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)
Blow Me Down
Harry Nilsson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There's so much to bear
Blow me down
It's the wind and air
Tryin' its double dare to
Blow me down
Blow me down
It's no bother but
I'd rather not
That's easy to see
Wherever I go
I am what I am
I do it for me
(Believe it or not)
It's a lovely day
It's a perfect day
Blow me down
It's a lovely place
I think I'd like to stay but
Blow me down, oh
Blow me down
It's nice and friendly here
I think I'll spend a year
Or two, maybe three
I am what I am
Wherever I go
I come from the sea
(Believe it or not)
In the evenin' air
Lots of people there
Tryin' to blow me down
But unlike the clothes I wear
I haven't got a care, so
Blow me down
Blow me down, oh
No bother but
I'd rather not
And that's easy to see
I am what I am
Wherever I go
I come from the sea
Blow me down
Blow me down
Blow me down
Popeye
Popeye?
The lyrics to Harry Nilsson's song "Blow Me Down" speak to the theme of facing external challenges, and doing so with a sense of self-assurance and individuality. The opening lines express a feeling of overwhelm, as the character in the song is faced with "so much to bear" in the morning air. But the repeating refrain, "Blow me down," suggests a defiance in the face of these challenges. The wind and air are daring the character to succumb, but they refuse to be blown down.
As the song continues, the character begins to assert their own independence and self-determination. They acknowledge that they would "rather not" be bothered, and that they are doing what they do for themselves, "believe it or not." Despite the challenges, the character finds themselves in a lovely and perfect place, and they express a desire to stay, even if they know they might be blown down again.
By the second chorus, the character has become more steadfast in their sense of self. They find that the people around them are trying to "blow [them] down," but they remain confident and carefree. They reassert their identity as coming from the sea, suggesting an innate feeling of resilience and adaptability.
Overall, the lyrics to "Blow Me Down" speak to the universal experience of facing obstacles and challenges, and the importance of maintaining a sense of self despite these external pressures. The refrain "Blow me down" can be interpreted as a way of acknowledging the difficulties, while also refusing to be defeated by them.
Line by Line Meaning
In the mornin' air
Amid the freshness of the morning breeze
There's so much to bear
The pressures of life can be overwhelming
Blow me down
Challenges may arise, but I won't be defeated
It's the wind and air
Adversities come in various shapes and forms
Tryin' its double dare to
Testing my resilience and determination
Blow me down
I won't give up or succumb to obstacles
Blow me down
I am resilient and strong-willed
It's no bother but
It's not a problem as such
I'd rather not
But I prefer not to face difficulties
That's easy to see
It's apparent and understandable
Wherever I go
No matter the place or situation
I am what I am
I remain true to myself
I do it for me
I follow my own path and desires
(Believe it or not)
Whether others understand it or not
It's a lovely day
The present moment is delightful
It's a perfect day
The current situation is ideal
Blow me down
But things may unexpectedly go awry
It's a lovely place
The surroundings are pleasing
I think I'd like to stay but
I contemplate remaining for longer
Blow me down, oh
But potential problems may arise
Blow me down
Yet I remain firm and undeterred
It's nice and friendly here
The atmosphere is pleasant and cordial
I think I'll spend a year
I may extend my stay longer
Or two, maybe three
For possibly one to three years
I am what I am
My identity remains the same
Wherever I go
Irrespective of my location
I come from the sea
My roots stem from the ocean
(Believe it or not)
It may be surprising or unexpected
In the evenin' air
With nightfall approaching
Lots of people there
Crowds of individuals gather
Tryin' to blow me down
They may attempt to undermine or obstruct me
But unlike the clothes I wear
Unlike something as superficial as attire
I haven't got a care, so
I'm not concerned by their actions
Blow me down
They won't get the better of me
Blow me down, oh
I remain vigilant and unflappable
No bother but
It's really not an issue
I'd rather not
But I would prefer not to deal with it
And that's easy to see
It's evident and understandable
I am what I am
I remain true to myself
Wherever I go
Regardless of my whereabouts
I come from the sea
I trace my origins back to the ocean
Blow me down
I remain steadfast and unyielding
Blow me down
My spirit remains unbreakable
Blow me down
Reminiscent of Popeye's signature phrase
Popeye?
An allusion to the classic cartoon character known for his resilience and unwavering spirit
Writer(s): Harry Nilsson
Contributed by Grace W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.