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Who is Harry Nillson -and why is everybody talkin about him?

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John Cougar Lunchbucket Feb 28 2011 08:16 AM

Admiring documentary of the talented but self-destructive singer/composer. Seems to me he'd had been better off had he never met John Lennon, but then maybe a documentary wouldn't have been made either.

Edgy MD Feb 28 2011 08:20 AM Re: Who is Harry Nillson -and why is everybody talkin about him?

Has Nilsson had a Very Important Poll?

John Cougar Lunchbucket Feb 28 2011 08:21 AM Re: Who is Harry Nillson -and why is everybody talkin about him?

Nope.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Feb 28 2011 10:46 AM Re: Who is Harry Nillson -and why is everybody talkin about him?

3 votes, no discussion. I guess nobody's talkin about him.

TransMonk Feb 28 2011 10:49 AM Re: Who is Harry Nillson -and why is everybody talkin about him?

I'm waiting for the VIP.

metirish Feb 28 2011 10:52 AM Re: Who is Harry Nillson -and why is everybody talkin about him?

I was conflating him with Jim Diamond because I was certain I Should Have Known Better was his song.

Vic Sage Feb 28 2011 03:03 PM Re: Who is Harry Nillson -and why is everybody talkin about him?

As a kid, i remember watching COURTSHIP OF EDDIE'S FATHER, and i loved the opening title song. Then, i saw a tv special called the POINT, and my brother told me the same guy wrote the CEF theme song, and he gave me the album NILLSON, SCHMILLSON and i became a fan. He had this lovely voice, and wrote songs which juxtaposed old fashioned sort of melodies with bizarre, darkly comic lyrics. I liked SON OF SCHMILLSON too, though it was more inconsistent. I liked the John Lennon-produced PUSSYCATS, but you could definitely hear the strain on his voice. I lost track of him after that. I watched the doc on Netflix and found it compelling enough.

batmagadanleadoff Mar 04 2011 08:47 AM Re: Who is Harry Nillson -and why is everybody talkin about

I picked up the Nilsson Schmilsson [crossout:2avae6z7]album[/crossout:2avae6z7] CD yesterday. It was in the $5.00 bargain bin at J&R Music, NYC. Great stuff.

Edgy MD Mar 04 2011 10:11 AM Re: Who is Harry Nillson -and why is everybody talkin about

I have no problem with calling a CD an album. Or a digital package of downloadable songs for that matter. Anybody who corrects you on this should be avoided.

batmagadanleadoff Mar 04 2011 10:40 AM Re: Who is Harry Nillson -and why is everybody talkin about

Well ... then I stand uncorrected. I finally get to experience one of the rare fringe benefits of aging: that the music I liked when I belonged to the "18 years old - 30 years old" demographic is suddenly dirt cheap ...and I can now buy [crossout:pjc3ikk4]a CD[/crossout:pjc3ikk4] an album that I like for less than the price of a magazine.

John Cougar Lunchbucket Mar 04 2011 10:52 AM Re: Who is Harry Nillson -and why is everybody talkin about

Just consider yourself lucky you found a joint that still bothers to sell the things at any price. I was a real slut for the cheap bin at Tower back before that chain was crippled by the Internet. I am streaming 'Schmillson' right now.

batmagadanleadoff Mar 04 2011 01:25 PM Re: Who is Harry Nillson -and why is everybody talkin about

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Just consider yourself lucky you found a joint that still bothers to sell the things at any price. I was a real slut for the cheap bin at Tower back before that chain was crippled by the Internet. I am streaming 'Schmillson' right now. Of course, those bargain bin CD's wouldn't be bargain bin CD's if not for the internet and digitized computerized music. Chicken or egg? Egg or chicken?

John Cougar Lunchbucket Mar 04 2011 01:35 PM Re: Who is Harry Nillson -and why is everybody talkin about

Yeah, I think the industry got a little of what was coming to it by pricing music where they did, not to mention, marketing and merchandising it all f'ed up like. I dunno though. Seemed like if you were a guy like me, always broke and slowly getting around to replacing your LPs, you could wait on Tower to drastically reduce something you could use almost every week. I think part of it was the record company retiring old CDs for newly packaged ones and stuff. I think I stole less music from the Internet than anyone I know. I don;t even know what a torrent is.

batmagadanleadoff Mar 05 2011 05:27 PM Re: Who is Harry Nillson -and why is everybody talkin about

John Cougar Lunchbucket wrote: Seemed like if you were a guy like me, always broke and slowly getting around to replacing your LPs, you could wait on Tower to drastically reduce something you could use almost every week. I think part of it was the record company retiring old CDs for newly packaged ones and stuff. I'd bet the house on the music industry coming up with another new and improved revolutionary music-listening format in the future. It's in their interests to have us replace our CD's and mp3's and run out to buy our 9th version of The White Album. I was never into the bargain bins. It's not that I was averse to saving a buck, but I rarely found anything I thought interesting there. But in this era of downloadable music and pricing pressure on CD's, the bargain bins are treasure troves. The Nilsson album I bought at J&R is a second version remaster, with as many bonus tracks as regular tracks, including a spanish version of Without You. The entire Monkees catalogue, second version Rhino remasters was on sale, a good number of Bob Dylan in his Columbia Records prime second version Cd remasters, the entire Elton John MCA catalog (also second version remasters), Iggy & The Stooges Raw Power, (the Bowie Mix if you're into Iggy and know what that refers to), the entire Steely Dan and Oasis catalogs, all of the early Who up to Live at Leeds, and much, much, much, much more. All for $5.00 a CD.

RealityChuck Mar 06 2011 06:33 PM Re: Who is Harry Nillson -and why is everybody talkin about

We once shared a table of contents with his only published SF story. I loved his performance in Son of Dracula.. And I love his "You're Breaking My Heart" and many of the songs of Son of Schmillson (and album that oddly parallels Elton John's Honkey Chateau.

Zvon May 30 2013 03:02 PM Re: Who is Harry Nillson -and why is everybody talkin about

I must have been on hiatus. I do recall some time ago sharing a song Harry wrote and I performed called Little Cowboy, here at the CPF. I recorded this for my son when he was a baby. I don't think I can link it w/o linking all my music stuff at ReverbNation. I don't have a great voice. I can hold a tune. But Harry, in his prime he had a singing voice to die for. Even after he blew out his chords he could sing way better than most. Harry used to make appearances at Beatlefests (after we lost John) in support of gun control. OE: so the poll: is this like a rating? 5 is best? OEOE: OH, I never look in this section. Afraid of spoilers.

Zvon May 30 2013 04:09 PM Re: Who is Harry Nillson -and why is everybody talkin about

I have a CD collection that a childhood friend from NYC sent me some time ago, and I think its everything he ever did. That's not on the drive atm but this stuff is. I wanted to name my fav Harry song, but I would be very hard pressed to do that. I couldn't do it. I love too much of his stuff. I'm going to listen to Harry this week and return here with my top ten favorite HarryTunes.

Frayed Knot May 30 2013 04:16 PM Re: Who is Harry Nillson -and why is everybody talkin about

Zvon wrote: I never look in this section. Afraid of spoilers. Nah, we're pretty good about warning of spoilers. Notice, for instance, how no one here revealed that Harry dies at the end of this movie .... Oooops!

Zvon May 30 2013 05:20 PM Re: Who is Harry Nillson -and why is everybody talkin about

ha. I don't even have to think about my #1 fav of his. I recorded a version of me doing this song a long time ago, using two cassette players to get a double track effect. It's really awful and embarrassing but I still might share it with you guys here. 1. Think About Your Troubles (from The Point) 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

Frayed Knot May 30 2013 05:52 PM Re: Who is Harry Nillson -and why is everybody talkin about

We encourage awful and embarrassing around here.

Vic Sage May 31 2013 08:50 AM Re: Who is Harry Nillson -and why is everybody talkin about

My top 10 (in no order): Spaceman Best Friend Think About Your Troubles Old Forgotten Soldier You're breakin my heart I Guess the Lord Must Be in New York City Simon Smith and the Amazing Dancing Bear Without You Everybody's Talkin' One

Zvon May 31 2013 02:05 PM Re: Who is Harry Nillson -and why is everybody talkin about

My top 10 (in no order): Spaceman Best Friend Think About Your Troubles Old Forgotten Soldier You're breakin my heart I Guess the Lord Must Be in New York City Simon Smith and the Amazing Dancing Bear Without You Everybody's Talkin' One My list will be similar in that some here may not have heard of many of them. I'm I big Harry fan and I'll still have to go check out Old Forgotten Soldier because I don't remember that one at all. Also: Without You, Everybody's Talking, & One are such great songs but I'll be hard pressed to get all 3 in my top ten. Took a listen to my old cover of TAYTroubles and it's better then I remembered. It don't suck. It's way too long tho. Five minutes with 3 of those minutes me howling like a dog. I'll take it into my music editor and try to shave it down to 3 mins.

Zvon Jun 01 2013 01:22 PM Re: Who is Harry Nillson -and why is everybody talkin about

Vic, listened to a bunch of Nilsson last night and no way can I keep my list at ten favorites. Feel free to expand on yours to 15 or even 20. I found some nice Harry stuff online. The documentary that this thread is named for and this link below, Harrys only "full length LIVE recording"-so says this blogger. Harry didn't play out much, thats a fact. After watching bits of the video (pretty bad quality but watchable) I don't agree with the bloggers interpretation of the words exchanged between Harry and Gordon Jenkins. And one thing I noticed: Harry, singing with that freakin awesome voice, smoking cigarettes throughout the session, as well as many orchestra members smoking cigs, cigars, who knows what else. How could Harry smoke WHILE singing? When I played out I'd cut the smoking a half hour before the show and have a cup of tea w/honey. Never smoked during the gig. I really think that its possible that Harry thought his voice was too beautiful for his own good and wanted to make it a more rockin kinda voice like Lennon or Plant. While I was doing things to try and make my voice as good as possible, Nilsson was doing things to make his voice less beautiful. But he still sounded like a million bucks in this live BBC broadcast: http://fortheloveofharrynilsson.blogspo ... lsson.html I hope to watch WHO IS HARRY NILSSON tonight.

