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)
Good Old Desk
Harry Nilsson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
My old desk does an arabesque,
In the morning when I first arrive
It's a pleasure to see, it's waiting there for me
To keep my hopes alive
Such a comfort to know its got no place to go,
Its the one thing I've got, a huge success,
My good old desk
My old desk never needs a rest,
And I've never once heard it cry
I've never seen it tease, its always there to please me
From nine to five
Such a comfort to know, it's dependable and slow,
But its always there
Its the one friend I've got, a giant of all times,
My good old desk
Oowah oowah ah ah ah, ah oowah oowah ah
My old desk isn't picturesque,
But its happy as a desk can be
We never say a word,
But its perfectly alright with me
For when my heart's on the floor, I just open the drawer
Of my favorite guest
And what do I see?
But a picture of me working at my good old desk
Oowah oowah ah ah ah, ah oowah oowah ah
In Harry Nilsson's song "Good Old Desk," the singer provides an ode to their desk which is the most reliable and consistent presence in their life. The lyrics showcase the singer's affectionate and sentimental feelings for their desk that has been the cornerstone of their work and hope for a better future. The desk is the first thing the singer sees when they arrive at work, and it is an assurance that their hopes will be kept alive for the day. The singer finds solace in knowing that the desk will always be there, and it is their only possession that has brought them enormous success.
The desk is personified through the lyrics, and the singer describes it as a friend, a comfort, a giant of all times, and a reliable presence in their life. The singer connects with their desk on an emotional level, and it is a source of motivation for them to keep going, even when their heart is on the floor. The singer's favorite guest is the drawer of the old desk, where they keep a picture of themselves, symbolizing their hard work and dedication towards their job.
Overall, the song showcases the singer's attachment to their 'good old desk', as it has been an essential part of their life, providing security, comfort, and stability. The lyrics show how something as simple as a desk, can hold significant value and meaning to an individual's life.
Line by Line Meaning
My old desk does an arabesque,
My office table is well-crafted and designed.
In the morning when I first arrive
During the day, when I first come to work,
It's a pleasure to see, it's waiting there for me
I'm always happy to see it since it's waiting for me every day.
To keep my hopes alive
It gives me a reason to push through the day.
Such a comfort to know its got no place to go,
It's always going to be in the same place every day.
It's always there
My trusty desk never leaves me in a lurch.
Its the one thing I've got, a huge success,
In terms of reliability, this desk is the superstar.
My good old desk
I fondly refer to my office table as my 'good old desk.'
My old desk never needs a rest,
This desk doesn't have feelings or the need for a break.
And I've never once heard it cry
It doesn't complain about its workload either.
I've never seen it tease, its always there to please me
It's always reliable and dependable, never causing trouble.
From nine to five
It's always useful during working hours.
Such a comfort to know, it's dependable and slow,
It's not the fanciest table, but it's always reliable.
But its always there
This table is always present, every workday.
Its the one friend I've got, a giant of all times,
This desk is an enduring, dependable friend.
My good old desk
As always, my 'good old desk.'
My old desk isn't picturesque,
My desk isn't especially pretty to look at,
But its happy as a desk can be
But it's always satisfied in its work.
We never say a word,
Although it's an inanimate object, it and I have an unspoken understanding.
But its perfectly alright with me
But that's perfectly fine with me.
For when my heart's on the floor, I just open the drawer
When I'm feeling low, I open my desk drawer.
Of my favorite guest
Inside I find something or someone that always makes me feel better.
And what do I see?
What do I see inside that always makes me happy?
But a picture of me working at my good old desk
Ah yes, it's a picture of me doing what I always do, working at my trusty 'good old desk.'
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: HARRY NILSSON, HARRY EDWARD NILSSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@MarvinBartlett-lj5sh
Harry Nilsson could write a song about a desk that’s good enough to make you want to listen to it again… and again… and again. Wonderful arrangement, angelic harmonies.
@truderenken3248
Makes you want to hear it again ..... I SING it to my desk :)
@kitspics526
I love this LP…every song a classic. RIP Harry
@Mozart2Muse
"My old desk does an arabesque in the morning when I first arrive; it's a pleasure to see it's waiting there for me to keep my hopes alive. Such a comfort to know it's got no place to go, it's always there; it's the one thing I've got, a huge success, my good old desk. My old desk never needs a rest and I've never once heard it cry; I've never seen it tease, it's always there to please me from nine to five. Such a comfort to know it's dependable and slow, but it's always there; it's the one friend I've got, a giant of all times, my good old desk. My old desk isn't picturesque but it's happy as a desk could be; we never say a word but it's perfectly alright with me. For when my hearts on the floor I just open the drawer of my favorite guest; and what do I see? but a picture of me working at my good old desk."
@RobCLynch
Possibly my favourite Harry Nilsson track.
@tcme11
Interesting. Not my favorite song of his to display his full power as a vocalist or a songwriter.
Fun. He could write a song about lint and make it fun and sound good.
Glad you enjoy this.🙂
@user-xo5ko5uj1o
私も好きです🙆
@sylvainguillemettte2800
Such sadness on a lovely melody. Great.
@mikemickypeterdavy
Ah this is a good song on an excellent album
@johnfisher8401
Sean Burns ive been on a harry nilsson binge, his music is insane. Ill never understand how he wasnt more appreciated. If the Beatles all say you are their favorite musician you know youre truly brilliant.