THE ABC’S OF RANDY NEWMAN: In a...

THE ABC’S OF RANDY NEWMAN: In a recent interview with The Times, Randy Newman defended his decision allowing ABC-TV to use a rewritten version of “I Love L.A.” to tout the network’s new shows, explaining, “It’s not like I let ABC use ‘God’s Song’ or ‘I Think It’s Going to Rain Today’ or one of the songs that is most important to me.” One longtime Newman fan, satirist Harry Shearer, didn’t buy this intriguing rationale. In fact, Shearer, who takes on all targets on “Le Show,” his KCRW-FM comedy hour (which airs Sundays at 10 a.m.), wondered just what one of Newman’s more “important” songs would sound like, if revised for network promotion purposes. Here’s an excerpt from Shearer’s new “ABC-TV” version of “God’s Song (That’s Why I Love Mankind),” as performed last week on his program.

Colbys left “Dynasty,” they’re on their own,

“Moonlighting” is as good as “Romancing the Stone,”

With “Who’s the Boss” I’m never alone,

So I ask you,

Yes, I ask you,

Don’t folks need entertainment, that’s plain to see,

Each day and nighttime, AM or P,

Ain’t there just one network, where you’ll find me,

That’s why I love ABC.