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

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/the-overlooked-1972-song-brian-wilson-and-bob-dylan-both-agree-is-a-masterpiece-the-best/
- Published: 2026-11-05T17:42:40+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-05T19:07:54+00:00
- Original publisher: Far Out
- Original article: https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/song-1972-brian-wilson-and-bob-dylan-masterpiece/
- Topics: Entertainment, Music

## Key points

- Dylan called “Sail Away” a masterpiece of songwriting.
- Brian Wilson named it Randy Newman’s best work.
- Its relaxed sound carries sharp satire about the slave trade.

## Summary

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.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.