Born in Brooklyn, Nilsson moved to Los Angeles as a teenager to escape his family's poor financial situation. While working as a computer programmer at a bank, he grew interested in musical composition and close-harmony singing and was successful in having some of his songs recorded by various artists, such as the Monkees. In 1967, he debuted on RCA Victor with the LP Pandemonium Shadow Show, followed by a variety of releases that included a collaboration with Randy Newman (Nilsson Sings Newman, 1970) and the original children's story The Point! (1971).
He created the first remix album, Aerial Pandemonium Ballet, in 1971, and recorded the first mashup song ("You Can't Do That") in 1967. His most commercially successful album, Nilsson Schmilsson (1971), produced the international top 10 singles "Without You" and "Coconut". His other top 10 hit, "Everybody's Talkin'" (1968), was featured prominently in the 1969 film Midnight Cowboy. A version of Nilsson's "One," released by Three Dog Night in 1969, also reached the U.S. top 10.
During a 1968 press conference, The Beatles were asked what their favorite American group was and answered "Nilsson." Sometimes called "the American Beatle," he soon formed close friendships with John Lennon and Ringo Starr, joining them in the Hollywood Vampires drinking club. He and Lennon produced one collaborative album, Pussy Cats (1974). After 1977, Nilsson left RCA, and his record output diminished. In response to Lennon's 1980 murder, he took a hiatus from the music industry to campaign for gun control. For the rest of his life, he recorded only sporadically. In 1994, Nilsson died of a heart attack while in the midst of recording what became his last album, Losst and Founnd (2019).
The craft of Nilsson's songs and the defiant attitude he projected remain touchstones for later generations of indie rock musicians. Nilsson was voted No. 62 in Rolling Stone's 2015 list of the "100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time," where he was described as "a pioneer of the Los Angeles studio sound" and "a crucial bridge" between 1960s psychedelia and the 1970s singer-songwriter era. The RIAA certified Nilsson Schmilsson and Son of Schmilsson (1972) as gold records, indicating over 500,000 units sold each. He earned two Grammy Awards (for "Everybody's Talkin'" and "Without You").
Full Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harry_Nilsson
Discography
Spotlight on Nilsson (1966)
Pandemonium Shadow Show (1967)
Aerial Ballet (1968)
Skidoo (1968) (soundtrack)
Harry (1969)
Nilsson Sings Newman (1970)
The Point! (1970) (studio album and soundtrack)
Nilsson Schmilsson (1971)
Son of Schmilsson (1972)
A Little Touch of Schmilsson in the Night (1973)
Son of Dracula (1974) (soundtrack)
Pussy Cats (1974)
Duit on Mon Dei (1975)
Sandman (1976)
...That's the Way It Is (1976)
Knnillssonn (1977)
Flash Harry (1980)
Popeye (1980) (soundtrack)
Losst and Founnd (2019)
All My Life
Harry Nilsson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
What is it?
I'm full of it tonight
Right
Well, I've had my share of bad times
I've been shooting 'em up
Drinking 'em up, taking them pills
But I'm so tired of bad times
I'll have to change my way
And I've had my share of good times
I've been moving around
Living uptown, laughin' my ass off almost
Every night
But I'm so sore from laughing
I haven't got the will to fight
All my life, I have been waiting
To find a reason, to give it up for and do a lot more
Every day of my life
I'm gonna wake up every morning
Come home every evening
Just jump into bed and lie there
And laugh with my wife
Well, I've had my share of bad times
I've been shooting'em up
Drinking'em up, taking them pills
Fooling around all my life
But I'm so tired of bad times
I'll have to change my way
And I've had my share of good times
I've been moving around
Living uptown, laughin' my ass off almost
Every night
But I'm so sore from laughing
I haven't got the will to fight
The lyrics of Harry Nilsson’s All My Life are an introspective reflection of the artist’s own life, detailing the highs and lows he has experienced up until the present moment. The song begins with Nilsson addressing the Lord, questioning what it is that he is feeling tonight. It suggests that he is feeling a mix of emotions that he is not sure how to process. He then goes on to talk about the rough times he’s had, the “bad times”, where he was indulging in vices such as drugs, alcohol and reckless behaviour. He states that he has been fooling around all his life, but now as he’s hit a low point, he finally knows that he has to change his ways.
The verse then switches to the “good times” where Nilsson was “living uptown” and “laughing his ass off almost every night”. However, he explains that he is now so worn out from all that laughter that he finds it hard to fight. The chorus hits in with the repetitive phrase “All my Life”, suggesting that everything he has ever experienced up to this moment has led him to where he currently is; waiting to find a reason to give it up for and do a lot more every day of his life. The final verse is the resolution, the conclusion to the struggles, and the realization of what he wants now in his life. He no longer wants to chase the highs of the ‘good times’ or the numbness of the ‘bad times.’ Instead, he wants simplicity, to wake up every morning and come back to his wife every evening, simply living every day with her by his side.
The song deploys powerful imagery to depict Nilsson's personal struggles, and the statement of change and redemption. The lyrics just as well depict a moving testimony to the tenacity of a person’s spirit to fight, to overcome, and to re-kindle life with new, fresh resolve. The song reaches out and touches the hearts of those who have been through similar adversities in their life — the pain and suffering, the fears, and the doubts. It speaks of new beginnings, whether it’s in love or just in a fresh perspective on life, and how that can make all the difference.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh Lord
The singer is expressing disbelief or confusion.
What is it?
He is asking for an explanation or clarification.
I'm full of it tonight
He is feeling overwhelmed or burdened by something.
Right
Agreement or affirmation.
Well, I've had my share of bad times
The singer has experienced difficulties.
I've been shooting 'em up
Drug use.
Drinking 'em up, taking them pills
More drug use.
Fooling around all my life
Engaging in reckless or irresponsible behavior.
But I'm so tired of bad times
The singer is exhausted from his struggles.
I'll have to change my way
He knows he needs to start making positive changes.
And I've had my share of good times
He has also experienced moments of joy or happiness.
I've been moving around
Traveling or exploring.
Living uptown, laughin' my ass off almost every night
He has been enjoying city life and having fun.
But I'm so sore from laughing
He is physically tired from laughing so much.
I haven't got the will to fight
He feels drained and unmotivated.
All my life, I have been waiting
The singer has been searching for a purpose or meaning.
To find a reason, to give it up for and do a lot more
He wants to find something worth dedicating himself to.
Every day of my life
He wants this purpose to be a continuous part of his life.
I'm gonna wake up every morning
He is making a commitment to change his routine.
Come home every evening
He wants to establish a routine.
Just jump into bed and lie there
He imagines relaxing and enjoying simple pleasures.
And laugh with my wife
He wants to share his happiness with someone he loves.
I'll have to change my way
He restates his need to make positive changes.
Contributed by Jake F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Nick Rogers
Living uptown and laughing my ass off
Wendy Harper
such a happy song
Ismael Dueñas
"How do you sleep" similar strings arrangement use. Great arrangement Johnny! I hear there some Zappa's Garage. Anyone does too?.
Ismael Dueñas
@whoarethebrainpigs no problem, man
whoarethebrainpigs
sorry,,, cant hear anything resembling strings on "how do you sleep" let alone Zappa...
Mischa Smith
I'm so sore from laughing, I haven't got the will to fight.
David Fox
great
daniel holbrook
for some reason I always envision a pair of Muppets narrating that intro and it cracks me up
Thomas
Duvido aparecer outro br por aqui,duvido muitoooo kkk
William
br é igual gremlin, joga água e aparece mais 500.