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's Talkin
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
Harry Nilsson's song Everybody's Talkin is a reflective and introspective piece about the singer's state of mind as he navigates the world around him. The first two lines suggest that the singer is lost in his own thoughts and is not paying attention to the noise of other people around him. He is so wrapped up in his own worries and fears that he tunes out the cacophony of the world around him. Instead, he is haunted by the "echoes of my mind," which suggest that he is lost in his own thoughts and concerns.
As the song progresses, the singer describes his physical surroundings but again emphasizes his emotional isolation. He sees "people stopping, staring" but doesn't connect with them. He "can't see their faces" but only the "shadows of their eyes," which suggest that he is projecting his own fears and concerns onto those around him. Despite this emotional distance, he has a clear sense of where he wants to go - a place where the "sun keeps shining through the pouring rain" and where the "weather suits my clothes." He imagines himself "banking off of the northeast winds" and "sailing on a summer breeze," suggesting that he is seeking a sense of freedom and buoyancy that he doesn't currently possess.
Line by Line Meaning
Everybody's talking at me
People are speaking to me, but it feels like they're not really saying anything important or meaningful.
I don't hear a word they're saying
I am not able to comprehend or absorb what they are talking about.
Only the echoes of my mind
I am only hearing the thoughts in my mind, and the noises around me are not really registering.
People stopping, staring
Individuals are glancing at me, and it's causing me to feel quite uncomfortable.
I can't see their faces
I am not able to emotionally connect with the people around me.
Only the shadows of their eyes
I am only able to see the physical elements of them due to my emotional disconnection.
I'm going where the sun keeps shining
I am departing to where the environment is more comfortable and happier.
Through the pouring rain
Despite the negativity that life may bring, I will not let it detract from my happiness.
Going where the weather suits my clothes
Going to a place that has conditions that matches my emotional and mental state.
Banking off of the northeast winds
I am taking advantage of the unfavorable environment around me to move towards pleasant circumstances.
Sailing on a summer breeze
I am taking advantage of favorable circumstances to move towards joy and happiness in life.
And skipping over the ocean like a stone
I am moving through life with ease and grace, leaving negative emotions and experiences behind.
Can't hear a word they're saying
I am not able to comprehend the words of others due to my current state of mind.
No, I won't let you leave
I am not changing my emotions or mental state due to the actions of others.
I won't let you leave my love behind
I will not let anyone distract or detract from the positive feelings and elements of my life.
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.
❤️