The overlooked 1972 song Brian Wilson and Bob Dylan both agree is a masterpiece: “The best”

Randy Newman’s “Sail Away” is presented as a standout work of songwriting, praised by both Bob Dylan and Brian Wilson. Their admiration matters because it highlights Newman’s influence among fellow musicians, even though he has never been a major mass-market star.

Dylan called the song a classically heroic anthem and said Newman’s songwriting was exceptionally accomplished; Wilson named it Newman’s best work and said the album repeatedly inspired him during a difficult period. Released in 1972, “Sail Away” uses a deceptively relaxed musical style to deliver layered satire about the slave trade, with its lyrics, melody and arrangement working together to tell a story.