Randy Newman cocks his head as he listens to the words he wrote warble out of the toy.

"Hey, they're cheating me out of some money," he jokes.

Newman knows the cheque is in the mail for royalties on Strummin' Singin' Woody or other merchandise which uses music from the immensely successful Toy Story films.

What he doesn't know is if this Woody doll singing You've Got A Friend In Me actually has Tom Hanks' voice.

"Yeah, sure it is. Or his brother," the singer/composer debates.

"No, it sounds pretty good -- that may be a fake Tom Hanks."

Yes, it's true. Newman reports that of all the talents Mr. Oscar possesses, singing is not necessarily the most notable.

"You're hearing it at its best in the movie. It's all processed and gone through a machine," Newman says of Hanks' number in the original hit Toy Story."

Even if a ringer was brought in for Strummin' Singin' Woody, Newman doesn't think Hanks should take it personally.

"You know, they brought in a stunt singer for me on Toy Story 1," reveals the veteran vocalist with 30 years of recording experience.

"There's a tremendously high note in You've Got a Friend. 'I will fllllllyyyy ...' and I did it. After I saw the movie, they asked if I noticed anything funny about that high G."

You might expect someone with 12 Academy Award nominations to be a little insulted by the switch.

"No, not that. Even writing the songs, if they want something different? No problem," Newman says.

"Changes in what I've written for the orchestra, changes in the score? I take that personally."

Newman admits he has a small problem with authority.

"Basically, I don't very much like directors getting involved in the music, but John Lasseter has got good instincts. Over three pictures, he's getting better."

Newman has scored both Toy Story flicks and A Bug's Life for director Lasseter. This outing has Newman collaborating with Sarah McLachlan, Riders In The Sky and Robert Goulet.

Pleasantville, Maverick and Ragtime were also soundtracks composed by the pianist, but his notoriety stems from family films such as Cats Don't Dance, James and the Giant Peach and Parenthood.

For a guy who once sang about Short People, Randy Newman certainly is getting big with the little ones.

"At concerts, I get five-year-old fans or four-year-old fans occasionally," Newman says. "I don't go too deep for them. I do five or six songs and they're bored."

The singer/composer's satirical narratives tend to be over their heads. They tend to miss the nuances of

I Think It's Going to Rain Today or Feels Like Home.

Then again, Newman says, five-year-olds aren't the only ones who don't appreciate his work.

"I've been in it long enough to give up on some places. Like Kansas City," Newman says.

"Pittsburgh's been brutal. I can't play there. Miami's a tough town."

A tour schedule holds as many pleasant surprises as disappointments, however.

"Lexington, Kentucky. I once did two straight shows there that were very great. I don't know why," he shrugs, adding radio support has a lot to do with such matters.

"Where I've been on radio, they'll tolerate me and I can find a foolish promoter to put me on," he explains.

"There's a station in Florida that plays me like I was Billy Joel himself and, whoa, they think I'm big. But once I get to the next town, I'm nothing again."