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)
Kojak Columbo
Harry Nilsson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But have one anyway
And while I'm on the subject, baby
Have a happy birthday
How's your father?
How's your mom?
Don't it make you itch a little
Boy, it's been weird out here lately
But I guess that's okay too
'Cause television's here to save us
And tell us what to do
Kojak, Kojak, Kojak, Columbo
Sell me an old one
Sell 'em some gumbo
Tell me a new one
At least once a night
Show me an old one
But don't turn out your love light
You've got nineteen inches, baby, that's a real good size
I could lie there on the floor and just look at you all night long
I could just twist your knobs right off and fool around with you
I don't need no TV guide to tell me what to do
Kojak, Kojak, Kojak,Columbo
Sell me an old one, sell me some gumbo
Tell me a new one, at least once a night
Tell me an old one but save out your love light
Uh-huh, and when I get too old, too old to rock and roll
I'll sit in my unrockin' chair, babe, and use my remote control
Kojak, Kojak, Kojak, Columbo
Sell me an old one, sell me some gumbo
Tell me a new one, at least once a night
Show me an old one but don't turn out your love light
You've got nineteen inches, baby, that's a real good size
I'd like to poke my eyes inside you, baby, and just look around
I love your cute little rabbit ears, I love your cable and your box
And when I turn out the light at night, baby
, you're the one that really rocks
The song "Kojak Columbo" by Harry Nilsson is a satirical take on the state of society and our dependence on television for guidance and entertainment. The opening lines of the song wishing the listener a belated Merry Christmas and Happy Birthday, hint at the commercialization of holidays and the way we have become conditioned to associate them with consumerism. The lyrics then move on to consider the state of the world, with the reference to the bomb highlighting the fear of nuclear war that was prevalent at the time the song was written.
Nilsson then goes on to muse about the role of television in society, with the reference to Kojak and Columbo, two popular TV detectives from the 70s, representing the idea that television is there to tell us what to do and how to think. The repetition of the names also highlights the way in which we become fixated on certain characters and personalities, and begin to emulate them in our own lives. The chorus, with its call for old and new stories, speaks to our need for constant stimulation and distraction, and the idea that we are never satisfied with what we have. Finally, the lyrics offer a humorous take on our obsession with television, with the suggestion that we could happily spend all night looking at the screen rather than interacting with the world around us.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, it's a little late for Christmas
Even though it’s not Christmas anymore, have a happy and enjoyable time regardless
But have one anyway
Still, celebrate it even though it has passed
And while I'm on the subject, baby
Speaking of celebrations, here's a birthday wish too
Have a happy birthday
May your special day be filled with joy and happiness
How's your father?
How is your dad doing?
How's your mom?
How is your mom doing?
Don't it make you itch a little
Does it not bother you a bit?
You know they've got the bomb?
Do you know they have a(n atomic) bomb?
Boy, it's been weird out here lately
Things have been strange around here lately
But I guess that's okay too
But I suppose that's alright
'Cause television's here to save us
Because television is here to rescue us
And tell us what to do
And guide us on what to do
Kojak, Kojak, Kojak, Columbo
Television shows with detective characters named Kojak and Columbo
Sell me an old one
Tell me an old (TV show) story
Sell 'em some gumbo
Entertain them with something pleasing or entertaining
Tell me a new one
Share a new interesting experience or story
At least once a night
At least tell me something once a day or night
Show me an old one
Display or narrate an old story or experience
But don't turn out your love light
Do not dim the affection or care you have
You've got nineteen inches, baby, that's a real good size
Your TV has a good nineteen-inch screen size
I could lie there on the floor and just look at you all night long
I could keep watching your TV all night long
I could just twist your knobs right off and fool around with you
I could play around with your TV buttons and settings
I don't need no TV guide to tell me what to do
I don't require a TV guide to watch TV
And when I get too old, too old to rock and roll
When I'm older and cannot rock and roll anymore
I'll sit in my unrockin' chair, babe, and use my remote control
I'll sit comfortably in my chair and use my TV remote
You've got nineteen inches, baby, that's a real good size
Your TV has a good nineteen-inch screen size
I'd like to poke my eyes inside you, baby, and just look around
I'd like to intimately explore your TV's features and settings
I love your cute little rabbit ears, I love your cable and your box
I enjoy the antenna and accessories of your tv set
And when I turn out the light at night, baby
And when I turn off the lights at night
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: HARRY NILSSON, HARRY EDWARD NILSSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@wolves7655
Such a fantastically catchy tune. This song deserves so much greater recognition.
@antisexualgamer9598
A great song on a great album.
@stef5610
I listened to Nilsson since I was a kid. Now I am 56 and never got tired of his music. What a genius.
@johnlong9534
I played the hell out of this album years ago when it came out. Love it.
@the13corinne
Great song!
@SUScorporation
ive decided this is probably the most underrated song of all time and thats coming from a beach boys fan with no shortage of targets
@Jona8280
such a naughty cool song !! <3
@sirmontyrock
It is a naughty song, but done so subtly and so well, as only as Harry Nelson could.
@modernarchive7502
great memories...plus heartache. let there be a rock and roll heaven. i'll take cheap seats if I deserve them for my final disposition.
@teecee3866
"I don't need no TV Guide to tell me what to do..."