Zvon Jun 02 2013 06:06 PM Re: Who is Harry Nillson -and why is everybody talkin about

So I got Who Is Harry and another doc., Harry:The Missing Beatle. Burned the first and now burning the second. Will watch em both asap. Last few nights Ive taken a half hour or so to listen to HarryTunes and as I do I have word pad open and I work on my list, making notes about songs and whatnot. My list is going to be long and wordy. I'm thinking about setting up a widget player (or a link to one) here for a limited time to make it so anyone can give them a listen. It might be an infringment of copyright and allAdat (I would not allow the songs to be downloaded tho, only heard). If I share these songs for a few days and someone here discovers Harrys music and buys some I'm working for the greater good. I believe it would be just like lending a friend an album to check out. And that's what I'll say in court. Here is the entire Harry:The Missing Beatle on Youtube: [url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Zu51mCD5H0 I wish I knew how to make the player show up here.

Zvon Jun 02 2013 06:10 PM Re: Who is Harry Nillson -and why is everybody talkin about

Shit on a shingle. Looks like both are the same documentary under different names. Well, duh! Maybe the name change is just so they could get it up on youtube. OE: Maybe not. Just the first few minutes are the same. I'll just return with my list after I play out this Nilsson kick I'm on.

Zvon Jun 06 2013 05:59 PM Re: Who is Harry Nillson -and why is everybody talkin about

My list is almost ready. If tonights a rainout I'll find time to complete and post it. Was talking to my best buddy in NYC today about Nilsson. Got this news: Looks like I'm not the only one on a Harry kick. RCA records is too. The Harry Nilsson RCA collection is coming out July 30th. Its on amazon & its got a whole CD of rarities and plenty of extras! Talk about timing. From amazon: RARITIES DISCS: Disc 15 NILSSON SESSIONS 1967-1968 RCA Studios was Harry's professional playground from 1967 to 1977. He spent countless hours sketching, experimenting and composing songs within the confines of 6363 Sunset Blvd., right in the heart of Hollywood. Sessions Schmessions features a sampling of those dates culled from Harry's first two years at RCA. There are 14 previously unreleased tracks with Highlights include five demos taped for The Monkees("1941," "World" "Signs," "Cuddly Toy" and "This Could Be The Night") in March 1967, as well as three outtakes from his RCA debut album, Pandemonium Shadow Show ("As I Wander Lonely," "Butters Lament" and an astonishing "The Family"). Sessions for Aerial Ballet orphaned early takes of such classics as "One," "Together," "Bath" and "I Said Goodbye To Me." Additionally, Harry's cover of the Coasters classic "Searchin'" was left on the cutting room floor, as was his attempt the Addrisi Brothers' "She's Just Laughing At Me" and Procol Harum's "She Wandered Through The Garden Fence." Meanwhile, two rare, single-only tracks "Sister Marie" and the Italian language "Leggenda" make their true stereo debut on this set. Disc 16 NILSSON SESSIONS 1968-1971 covers Nilsson's studio oddities from mid-1968 through early 1971 including 12 previously unreleased tracks. Disc 17 NILSSON SESSIONS 1971-1974 wraps up all of the remaining bonus tracks, demos and alternate takes that have trickled out [url]http://www.amazon.com/The-Albums-Collection-Harry-Nilsson/dp/B00CJCHJ8S/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1370559271&sr=8-4&keywords=harry+nilsson

Zvon Jun 06 2013 10:30 PM Re: Who is Harry Nillson -and why is everybody talkin about

