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)
I
Harry Nilsson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Two can be as bad as one
It's the loneliest number since the number one
"No" is the saddest experience you'll ever know
Yes, it's the saddest experience you'll ever know
Because one is the loneliest number that you'll ever do
One is the loneliest number that you'll ever know
It's just no good anymore since you went away
Now I spend my time just making rhymes of yesterday
Because one is the loneliest number
That you'll ever do
One is the loneliest number
That you'll ever know
One is the loneliest number
One is the loneliest number
One is the loneliest number that you'll ever do
One is the loneliest number
Much, much worse than two
One is the number divided by two
One
One is the loneliest number
that you'll ever do, and this song by Harry Nilsson is an anthem to loneliness. The first stanza talks about how one is the loneliest number since it means being alone, with no one to share anything with. Two can be as bad as one because if you're with someone who doesn't understand you or who is just as lonely as you are, it's just going to make you feel all the more isolated. The second stanza talks about how the word "no" is the saddest experience someone can have because it means rejection, and it just reinforces that feeling of isolation.
The third stanza of the song talks about how life is just not good anymore since the person he loved has gone away. Now, he spends his time reliving memories and just dwelling on the past rather than seeing any hope in the future. The repetition of the phrase "one is the loneliest number" drives home the point that there is simply no hope for anything good to come out of a life lived alone. The song seems to suggest that for some people, loneliness is a permanent state, and there seems to be no way out of it.
Line by Line Meaning
One is the loneliest number that you'll ever do
Being alone is the most isolated feeling you'll ever experience
Two can be as bad as one
A negative experience shared with one other person can be just as awful as experiencing it alone
It's the loneliest number since the number one
No other number or level of isolation can compare to the feeling of being alone
"No" is the saddest experience you'll ever know
Receiving a negative response or hearing the word "no" can be one of the most heartbreaking experiences
Yes, it's the saddest experience you'll ever know
Contrary to popular belief, receiving a positive response or hearing the word "yes" doesn't necessarily result in happiness, as being alone can still bring sadness
It's just no good anymore since you went away
Life has lost its color and vibrancy since the person has left, and every moment feels empty and without purpose
Now I spend my time just making rhymes of yesterday
In an attempt to fill the void, the person spends their time reminiscing on happier memories and trying to relive the past
One is the number divided by two
The idea of dividing something so small and insignificant as one further emphasizes the loneliness and isolation felt by the person
One is the loneliest number
This repeated line further emphasizes the theme of loneliness and leaves a lasting impression on the listener
One is the loneliest number that you'll ever do
This final repetition serves as a haunting reminder of the feelings expressed throughout the song
One is the loneliest number
Much, much worse than two
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Peermusic Publishing
Written by: HARRY NILSSON, HARRY EDWARD NILSSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@vipr1142
Not for me.
My two first exes cheated on me and I haven't been in love since.
This was 12 years ago.
I've "tried" to fall in love again but I just cant. I just feel nothing anymore.
I think it is because I repeated everyday for years that "I should not care", "humans are like animals, cheating is in our nature".
And it's a double edged sword.
At one point, I feel free from any emotional pain.
But at the same time, I want to have children, a wife.
But its too long time. I think I'll have to be alone.
Think about this, dont cheat. Be a better person and give the other one dignity and leave before you jump in bed with others.
It's not hard. It's only your ego and that you are afraid the new one will ditch you.
If you ever think about fooling around with someone else, leave your current partner because if you are attracted to someone else, then your love for your current love, is not love.
So save your own time too
@crism3lo
No, I can't forget this evening
Or your face as you were leaving
But I guess that's just the way the story goes
You always smile but in your eyes your sorrow shows
Yes, it shows
[Verse 2]
No, I can't forget tomorrow
When I think of all my sorrow
When I had you there but then I let you go
And now it's only fair that I should let you know
What you should know
[Chorus]
I can't live if living is without you
I can't live, I can't give anymore
I can't live if living is without you
I can't give, I can't give anymore
[Verse 1]
Well, I can't forget this evening
Or your face as you were leaving
But I guess that's just the way the story goes
You always smile but in your eyes your sorrow shows
Yes, it shows
[Chorus]
Can't live if living is without you
I can't live, I can't give anymore
I can't live if living is without you
I can't live, I can't give anymore
@oldskoolmusicforever0724
I'M A NEARLY 60 YEAR OLD BLACK MAN AND THIS IS STILL ONE OF MY FAVORITE SONGS.AND NO NEED TO THINK I'M YELLING AT YOU OR ANYONE ELSE READING THIS.I JUST PREFER TO TYPE IN BIG LETTERS.IT'S ALL ABOUT LOVE FROM ME TO YOU.
@PaddyO1958
You be you Old Skool.
@ucheuchema1081
Well, let me say We can tug on Nilsson. I LOVE the Point myself. P.S. I had no idea he did this song. Nilsson gave us so much.
@raeanderson4638
I'm 80 and love this song. I had a lot of fun romance when this was popular!
@PauloCezardaPaz
This song is really top although so sad...
@user-ep1sw6od3u
@@PaddyO1958 he be OLD SKOOL AFRICAN AMERICAN MALE indeed.
@barrysmith8193
I’m a Vietnam combat veteran. This song is very personal for me. I lost so many very close comrades. It happens all so fast. We never got to say goodbye to them nor was allowed time to grieve. I stand and salute my brothers in arms that have taken their place in history. Some day I’ll be joining them again.
@juliachernobieff6943
Thank you Barry.
@moodyscorpio11
Thank you for your service, and sorry for the loss of your brother in arms <3
@binkytheeimperfectunprofes6770
Thank you for your service & sorry for all your losses, cuts deep I am sure!!!