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)
He Needs Me
Harry Nilsson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We're uh, hopin' Eil' will fall in love
She overhears him while they're looking for Sweepie
If you know what I mean, she's around that corner, right?
And all at once I knew
I knew at once
I knew he needed me
Until the day I die
I won't know why
I knew he needed me
It could be fantasy, oh
Or maybe it's because
He really needs me, needs me, he needs me
He needs me, he needs me, he needs me
It's like a dime a dance
I'll take a chance
I will because he needs me
No one ever asked before
Before because they never needed me
But he does
Maybe it's because he's so alone
Maybe it's because he's never had a home
He needs me, he needs me
He needs me, he needs me
He needed me
For once, for once in life
I've finally felt
That someone needed me
And if it turns out real
Then love canspin the wheel
Because
He needs me, he needs me
He needs me, he needs me (I need him)
He needs me, he needs me (I need him)
It's a home demo, Bob
What am I supposed to tell ya?
It's good
The lyrics of Harry Nilsson's song "He Needs Me" speak of the uncertainty and excitement of feeling needed by someone for the first time in life. The song begins with a conversation between two people who are hoping that "Eil'" will fall in love. As they look for "Sweepie" around the corner, the singer suddenly realizes that the person they are helping needs them desperately. The singer declares that she knew immediately that this person needed her and she will never know the reason why. It's like a fantasy or just a feeling that came over her.
The singer goes on to say that nobody has ever needed her before, but this person does. She wonders if it's because he is alone or if it's because he has never had a home. Whatever the reason may be, the fact that he needs her gives her a sense of purpose and meaning. She takes a chance on this person, even though it's like a "dime a dance". The song ends with the singer expressing her hope that this feeling of being needed is real and that it could lead to love.
Overall, "He Needs Me" is a heartfelt and poetic expression of the human desire to be needed and loved. The lyrics highlight the power of a single moment in which one's life can be forever changed by the realization that they are needed by someone else. It's a beautiful ode to love and human connection.
Line by Line Meaning
This is page 97, Bob
Bob is being addressed, and the singer states that they are currently on page 97 of something.
We're uh, hopin' Eil' will fall in love
The singer and someone else are hoping that Eil will fall in love with them or someone else.
She overhears him while they're looking for Sweepie
While the singer and Eil are searching for Sweepie, she overhears something being said about her/related to her.
If you know what I mean, she's around that corner, right?
The artist is implying that Eil is nearby, and someone is pointing in her direction.
And all at once I knew
The artist is indicating a sudden realization/moment of clarity.
I knew at once
The singer repeats their earlier sentiment that they had a sudden understanding about something.
I knew he needed me
The singer has realized that someone needed them for something.
Until the day I die
The artist is saying that they will never know why this person needed them.
I won't know why
The artist reaffirms that they will never understand the reasoning behind this person needing them.
It could be fantasy, oh
The artist suggests that maybe this person's need for them is just a fantasy
Or maybe it's because
The singer presents another possibility for why this person needs them.
He really needs me, needs me, he needs me
The artist is emphasizing that this person really, truly needs them.
He needs me, he needs me, he needs me
The singer reiterates their earlier point about this person needing them multiple times.
It's like a dime a dance
The singer is making a comparison between their relationship with this person and a dime-a-dance scenario, which is a dance where someone pays just a dime to dance with someone else for a short time.
I'll take a chance
The singer is willing to take a risk in getting involved with this person who needs them.
I will because he needs me
The artist has decided to take this chance because this person needs them.
No one ever asked before
The artist has never been needed by another person before.
Before because they never needed me
The singer explains that this is because no one has ever needed them before.
But he does
The singer is grateful that this person needs them, in spite of never having been needed before.
Maybe it's because he's so alone
The artist is speculating as to why this person might need them, suggesting that it could be because they are lonely.
Maybe it's because he's never had a home
The artist is putting forth another possible reason why this person might need them, that they have never had a sense of belonging in any one place or with any one person.
He needs me, he needs me
The artist once again emphasizes this person's need for them.
He needs me, he needs me
The singer repeats their earlier point multiple times.
He needed me
The artist confirms that this person has already needed them in the past.
For once, for once in life
The singer is indicating that this is the first time that they have ever felt needed by someone.
I've finally felt
The singer is experiencing a feeling they have never had before.
That someone needed me
The singer is grateful that someone finally needed them for something.
And if it turns out real
The artist is imagining a scenario in which their relationship with this person pans out positively and actually becomes substantial - this is hypothetical.
Then love can spin the wheel
The artist is saying that if things do work out, love will take control of the relationship and guide it wherever it needs to go.
Because
The singer is concluding their thought and about to give another reason why this person needs them.
He needs me, he needs me
The singer reiterates that this person needs them multiple times.
He needs me, he needs me (I need him)
The line ends on a hopeful note, with the artist saying that they need this person, too.
He needs me, he needs me (I need him)
The final line repeats the artist's earlier sentiment that they need this person just as much as this person needs them.
It's a home demo, Bob
The artist is indicating that this song is just a home demo and not a professional recording.
What am I supposed to tell ya?
The singer is asking for guidance or clarification about how to proceed given that this is just a demo recording.
It's good
The artist reassures Bob that despite its amateur status, the recording is still good.
Writer(s): Harry Nilsson
Contributed by Camden P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.