I'm having a HARRY WEEK here (started this 5/31/13_this is like a journal). Listening to Nilsson, looking for songs, that documentary, and anything else the innerwebs gives up. I had ten favs picked but as I listen I hear another song & I'm like : DAMN! That ones gotta make the list! So, its been bumped from 10 to 20. When I feel really passionate about something I'll make posts like this. Don't worry. It's a rare thing. The reason I'm making such a big, time sucking post is because if I can get just one person here to discover Harry it's well worth it. I've done this before online for Nilsson. Actually this is more about me than Nilsson. Its about the way I experienced him as a fan. On top let me say I discovered Harry Nilsson in 1971 and rediscovered him a number of times over the years. It looks like this is another one of these times. Let me rephrase that: I got into Harry in '71 and he lost me and got me back a number of times over the years while he was alive. I didnt hear Harrys stuff in the order he released it. It went like 71 to 74 (Nilsson Schmilsson /Son Of Schmilsson / Son Of Dracula) then in 1978 I started buying his albums from the 60s, (all cept Skidoo- didn't even know of this movie until I saw it a few years ago- the movie was pretty bad, but a great example of a typical late 60s big cast comedy movie-Groucho Marx played God in this). I really really enjoyed the 60s stuff. I was surprised and amazed. After Pussy Cats(more on this album at bottom) I was not buying any new releases by Harry. The Popeye soundtrack songs were very Nilssonish, but I never bought this. Getting a copy of Harry(1969) in 1978 was the start of me buying all his older albums and to me, these were new. So while Nilsson was going down musically(debatable), I was going up with the older stuff that I had never heard. Between 1978 & 1990 I bought Harry, Aerial Pandemonium Ballet, Nilsson Sings Newman, (in the CD age>)Aerial Ballet, Pandemonium Shadow Show and The Point. And of course Nilsson's Personal Best:Anthology and For The Love Of Harry:Everybody Sings Nilsson in 1995 (a tribute collection of his songs by other artists). When Nilsson died he got me back for good. He left us some great music. I could no longer judge his stuff as a fan, just appreciate his works. I didn't go out and buy all his stuff. But I made sure to complete my collection of the albums I loved by him (if and when I could find the CDs. I think its all out there now). Nilsson's Tower Records release SPOTLIGHT ON NILSSON(1966). I didn't know this existed until now. Kool beans.There are 5 originals and 5 covers on it. Anyone here have this? I've never been a fan of an entire album of Harry doing the "standards" like A Little Touch of Schmilsson in the Night (1973) although he does these very well. Aside from Nilsson Sings Newman, a few covers here and there mixed in with Nilsson original stuff was preferable. I'd pick none of these songs to represent him. I've never seen the Son Of Dracula film. I'm going to try and rectify that this week. I heard it bites. It has never been released on DVD.[found it->>view the entire film here Son Of Dracula: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cfkHN_QxNcw ] I'm watching this now. Yikes, this is pretty horrible awfully suckass bad. Kool seeing Harry in a cape tho. The songs on the list are the ones Id listen to relaxing with a glass of brandy. Some are up, some are down, all are beautiful. The bold text below the song name is the opening line of the song. If I was burning a CD I'd call this is my Harry Nilsson "mellow line-up". ___________________________________________________________________________________________________ 1. Think About Your Troubles[1971-The Point] >>>"Sit beside the breakfast table, think about your troubles." To me : Harry in a nutshell. Cute melody, imaginative lyric with great vocals and harmonies. The song coupled with the animation in The Point was pretty awesome. There is a great remake of Think About Your Troubles by the Jellyfish off the '95 tribute album For The Love Of Harry: Everybody Sings Nilsson. On a side note Andy Sturmer is talking about reuniting the Jellyfish. Don't get me started on them unless you want another Zvon "SUPERPOST". Short version: Listen to their debut CD Bellybutton(1990). 2. Remember(Christmas)[1972-Son Of Schmilsson] >>> "Long ago, far away, life was clear, close your eyes" Harry wrote many beautiful songs. IMO this was his most beautiful. I always just call this song Remember. It has nothing to do with Christmas as far as I know. 3. Maybe[1969-Harry] >>>" Maybe you wouldn't be leaving if only I'd change." One of my all time favorite lyric in any song ever is (as the guy is begging his ex to get back together with him): "I could learn to love your mother, and your mothers sister. And if she'd visit other relatives I swear I'd miss her. And everyday before I go to work I'd stop to kiss her...................maybe." Sometimes a song Harry wrote and recorded was trumped by another artists cover of the tune. "ONE" is one of these to me. I love the song. I was pretty amazed when I found out Harry wrote it. Its a top three song if I was listing them by Nilsson's best songwriting. The fact that I heard the song first by Three Dog Night is definitely a factor with "ONE". They pwnd it. Usually the first version of a song I hear tends to be my favorite. But that doesn't always hold true. I first heard the song "MAYBE" as sung by Barbara Streisand(1972-The Stoney End album?)--a really great cover of this. I came to favor Nilssons version when I finally heard it. 4. Morning Glory[1969-Harry] >>> "She wakes up, she finds herself sleeping in a doorway, wondering how she ever got that way." If music and words were paint and brush Harry would have been Van Gogh. About homelessness. A homeless woman no less.This was written in 1969. That's pretty amazing. "She looks down at her feet. My God they sure look dirty. Seven-thirty: Time to be or not to be." Songs of such despair like this were not common place from pop artists that I liked. Elvis's "IN THE GHETTO" comes to mind. It has been covered quite a few times over the years. 