I don’t know about you, but there’s only thing I think about when we hear Randy Newman’s “You’ve Got A Friend In Me”: Toy Story. Randy Newman’s rough voice and the familiar melody can’t make me think of anything else, which is hard when I want to feel any other emotion other than crippingly bittersweet. It’s just one of those songs, you know?
English indie artist Rex Orange County (“Loving Is Easy,” “Best Friend”) releases a cover of the classic with backing vocals but no one but Randy Newman himself. It’s fresh and invigorating: something I can imagine listening to while driving in the morning.
Rex Orange County previously collaborated with Tyler, the Creator and is part of Spotify’s RISE series.
Listen to the track here: