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 sayin'
Only the echoes of my mind
People stoppin', starin'
I can't see their faces
Only the shadows of their eyes
I'm goin' where the sun keeps shinin'
Goin' where the weather suits my clothes
Bankin' off of the Northeast winds
Sailin' on summer breeze
And skippin' over the ocean like a stone
Wah, wah
Wah
I'm going where the sun keeps shinin'
Through the pourin' rain
Goin' where the weather suits my clothes
Bankin' off of the Northeast winds
Sailin' on summer breeze
And skippin' over the ocean like a stone
Everybody's talkin' at me
Can't hear a word they're sayin'
Only the echoes of my mind
I won't let you leave my love behind
No, I won't let you leave-wah
I won't let you leave my love behind
The opening lines of the song describe the singer's feeling of detachment from the world around him. He's in his own head, lost in his own thoughts to the point where he can't even hear the people around him. Everyone is talking, but it's just noise in the background, and he's not really paying attention to any of it. The echoes of his own mind dominate his senses.
The second verse describes the singer's desire to escape from his current situation, and the harsh realities of life. He is seeking a place where he can experience some kind of peace and happiness, a place where he can align himself with the natural world. The lyrics express a powerful sense of wanderlust and longing for a simpler, more authentic existence. The singer is yearning for a place where he can be himself and find happiness.
The repetitive chorus, "I won't let you leave my love behind," seems to be an appeal to someone who is important to the singer, but it's unclear who that person is or what their relationship is to him. Overall, Harry Nilsson's lyrics paint a vivid picture of a world-weary and disconnected person who is searching for a sense of belonging and purpose.
Line by Line Meaning
Everybody's talkin' at me
People are talking to me all the time
I don't hear a word they're sayin'
I am not listening to them and not interested in what they're saying
Only the echoes of my mind
I am only hearing my own thoughts
People stoppin', starin'
People are looking at me with curiosity
I can't see their faces
I am not interested in seeing them or connecting with them
Only the shadows of their eyes
I can only vaguely see their eyes
I'm goin' where the sun keeps shinin'
I am traveling to a place with constant sunshine
Through the pourin' rain
Even when it rains, I'll still find sunshine
Goin' where the weather suits my clothes
I am going to a place where I can wear whatever I like
Bankin' off of the Northeast winds
I am using prevailing winds to help me travel
Sailin' on summer breeze
I am enjoying the freedom of sailing with the wind
And skippin' over the ocean like a stone
I am traveling swiftly and easily over the ocean
Wah, wah
Nonsense syllables used to express happiness
I won't let you leave my love behind
I am not letting go of my love for someone
No, I won't let you leave-wah
I will do anything to hold on to this love
I won't let you leave my love behind
Repeating the previous line with the same meaning
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Fred Neil
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@jamesdrynan
One of the saddest endings to a movie ever. Voight was terrific as Joe Buck and Hoffman nailed Enrico. Perfect mournful harmonica song.
@kiyongshin
i cried too so much at the ending scene.
@renatonunes2550
The "Midnight Cowboy" was very first movie I saw in New York City, shortly after having arrived in the U.S.A.. An unforgetable drama that I enjoyed so much seeing. The beautifull ballad by Nilsson helps keep it in my memory. Unforgetable great performances by Voigt & Hoffman.
@nitasheehan2704
Yes!
@almirn7755
Que saudades. Dói. Foi uma época de brilho , no cinema , na música , na geração que estava se formando. Foi uma época dourada.
@ms.annthrope415
Jon Voight and Dustin Hoffman achieved greatness with this movie. Harry Nilsson turned this song into legend.
@trevorgibb1019
I love the theme tune. It really moves me. It's the sort of music that tells a thousand stories and brings back memories of my youth. Some good and some bad. It's a beautiful tune!
@eduardo_corrochio
This movie punched me in the heart in a beautiful way. Its music (the theme by John Barry and the tune from Harry Nilsson) was perfect.
@ednguyen3822
I don't have enough words to describe how much I love Midnight Cowboy. The urban setting, the music, the tragic friendship, the gritty cinematography, the performances, etc. This is one of American cinema's finest personal films of the past 60 years.
@ronniegibson2853
Just watched some clips again they get better with age ! wonderful!