5 Without You[1971-Nilsson Schmilsson/written by Pete Ham and Tom Evans] >>>" No I can't forget this evening nor your face as you were leaving, but I guess that's just the way the story goes." > One of the best love ballads ever due to Nilsson's awesomely powerful vocals. This is the song that made me take notice of Harry Nilsson and buy my first album by him, Nilsson Schmilsson. Omg, listening to this now really brings back a certain time and great memories. And sad ones. Hey Michelle Randazzo!(this was our song '71). Hey Diane Diaz!(our song too '72). Nothing personal, but I lived without both of you :) 6. Together [1971-Aerial Pandemonium Ballet*] >>>"Life isn't easy when two are divided and one has decided to bring down the curtain and one thing's for certain there's nothing to keep them together." What a powerful opening line. Some of the most sensitive lyrics ever written about breaking up. I recall now that I bought Aerial Pandemonium Ballet around '78 after I bought Harry. This was a remix collection of two of his earlier albums (Pandemonium Shadow Show and Aerial Ballet). Some songs were remixed, some pretty much stripped and redone. I didn't know this at the time. I simply thought it was two albums in one. I did not know of the earlier mixes until I got those two original albums on CD years later. First released in 1968, there are two versions of Together. The one I prefer is the remix without the horns. That's the first version I ever heard. The original version had better harmonic vocals and sound quality, but IMO the arrangment of the remix was better. I could do w/o the horns. I like the strings. *Aerial Pandemonium Ballet is not listed as one of Nilsson's albums on wikipedia. It should be. 7. Daybreak [1974-Son of Dracula] >>>"Here comes the daylight- It's makin' me sad. Here comes the sunlight- Makin' me sad. Had a good time last night- Best I ever had. Here come the sunshine- That's makin' me sad." This was the only original full song on Son Of Dracula. Ringo Starr, Klaus Voormann, Peter Frampton,Gary Wright, Bobby Keys, Jim Price, all session men on this. George Harrison played cowbell. I shit you not. I do believe Harry was a night person. 8. The Moonbeam Song [1971-Nilsson Schmilsson] >>>"Have you ever watched a moonbeam as it slid across your window pane?" Or sat on a fence with bits of crap around its bottom? Another Van Gogh. 9. City Life [1969-Harry] >>>"Well I'm down and I'm out and I've had it to here with the city life." Lived this song once. Harry didn't write this. It was written by Bill Martin. I just learned this: Bill Martin co-starred in Elephant Parts, a collection of comedy and music videos made in 1981 by Michael Nesmith, former member of the Monkees. If you're not familiar with Elephant Parts go check it out. My first copy of this was on LASERDISC! It's a classic. Ahead of its time. Heres a peek: Cruisin': http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OkTmuLHFsKE Rio: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qpq-lAlJqk8 Entire Elephant Parts vid here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6GYBg0m4K4M 10. Dayton Ohio 1903 [1970- Nilsson Sings Newman] >>>" I sing a song of long ago when things were green and moving slow, and people stopped to say hello, they'd say hi to you." I love the fact that Harry basically put his original stuff aside to promote Randy Newmans career. Newman played piano and helped him record and mix the tracks. There are so many worthy songs on this album. Eight songs off Nilsson Sings Newman could make this list. This tune represents the whole album. If he wrote all these songs this list would have to go to 30. 11. The Lottery Song[1972-Son Of Schmilsson] >> "You could do the laundry- I'll come by on Monday- you give me the money- I will buy a ticket- on the local lottery- We could win the lottery- We could move to Vegas- and be very happy." One of my favorite songs to perform. Very easy to play. 12. I Will Take You There [1995-Personal Best-ANTHOLOGY] >>>" If only I could find a place where smiling strangers knew our faces, I would take you there." There are other versions of this on Harry and the Skidoo soundtrack. IMO the ANTHOLOGY version/mix is the best. The one that has the harmonies. 13. Life Line [1971-The Point] >>> "Down to the bottom, hello, is there anybody else here?" Saw The Point when it aired in 1971. It blew me away. The songs and animation style. I can only describe it as childishly wonderful with adult lessons. After I saw it on TV it was a memory until VHS tapes. I got a copy for my son when he was just a tot. He's 19 now and just told me the other day that the "The Point" influenced him more than I ever knew. He turned his friends on to it over the years, and they are all fans of Nilssons work. His girlfriend is a film major and uses Harrys music in her film shorts sometimes. I thought this was pretty super kool. 14. Everybodys Talkin[1968-Aerial Ballet / written by Fred Neil] >>>For years I thought Harry wrote this song. Great story on how it came to be used in Midnight Cowboy on the documentary. I honor it by allowing it to be listed next to Gil Hodges retired number. 15. The Puppy Song[1969-Harry] >>> "Dreams are nothing more than wishes and a wish is just a dream you wish to come true." I wasn't going to include this one but look at that opening line. Nilsson wrote this song at Paul McCartneys request (for another artist to sing). Harry wrote a lot of cute and funny songs and many were great, too many to clog up this list. This song represents all his cute songs. I could do a seperate list for them if you insist (ha). 