Randy Newman - Sail Away (1972)

He may be famous now as the chief tunesmith on many recent hit animated features, but there was a time, especially in the early '70s, when Randy Newman was doing something more thought-provoking than cartoon soundtracks.

This 1972 classic is the best example of the West Coast singer-songwriter at his most acidic and perceptive, brilliantly treating hot-ticket issues like racism, repression and religious bigotry in lilting piano-driven songs with a strong New Orleans flavour. Satire has never sounded so sweet in song!