I will be focusing on the Randy Newman tragically funny song, “ Sail Away,” that remains the album’s masterpiece. The song speaks of the American dream of a promised land as it might have been presented to black Africa in the slave running days, from the narration of a slave trader. He showcased these slave traders to be the first advertising men. He came up with this concept when he “ had this idea of a slave ship and a sea shanty – this guy standing in a clearing, singing to a crowd of natives. These people in my songs don’t know they’re bad. They think they’re fine. I didn’t just want to say, “Slavery'Slavery is awful.”' It’s too easy. I wasn’t doing Roots.”(NEWMAN)

The song is written in the key of F major, a lovely string arrangement over a rolling, piano motif. It features aan ostinato piano part with a mesmerizing allure with chord changes in the blues-country- rock- gospelblues/country/rock/gospel that was reoccurring in Newman’s style. Its lyrics, a forced juxtaposition to a beautiful score that rises like the sails of a slave tradertrader's ship. AlthoughDespite his use of allusion and parody, the music style never results in a stylistic paraodyparody.