16. Without Her [1971-Aerial Pandemonium Ballet ] >>> "I spend the night in a chair thinking she'll be there but she never comes and then I wake up and wipe the sleep from my eyes and I rise, to face another day without her." Another very powerful opening line. Another picture painted. Loss. Sadness. Loneliness. It doesn't say how she was lost. Did she leave. Did she die? It doesn't matter. She's gone and this song imparts both the zoaring heights of love and a deep and empty loneliness in the aftermath. I love both versions of this he released. 17. Gotta Get Up[1971-Nilsson Schmilsson] >>>" Gotta get up. Gotta get out. Gotta get home before the morning comes." How many of us have found ourselves saying this^? The first song off Nilsson Schmilsson holds a special place for me. I listened to that side of the album so many times. 18. Are You Sleeping?[1971-The Point] >>>"Are you sleeping?" Another great song from The Point. 19. Miss Butters Lament[1995-Personal Best-ANTHOLOGY] >>> "Waiting around for for the first breath of spring. Nobody else seems to care. She waits patiently with the knowledge that she will have so much to give to someone." Had to include more than the opening line here, just for the picture it paints. No idea what album this was from. Heard it first on Personal Best. Some songs from the Personal Best:ANTHOLOGY I heard for the first time on the anthology. As a result these songs are fresher to me> A song like Perfect Day (1977-Knnilssonn) would like to make this cut, unfortunately it won't. But the next time you have a perfect day, relax and listen to the song. Salmon Falls falls into this catagory as well. Even with abused and blown vocal chords Nilsson sings this song powerfully. 20. Best Friend[1966-Never released by Nilsson-can be found on TV theme song collections.] >>> "People let me tell you bout my best friend he's a warm hearted person who loves me to the end." Even though I didn't know who he was at the time, Best Friend and Everybody's Talkin' were the first Harry tunes I ever heard. I guess I'm being kinda childish to take the fact that I can't get a stereo version of this and use it against the song. It would be a top three but I don't include it in any Nilsson CDs I put together for myself, just for that reason. If you can give a listen to Daddys Song(1968) (Aerial Pandemonium Ballet remix-2:09-the orig version is 2:44) you will notice the similarities in notes and arrangment between that and Best Friend. So it might be fair to say that Girlfriend & Daddys Song= Best Friend. Favorite Nilsson Album: HARRY (1969) [To me:first heard in 1978] City Life Fairfax Rag I Guess The Lord Must Be In New York City I Will Take You There Marchin' Down Broadway Maybe Mornin' Glory Mother Natures Son Mr. Bojangles Nobody Cares About The Railroads Anymore Open Your Window Rainmaker Simon Smith And His Amazing Dancing Bear _____________________________________________________________________________________________ Honorable mention goes to all the songs on Randy Sings Newman. More songs from this album should be on the list but if I can't put em all, Ill pick one (see list #10). Caroline/Living Without You/ Love Story/So Long Dad/The Beehive State/Vine Street. All beautifully done. As you can see I prefer alot of Nilssons more mellow and sometimes depressing stuff. The music and words to all these songs are beautiful. I love his his funnier stuff, which is very good, great even, like Coconut, but they don't make this list. His cute stuff: Bath/Good Old Desk/Simon Smith and His Amazing Dancing Bear/Cuddly Toy/ etc.. love em. But can't crack the top 20. If I was trying to get a younger person into Harry I'd have to include some funny & some of his more heavier stuff, which never gets too heavy instrumentally. I'd go with a "concert line-up", opening with Jump Into The Fire and using You're Breaking My Heart as an closer(or visaversa). In this case, Best Friend would have to be included. Ive never owned the Harry/John album PUSSY CATS. My friend did when it came out and I gave it a listen. I dismissed it as sub-par Harry, aside from "DON"T FORGET ME", which is most powerful. Im a huge John Lennon fan too, so this was surprising. I'm gonna relisten to that now, the first time in 40 years. >>>MANY RIVERS TO CROSS sounds like it was done w/Johns session band from Walls And Bridges. The opening notes and arrangment are straight out of Lennons #9 Dream. I like this. Harrys workin hard to sound like John. This might have pissed me off back then. I was an asshole when I was younger. >>"DOWN BY THE SEA" Isn't this also on Duit on Mon Dei? I do like this song and became reaquainted with it from the Personal Best:ANTHOLOGY. >>OLD FORGOTTEN SOLDIER is a rough voiced vocal. The great lyrics trump the melody. I love whistle solos. I never knew back then about him blowing out his vocal chords at this time. I thought that happened much later in his life. When I heard this back then I must have thought Harry had lost his voice. Some in that documentary said that they have to wonder if meeting John Lennon was the beginning of Nilssons end. Although they were very good friends, they seemed to bring out the worst in each other. I kind of think that success was the beginning of Harrys end, not any one person. _______________________________________________________________________ If there are alternate universes out there, I want a ticket to the one where Nilsson joined the Beatles in 1969 and the band went on to record music together until they all died of old age. Could you imagine that? I have always enjoyed doing Nilssons music. All very easy to play. I have learned to play and in some cases recorded these songs by Nilsson: Think About Your Troubles Maybe Without Her The Lottery Song Living Without You Dayton Ohio 1903 Everybodys Talking Coconut The Moonbeam Song Little Cowboy (Nilssons mother wrote this. I did not know that til now) _______________________________________________________________________ When I'm passionate about something sometimes I'll make a graphic, sometimes I'll do that^. ha

