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)
For Me and My Gal
Harry Nilsson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The birds are singing for me and my gal.
Ev'rybody's been knowing to a wedding they're going.
And for weeks they've been sewing every Suzie and Sal.
They're congregating for me and my gal.
The parson's waiting for me and my gal.
And sometime I'm gonna build a little home for two for three or four or more
In love land, for me and my gal.
The lyrics to Harry Nilsson's "For Me and My Gal" speak to the joys of love and marriage. The bells are ringing and the birds are singing in celebration of the upcoming wedding between the singer and his beloved "gal." The community is excited about the wedding, as they have been busy preparing for it with sewing and congregating.
As the singer looks forward to the future, he dreams of a little home for two, three, or even four in love land. The lyrics express a sense of hope and optimism, as the singer imagines a life filled with love, happiness, and the joys of family.
Overall, the lyrics to "For Me and My Gal" are uplifting and celebratory, with a focus on the joys of love and community. The song is a classic example of the romantic ballads that were popular during the early 20th century.
Line by Line Meaning
The bells are ringing for me and my gal.
Our love is being celebrated by the ringing bells, indicating that our union is meaningful and revered by those around us.
The birds are singing for me and my gal.
Nature itself is rejoicing and participating in the celebration of my love for my partner.
Ev'rybody's been knowing to a wedding they're going.
It is widely known that a wedding is taking place and people are excited to attend and be a part of the special day.
And for weeks they've been sewing every Suzie and Sal.
The people preparing for the wedding, including the soon-to-be-married Suzie and Sal, have been working hard for weeks in anticipation of the big event.
They're congregating for me and my gal.
The guests are gathering together to celebrate the love of myself and my partner.
The parson's waiting for me and my gal.
The religious leader who will facilitate the marriage ceremony is ready and waiting for us to begin.
And sometime I'm gonna build a little home for two for three or four or more
In the future, I plan to create a warm and loving home that is big enough to accommodate not only the two of us, but also any other loved ones who may join us.
In love land, for me and my gal.
Together, my partner and I will build a life full of love and happiness.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: E. Ray Goetz, George W. Meyer, Edgar Leslie
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind