

My favourite will always be Putin on the ritz.
posted by srboisvert at 10:47 AM on October 25, 2016 [2 favorites]

Oh blow, srboisvert, I was just going to say that. I will, however, add to your timely note by suggesting that searching Youtube fo Putin On The Ritz will retrieve a number of versions, some more pun-ishing than others. (For those not in its marketing areas, Ritz is also a round cheesy biscuit, which may help.)

I've been looking for the cheesiest, le plus gay, Hi-NRG dance Putin number, but to little effect. The best I can find so far is this mildly NFSW cartoon festival of aspersion.
posted by Devonian at 11:08 AM on October 25, 2016

Who could forget Wilson Pickett's classic "Bear Putin?"
posted by HeroZero at 11:44 AM on October 25, 2016

Devonian: I think this is what you want.

I'm also partial to AMG's Go Hard Like Vladimir Putin.
posted by honestcoyote at 12:04 PM on October 25, 2016

Stalin Wasn’t Stallin'

As performed by Robert Wyatt.
posted by Grangousier at 1:56 PM on October 25, 2016 [1 favorite]

This calls for a link to some old gold: 25 Days of Newman by paul and storm.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 7:19 AM on October 26, 2016 [1 favorite]

PUTIN IS NUMBER ONE GREATEST PRESIDENT SONG
Putin Putout
posted by Kabanos at 7:19 AM on October 27, 2016

There is also the "Putin Khuilo" (Путин Хуйло) song– meaning basically Putin is a Dickhead – which Ukrainian football fans came up with after Russia's invasion.

It has spawned many covers, including: more than one dance mix, a Mariachi cover, and my favorite, by an "Oregon folk instruments band", which features dildo drumsticks, a rubber chicken, and a howling dog.
posted by Kabanos at 7:43 AM on October 27, 2016

Also related, Pussy Riot released a new music video yesterday:

The visual for “Organs” features Nadya Tolokonnikova bathing in a tub filled with blood. … "My president replaced his dick with an ICBM," the singer intones, as blood continues to drip. "Freedom and bondage is the same shit now/ But when instead of inserting cocks, they insert tanks in my town."

posted by Kabanos at 7:49 AM on October 27, 2016