Zvon Jun 06 2013 10:37 PM Re: Who is Harry Nillson -and why is everybody talkin about

Holy shit, it didn't look that big in wordpad. lol. I hope at least one person reads that. >< I'm going to post my cover of Think About Your Trouble as soon as I figure out how to post the player here.

Vic Sage Jun 07 2013 08:42 AM Re: Who is Harry Nillson -and why is everybody talkin about

Thanks for that Zvon. very helpful. The one song you listed that didn't make my list that i really considered and now regret leaving off is REMEMBER (XMAS). SON OF SCHMILLSON was the only Nillson record i had as a teen, and i wore it out, and this was one of my faves. I think you underrate PUSSYCATS. His rough vocals imbue all the songs with an aching melancholy. The record is like an over-the-hill heavyweight getting in the ring one more time, relying more on his grit and guts than his degraded skills, and you are impressed by his will to win. COURTSHIP OF EDDIE'S FATHER and THE POINT, and the SON album, all combined to make Harry an important part of my adolescence. PUSSYCAT continued that into my college years (I bought it from a guy down the hall who was selling off all his records for pot money), and MIDNIGHT COWBOY, too. Later, listening to the original SCHMILLSON record and the NEWMAN covers maintained my affection for him, until POPEYE buried it for a good long while. But i rediscovered him when i showed THE POINT to my own son some years ago. Then there was a show on Broadway a few years ago called EVERYDAY RAPTURE, a 1-woman show with songs, and it featured a few of Harry's songs, which almost made me like the show... almost, but not quite. Anyway, it got me thinking about Harry again, and then i saw the documentary, which really brought it all back to me. You've given me some guidance on the rest of his output, and i'll try to check them out. Harry lives. Not like Elvis, but he lives.

Zvon Jun 07 2013 01:46 PM Re: Who is Harry Nillson -and why is everybody talkin about

Thank you for reading it. If opening a window to more Nilsson for you is all I've done the post is well worth it. Sometimes it takes a record a while to get rolling for me. I will listen to Pussy Cats more. My guidance is limited but the stuff that I love by Harry, as you can see, I treasure.

Zvon Jun 07 2013 07:09 PM Re: Who is Harry Nillson -and why is everybody talkin about

When I moved from NYC my friends and I used to keep in touch by sending nutty cassette recordings back and forth a few times a year during the late '70s early '80s. We did music and comedy bits. My buddy Mike did a sketch that was supposed to be a typical day in his life and its classic funny. 90 minutes long. He played all parts. Himself, his boss, fellow workers, his g/f, his mom. My brothers and I did comedy sketches of made up or spoofed TV shows complete with a hand drawn TV guide one time. We did crazy stuff like this. I've boxes and boxes of old cassettes with wacky stuff and I don't even know whats on half of em yet. I even recorded most practice sessions to see how some songs were sounding. Always recorded a jam. Many times on a cheap mono cassette recorder. Its nice to have these recordings still. Some of this I have uploaded to Reverbnation.com. Think About Your Troubles- This was recorded on a karaoke tape machine- double track player/recorder- through the built in condenser mics. I recorded the basic track and then played it back and sang/played along with it. Bounced it this way three times. The recording was made in the mid 90s. I got it off the cassette and on to the PC many years ago and added the little crowd bit at the end of the digital version. I just took it into CEpro the other day and tried to make it sound like it wasn't recorded in a bathroom, which it was(yep, thats a toilet flushing at the start), and I couldn't really do that. Gave up on it but did make it sound better. Edited it down from five to three minutes. When I recorded this I liked how it came out. But it fell far short from how I wanted it to come out quality wise. Timing was off here and there. A few distorted loud peaks. I'd share this with my NY buddies but on the innerwebs I thought no, it might be embarrassing, because there are quite a few flaws and the quality is not all that good. I was able to make it sound better with this recent remix. I'm no pro, but there are Harry fans here! And it don't suck! _________________________________________________ Below is a link to a blog where I'll share my recordings stored on Reverb Nation. Reverb is a great place for musicians to get exposure. I kind of mis-use the place and I appreciate that they allow me to do that for free. I'm not looking for exposure or PR, gettin signed or gig dates or anything. I'm there cause its a great place to store my recordings and share them online. THINK ABOUT YOUR TROUBLES is the first song on the player. As far as I know the player will continue to play thru the whole collection of my recordings stored there. There is over 2 hours of crap there if you're looking for a time sink. There's some good stuff there. Some really old stuff. Some original stuff. And some pretty awful stuff too:) Sounds like a lot of stuff. To me they're all just little slices of life. After the song plays you have to click to stop the player. Or leave the thread/page. [url]http://thezvoncollection.blogspot.com/ OE: Had to remove TAYT as my home page song. It will no longer top the player( Its still in there, somewhere).

cooby Jun 19 2013 07:45 PM Re: Who is Harry Nillson -and why is everybody talkin about

Did not see documentary. Do like Harry Nillson (sp) Courtship of Eddie's Father, Everybody's Talkin", I Can't Live, Lime in the Coconout, etc, etc etc. I'll vote high for him.

batmagadanleadoff Aug 03 2013 10:38 AM Re: Who is Harry Nillson -and why is everybody talkin about

http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/952 ... ry-nilsson For all you Nilsson heads, Grantland covers Harry's career in a lengthy piece: Deconstructing Harry. Lotsa footnotes, links and videos. It comes on the heels of last month's releases of a Nilsson biography and a comprehensive box set of virtually every Nilsson recording.

Zvon Aug 05 2013 12:09 PM Re: Who is Harry Nillson -and why is everybody talkin about

Wow. Great article. I'll have that boxed set soon and I'll be back with a review.

