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)
It's a Jungle out There
Harry Nilsson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
One day Tarzan said to Jane while they were walking through the garden
'One thing I must explain before we go much farther'
'I know you'd like a bright new dress with a bright new yellow linin'
'But every time you want on,e darlin', I got to fight a lion'.
And it's a jungle out there
There ain't no way around it
At least I've never found it
It's a jungle out there
It's a jungle out there.
Way back in the city, where the city people smile
Whenever they need a new pair of shoes, they don't kill no crocodile
And when the nighttime falls around them, they stay in their hotels
But out here, darlin', when the night time comes, there's nothin' to do but yell.
'Cause it's a jungle out there
You better say a prayer
Even if they eat you
And eventually they will
It's a jungle out there, ooh, you know.
One day Tarzan said to Jane : 'I want to talk to you about the boy'
'He's been actin' very strange lately, he thinks a tool's a toy'
'Why only yesterday while I was out there fixin' up the vine'
'He said : 'Dad, I'm gonna take a swing' - but he grabbed a hold of my vine, ow.
It's a jungle out there
Hey, you better beware
There ain't no way around it
At least I've never found it
It's a jungle out there
It's a jungle out there.
Now the moral of this story is if you end up out there too
Think of all them snakes you might have snaken up on you
But on the other hand, my darlin', you don't have to care
'Cause no matter how far, no matter how long, no matter how cold or fair
High or low, up or down, it's still a jungle out there.
It's a jungle out there
It's a jungle out there
There ain't no way around it
At least I've never found it
'Cause it's a jungle out there.
The lyrics of Harry Nilsson's song "It's a Jungle out There" provide a humorous look at life in the jungle, as seen through the eyes of Tarzan and Jane. The first verse speaks to the challenges of everyday life in the jungle, with Tarzan explaining to Jane that even something as simple as getting a new dress requires a fight with a lion. This highlights the danger and unpredictability of life in the jungle.
The second verse provides a contrast between life in the city and life in the jungle, with city people having an easier existence and not having to worry about crocodiles or other wild animals. However, in the jungle, the nighttime brings with it a sense of vulnerability and danger that cannot be avoided.
The final verse addresses the challenges of parenting in the jungle, with Tarzan expressing concern about his son's behavior and referencing a humorous incident in which his son mistook a vine for a tool. Through these lyrics, Nilsson portrays the jungle as a chaotic and unpredictable place where even the most routine activities can involve danger and excitement.
Line by Line Meaning
One day Tarzan said to Jane while they were walking through the garden
Tarzan and Jane were taking a walk in the garden
'One thing I must explain before we go much farther'
Tarzan had a serious thing to tell Jane
'I know you'd like a bright new dress with a bright new yellow linin''
Jane likes to wear clothes with yellow lining
'But every time you want on,e darlin', I got to fight a lion'.
Tarzan has to face a lot of challenges to get the things Jane wants
And it's a jungle out there
The world is a dangerous place
It's a jungle out there
Danger lurks everywhere
There ain't no way around it
There's no avoiding the dangers of the world
At least I've never found it
Tarzan has never found a way to avoid danger
It's a jungle out there
The world is filled with danger
It's a jungle out there
The world is dangerous
Way back in the city, where the city people smile
The city is a happier and safer place
Whenever they need a new pair of shoes, they don't kill no crocodile
City folk don't have to fight for the basic necessities of life
And when the nighttime falls around them, they stay in their hotels
City people stay indoors when it's dark outside
But out here, darlin', when the night time comes, there's nothin' to do but yell
Outside the city, there are no safe places at night
'Cause it's a jungle out there
The world is dangerous
You better say a prayer
You should pray for safety
Even if they eat you
You might still be attacked and harmed
And eventually they will
It's only a matter of time before you face danger
It's a jungle out there, ooh, you know.
The world is dangerous, and we are all aware of it
One day Tarzan said to Jane : 'I want to talk to you about the boy'
Tarzan wanted to discuss their child with Jane
'He's been actin' very strange lately, he thinks a tool's a toy'
Their child has been behaving oddly and thinks tools are toys
'Why only yesterday while I was out there fixin' up the vine'
Tarzan was working on the vine yesterday
'He said : 'Dad, I'm gonna take a swing' - but he grabbed a hold of my vine, ow.
Their child tried to swing on the vine but grabbed onto Tarzan instead
Hey, you better beware
You should be careful
Now the moral of this story is if you end up out there too
The lesson of this story is if you find yourself outside of the city
Think of all them snakes you might have snaken up on you
Be aware of the dangers that may surprise you
But on the other hand, my darlin', you don't have to care
At the same time, you don't have to worry too much
'Cause no matter how far, no matter how long, no matter how cold or fair
Regardless of distance, time or condition
High or low, up or down, it's still a jungle out there.
The world is a dangerous place, no matter where you go
It's a jungle out there
The world is dangerous
It's a jungle out there
Danger lurks everywhere
There ain't no way around it
There's no avoiding the dangers of the world
At least I've never found it
Tarzan has never found a way to avoid danger
'Cause it's a jungle out there.
The world is filled with danger
Contributed by Evan L. Suggest a correction in the comments below.