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 Said Goodbye to Me
Harry Nilsson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I looked in the mirror,
Then I began to cry.
I'll leave my things behind for all to see,
And hope that she will understand why.
Ending the game is like changing the name of your favorite song.
Step out of rhyme for the very first time and the song is gone.
I'll pack up my memories then I'll walk away.
I hope I'm doing right, but by tonight,
The horse and coach will be on his way.
I said goodbye to me,
I looked in the mirror,
Then I began to cry.
I'll leave my things behind for all to see,
And hope that she will understand why.
The lyrics of Harry Nilsson's song I Said Goodbye to Me is a glimpse into the mind of someone struggling with their identity and self-worth. The line "I said goodbye to me" signifies a loss of self, an internal conflict that has been brewing for some time. Looking at themselves in the mirror, they begin to cry, communicating a sense of confusion and despair. The decision to leave their things behind is a final act of desperation, hoping the woman in their life will understand why.
The lyrics "Ending the game is like changing the name of your favorite song. Step out of rhyme for the very first time and the song is gone" is a metaphor for the fragility of life and the fear of change. A beloved song can lose its meaning when the name is changed, and the same is true for life when one's identity and values are challenged. The fear of stepping out of one's comfort zone can lead to missed opportunities and a sense of stagnation. The singer is aware of this, but is resigned to walking away, hoping it's the right thing to do.
Line by Line Meaning
I said goodbye to me,
I am bidding farewell to the person I was, to the things that defined me, and to the life I thought would be best for me.
I looked in the mirror,
I caught a glimpse of myself, of the person I was and the person I've become, and it made me sad.
Then I began to cry.
The realization that I need to let go of the past and the hope for the future has finally sinked in, and it brought me to tears.
I'll leave my things behind for all to see,
I am leaving a part of myself behind, in the hopes that those who come after me will appreciate it and understand why I had to let go of it.
And hope that she will understand why.
I am hoping that the person who means so much to me will understand why I had to change and move on, even though it hurts her deeply.
Ending the game is like changing the name of your favorite song.
Stopping what you've been doing for so long, changing your habits, and redefining the things that give you joy is like losing the familiarity of your favorite tune that you've grown used to and loved.
Step out of rhyme for the very first time and the song is gone.
Being different and going against the norm, especially if it's your first time, can change the whole rhythm of your life, and you might lose more than you thought you're willing to risk.
There's nothing left to say,
After all is said and done, after all the tears have been shed, there's nothing left to talk about or argue over.
I'll pack up my memories then I'll walk away.
I will take all the good and bad memories and experiences with me, put them into a box, and move on to better things.
I hope I'm doing right, but by tonight,
As much as I'm trying to do what's best for me, it's still uncertain whether it's truly the right thing to do, and I'm hoping that by the end of the night, the universe will give me a sign.
The horse and coach will be on his way.
Fast forward to the future, when I've finally moved on from my old life and attained the happiness that comes with letting go of the past.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: HARRY NILSSON, HARRY EDWARD NILSSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@jhonrodinediaz6726
I said goodbye to me,
I looked in the mirror,
Then I began to cry.
I'll leave my things behind for all to see,
And hope that she will understand why.
Ending the game is like changing the name of your favorite song.
Step out of rhyme for the very first time and the song is gone.
There's nothing left to say,
I'll pack up my memories then I'll walk away.
I hope I'm doing right, but by tonight,
The horse and coach will be on his way.
I said goodbye to me,
I looked in the mirror,
Then I began to cry.
I'll leave my things behind for all to see,
And hope that she will understand why.
@user-vr1ow6rm8d
How have I never heard this song before? It's so beautiful, thx Joachim Trier for introducing me to the worst person in the world!
@MerkinMuffly
This literally happens all the time to Harry Nilsson songs, he's done so much more than most people really know
@tedparkinson6892
@@MerkinMuffly absolutely correct!
@TT-qv5wy
I was laughing to idiots who discover Kate Bush trough Stranger Things, now I am the same idiot with Trier film and H.Nilson.
@jackryan9724
11qqq
@devingademan
Fantastic songwriting and voice.
@fabiopolii
Here after searching “The worst person in the world song” I love it
@martinrafaels.o.1994
One of the best movie of 2021
@catherasga
Sameeee
@anobamjelishsana8939
SAME