Zvon Aug 06 2013 05:11 PM Re: Who is Harry Nillson -and why is everybody talkin about

From that article: There are recordings called - The Popeye Demos. These are of Harry singing (I assume) the songs he wrote for the Popeye flick in 1980. I always thought these were good Harry type songs and to hear him sing them should either back that up or shoot it down. I am trying to track these tracks down because they are not included in the box set. No luck so far. I did run into a nice copy of the Popeye movie. I'm going to burn that and re-watch it. Havent seen it since I did in the theater in '80. I remember I thought this movie was totally dismal in every way. I also remember thinking that Robin Williams and Ray Walston really had Popeye and Pappy down pat and I thought their performances were wasted. Duval was born to play Olive Oil, lol. Harrys musical soundtrack was very good, but all the songs seemed as dismal as the movie. I have very few memories regarding Popeye The Movie. I'm curious to find out what I think of it in retrospect after viewing it now, over 30 years later.

cooby Aug 07 2013 08:40 AM Re: Who is Harry Nillson -and why is everybody talkin about

Dismal....do you mean depressing? Cause we watched it on HBO in 1980 or so and I was depressed for days and couldn't shake it...there was just something dragging me down about that movie. Never could put a finger on it.

Edgy MD Aug 07 2013 09:31 AM Re: Who is Harry Nillson -and why is everybody talkin about

Pretty dismal source material if you ask me. Robin Williams once had a routine where he relected on his newborn baby Christian and the bitter fights that they would have when Christian became a young adult (a stage I assume he's now well past). [list]>> "What's the matter, Son?"! 'Ninny-ninny' wasn't good enough for you? Garp wasn't good enough for you? Popeye wasn't good enough for you?!" >> "Who you kidding, Pop? Popeye wasn't good enough for anybody!"[/list:u]

Zvon Aug 07 2013 12:08 PM Re: Who is Harry Nillson -and why is everybody talkin about

cooby wrote: Dismal....do you mean depressing? Cause we watched it on HBO in 1980 or so and I was depressed for days and couldn't shake it...there was just something dragging me down about that movie. Never could put a finger on it. It was dismal with a chance of depression. Like todays weather. Seriously. It was like the movie was a ball and chain that dragged me down as well. I think because back then I was expecting so much more, like an up, bright, cartoony thing. Ive always been a Williams fan (and Walston fan from MFMartian) and they did their jobs very well. The sets were expansive yet as drudgy as the mood they create. I think it's failure has to be pinned to Robert Altman (Im a fan of his work, usually) and the direction he chose to take it. As well as directing, he wrote the story. I really think I'll appreciate it now more than I did then when I re-watch it. In a nostalgic sense. Or I could be setting myself up for the same disappointment I experienced back in 80.

cooby Aug 07 2013 02:25 PM Re: Who is Harry Nillson -and why is everybody talkin about

Let us know! I've often thought about watching it again, but I'm afraid of how it will affect me

Zvon Aug 08 2013 09:52 PM Re: Who is Harry Nillson -and why is everybody talkin about

Don't watch it again. Erase the fact this movie was ever made from your memory.It started well with the 1930's Popeye cartoon intro with the sliding doors. He's my favorite Popeye, the one that always said stuff under his breath. And thats the way Williams played him, which was great. But not for two hours. It would have made a great SNL short skit. Shelly Duval played Olive Oil so well that she gets on your nerves pretty quick. Two hours in a room with Olive Oil? Not good. The story had to make use of the Popeye/Olive/Bluto relationship somehow. The way they did left alot to be desired. I forgot Sweet Pea was in it. Kid took up some screen time. Made me nervous when he was hanging from hooks and being left on a hammock and stuff like that. He just was abandoned behind Popeye and Olive while they were chatting by who for all I know was the sea hag. The script and plot simply sucked. Harrys songs were nice melodies for the most part, but sung by the characters (supposedly live on film) pretty badly. Pappy sang a song about how he hated raising children that was just barf awful. Nilsson sang many depressing songs in his life but his voice made them beautiful. He couldn't save that one even if he sang it. The anthem and the song Olive sings were well done. The rest garbage. Not one laugh. In review: 1. Should have been a short SNL skit 2. The story & script was blah 3. Probably should not have been a musical 4. Why could it be depressing? a. Two hours shot b. Money was spent making it c. Songs are bleak d. Back then money was spent to see it. e. It was just so disappointing. It could have been great. The ingredients were there. I read that the set they built for the movie in Malta is still there and now a tourist attraction called Popeyes Village. I'd like to check that out some day. Sleep in a hammock.

cooby Aug 09 2013 07:27 PM Re: Who is Harry Nillson -and why is everybody talkin about

I watched the "trailer" the other day to see what I thought. Again with the dark depressing feelings. Maybe I was just going through a bad time in my life at the time and it invoked that feeling. I just don't know. But I'm running the other way and not watching it again. I do remember Sweetpea was an adorable child. (in the movie). And I remember as well, not one laugh when I watched it back in 1980....

Zvon Aug 09 2013 08:29 PM Re: Who is Harry Nillson -and why is everybody talkin about

I found the Popeye Demos where Nilsson sings the songs. He doesnt sing them all. Duval sings one. Looks like some are in Spanish. Ive only listened to 3 of 13 tracks. Its kind of odd hearing Harry sing the Popeye the Sailor Man theme. You can tell these were Nilssons arrangements. So far nothing great but a great addition to my Nilsson collection.