# The 8 Best Randy Newman Songs

> From satirical pop anthems to heartbreaking ballads and iconic film scores, Randy Newman has crafted some of the most distinctive songs in American music history. Vote for your all-time favorite.

*By YPB Team · Published June 11, 2026 · https://youpick.best/ranking/the-8-best-randy-newman-songs*

---

## Current results (3 votes)

1. **Our Town** — 33.33% (1 votes · score 1000/1000)
   The Oscar-winning elegy from Cars (2006) capturing the quiet tragedy of Route 66 towns bypassed by the interstate, a meditation on lost small-town America.
2. **You've Got a Friend in Me** — 33.33% (1 votes · score 709/1000)
   The upbeat opening theme for Toy Story (1995) that became his most beloved composition, a warm celebration of loyalty and childhood friendship.
3. **Short People** — 33.33% (1 votes · score 709/1000)
   A satirical 1977 hit ostensibly mocking short people, intended as a parable about irrational prejudice that became a massive radio sensation.
4. **We Belong Together** — 0% (0 votes · score 600/1000)
   The Oscar-winning bittersweet ballad from Toy Story 3 (2010) capturing the poignant end of childhood as Andy leaves for college.
5. **When She Loved Me** — 0% (0 votes · score 491/1000)
   A heartbreaking ballad written by Newman for Toy Story 2 (1999), sung by Sarah McLachlan, depicting Jessie's anguish at being abandoned by her owner.
6. **Sail Away** — 0% (0 votes · score 360/1000)
   A devastating 1972 song sung from the perspective of a slave trader luring Africans with false promises of America, Newman's sharpest piece of social satire.
7. **If I Didn't Have You** — 0% (0 votes · score 360/1000)
   The Oscar-winning comic duet from Monsters, Inc. (2001) between Sully and Mike that gleefully parodies love songs while celebrating an unlikely friendship.
8. **Mama Told Me Not to Come** — 0% (0 votes · score 360/1000)
   A blues-rock chronicle of a wild party that became a No. 1 hit when covered by Three Dog Night, one of the most covered songs of Newman's early career.

Tags: music, usa, 70s, classics, all-time, film-score