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)
Everybody
Harry Nilsson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I don't hear a word they're saying
Only the echoes of my mind
People stopping, staring
I can't see their faces
Only the shadows of their eyes
Through the pouring rain
Going where the weather suits my clothes
Banking off of the northeast winds
Sailing on a summer breeze
And skipping over the ocean like a stone
I'm going where the sun keeps shining
Through the pouring rain
Going where the weather suits my clothes
Banking off of the northeast winds
Sailing on a summer breeze
And skipping over the ocean like a stone
Everybody's talking at me
Can't hear a word they're saying
Only the echoes of my mind
I won't let you leave my love behind
No, I won't let you leave
I won't let you leave my love behind
The song "Everybody's Talking" by Harry Nilsson is a reflection of the singer's loneliness and desire for escape. The opening line conveys this feeling immediately, as he states that he doesn't hear the words of the people around him, only the echoes of his own thoughts. The imagery in the following lines paints a picture of a man who feels disconnected from the world around him. He can't see the faces of the people staring at him, only the shadows of their eyes.
The chorus of the song reinforces the idea of escape, as the singer imagines himself going where the sun keeps shining and the weather suits his clothes. The fact that he is "banking off of the northeast winds" and "skipping over the ocean like a stone" suggests a sense of freedom and lightness that he longs for. The repetition of this chorus emphasizes just how strong this desire to escape is.
The final lines of the song, in which the singer declares that he won't let his love go, are somewhat ambiguous. It's unclear if he is addressing the people around him or a specific person, but the sentiment is clear: even as he longs to escape, he doesn't want to lose the love he has in his life.
Line by Line Meaning
Everybody's talking at me
The world is constantly trying to communicate with me
I don't hear a word they're saying
But I'm not really listening to them
Only the echoes of my mind
As I am stuck in a loop of my own thoughts
People stopping, staring
Others are watching me
I can't see their faces
But I don't know them well enough to perceive their expressions
Only the shadows of their eyes
So I interpret their intentions based on the little information that I can gather
I'm going where the sun keeps shining
I'm searching for a place where I can feel happy and fulfilled
Through the pouring rain
Despite adversity and obstacles along the way
Going where the weather suits my clothes
I'm looking for an environment that is comfortable and welcoming for me
Banking off of the northeast winds
I'm relying on luck and chance to guide my journey
Sailing on a summer breeze
I'm looking for a smooth and carefree ride to my destination
And skipping over the ocean like a stone
I want to traverse great distances quickly and without much effort
Everybody's talking at me
But the outside world is still trying to get my attention
Can't hear a word they're saying
I'm still not paying attention to them
Only the echoes of my mind
As my internal monologue continues to dominate my focus
I won't let you leave my love behind
I refuse to let go of something or someone that I care deeply about
No, I won't let you leave
Because losing that thing or person would be too painful
I won't let you leave my love behind
So I will hold onto it as tightly as I can
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: FRED NEIL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@catherinebrimant8581
" Everybody's talking at me
I don't hear a word they're saying
Only the echoes of my mind
People stopping, staring
I can't see their faces
Only the shadows of their eyes
I'm going where the sun keeps shining
Through the pouring rain
Going where the weather suits my clothes
Banking off of the northeast winds
Sailing on a summer breeze
And skipping over the ocean like a stone
I'm going where the sun keeps shining
Through the pouring rain
Going where the weather suits my clothes
Banking off of the northeast winds
Sailing on a summer breeze
And skipping over the ocean like a stone
Everybody's talking at me
Can't hear a word they're saying
Only the echoes of my mind
I won't let you leave my love behind
No, I won't let you leave
I won't let you leave my love behind ".
@Laritalia26
Everybody's talking at me
I don't hear a word they're saying
Only the echoes of my mind
People stopping, staring
I can't see their faces
Only the shadows of their eyes
I'm going where the sun keeps shining
Through the pouring rain
Going where the weather suits my clothes
Banking off of the northeast winds
Sailing on a summer breeze
And skipping over the ocean like a stone
I'm going where the sun keeps shining
Through the pouring rain
Going where the weather suits my clothes
Banking off of the northeast winds
Sailing on a summer breeze
And skipping over the ocean like a stone
Everybody's talking at me
Can't hear a word they're saying
Only the echoes of my mind
I won't let you leave my love behind
No, I won't let you leave
I won't let you leave my love behind
@michaeltowle2607
I walked endlessly with this song echoing in my head. I was content. No one could deter my path.
I sought the shining sun and the pounding surf. I found them.
They were bright, clear and pure.
I bathed in their glory.
They enveloped me and we became one.
I am with you, always, just above.
Lift your eyes.
I gaze down and reach to you with love.
Don't falter, I am here for you.
@ABritInThePhilippines
One of my all time favourite songs, and i loved the film too, but this also reminds me of a clip from my favourite comedy show "Only Fools and Horses" and the episode "The Jolly Boys Outing"...
@thewalkingman777
Watching it right now !
@maxter4685
Best episode of only fools and horses !!!
@hwoodward884
Maxter 46 Couldn’t agree more
@joeritchie7286
I lost my dolphin
@carrroad13
Joe Ritchie 😂😂😂😂
@sarahallen3733
Iv just sat holding my nans hand in hospital watching her pass away. And this song was playing on smooth radio, for sure everyone was talking at her and she couldn’t hear a word , it chuckled me as tears rolled down my face. Love and miss her millions but this song definitely hits differently now 😍
@philipnorris6542
Love you, Sarah, although we've never met; keep on keeping on, and there is always something to live for.
@lizstraub6621
She won’t let you leave your love behind… she’s taking it with her and wrapping it around you until you meet again. Believe it. ❤️
@donnademko6352
Actually...
That's quite Beautiful.
Sorry about Your Nan.
❤️