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)
Lullaby in Ragtime
Harry Nilsson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To a lullaby in ragtime
Sleepy hands are creeping to the end of the clock
Play a lullaby in ragtime
You can tell the sandman is on his way
By the way
That they play
As still, as the trill, of a thrush, in a twilight high
So you can hear the
Rhythm of the ripples on the side of the boat
As you sail away to dreamland
High above the moon you hear a silvery note
As the sandman takes your hand
So rock-a-by my baby
Don't you cry my baby
Sleepy-time is nigh
Won't you rock me to a ragtime lullaby
So rock-a-by my baby
Don't you cry my baby
Sleepy-time is nigh
Won't you rock me to a ragtime lullaby
The lyrics of Harry Nilsson's song "Lullaby in Ragtime" perfectly capture the essence of a soothing lullaby. The opening verse invites the musician to "play the music" so the cradle can rock while "sleepy hands" reach the end of the clock. The idea of a lullaby in ragtime serves to indicate that the rhythm and pace of the song is gentle and calming, setting the perfect mood to send a child off to sleep. The imagery of sandman approaching is powerful, inviting the listener to recognize the cues of his arrival in the sound of a lullaby. The trill of a thrush in the evening is also used as a metaphor to demonstrate the calm and peaceful feeling that this lullaby brings to the listener.
The second verse of the song takes us on a metaphorical journey as we sail away to dreamland. The first line suggests that listeners can hear the rhythm of ripples on the surface of a boat as we sail away towards the shore of rest and dreams. The image of a silvery note above the moon tells the listener that they're not alone on this journey to dreamland but accompanied by other dreamers who seek solace in the melody of the lullaby. Finally, the song invites the baby to embrace sleep and not cry, promising the comfiness of a ragtime lullaby.
Line by Line Meaning
Won't you play the music so the cradle can rock
Please play some music to help the baby fall asleep
To a lullaby in ragtime
Play a soothing tune in ragtime style
Sleepy hands are creeping to the end of the clock
The baby is getting tired and it's almost time for sleep
Play a lullaby in ragtime
Keep playing the comforting ragtime tune
You can tell the sandman is on his way
The baby is feeling drowsy and ready for sleep
By the way
It's clear from
That they play
The way the music is being played
As still, as the trill, of a thrush, in a twilight high
The peacefulness of the music is as calm as the sound of a thrush singing in the evening
So you can hear the
You can listen to the
Rhythm of the ripples on the side of the boat
The sound of water moving against the boat can be heard
As you sail away to dreamland
As you drift off to sleep
High above the moon you hear a silvery note
You hear a beautiful high note, like the sound of a bell or chime
As the sandman takes your hand
As sleep overcomes you
So rock-a-by my baby
Rock the baby gently
Don't you cry my baby
Don't be sad or upset, little one
Sleepy-time is nigh
It's almost time for sleep
Won't you rock me to a ragtime lullaby
Please keep playing the soothing ragtime tune to help me sleep
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: SYLVIA FINE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
マロンちゃん
Won't you play the misic so the cradle can rock
to a LULLABY IN RAGTIME.
Sleepy hands are creepin' to the end of the clock,
play a LULLBY IN RAGTIME.
You can tell the sandman is on his way
by the way that they play,
As still as the trill of a thrush
in a twilight hush.
So you can hear the
rhythm of the ripples on the side of the boat
As you sail away to dreamland,
High above the moon you hear a silvery note
As the sandman takes your hand.
So rock a bye, my baby,
Don't you cry my baby,
sleepy time is night,
Won't you rock me
to a ragtime lullaby
jas
this is literally the most beautiful song to ever exist.
Bob Newman Knott
I just rediscovered this and I agree with you 100% I first heard in an advertisement ,I forget the product but remembered the song !
James McInnis
"literally"
Mare Girl
The entire album is so good, and I never get tired of this song.
buckaroo
Listening to this song for the first time and it brings tears to me! It's so beautiful and classy. I'm pregnant so I can see myself singing this as a lullaby to my baby. :)
PenguinFam Adventures
Did you? My toddler STILL loves it.
James Redd
Harry Nilsson has to be one of my favorite people singers it's a shame that he's not around still
saintcruzin
In '73 Harry's voice was perfection....He dug up a gem...
littlebylittle1982
This is the most favorite Nilsson song.Beautiful ! Thank you.
Peter Jones
I've raved enough about this superb album elsewhere,but what a wonderful video! You've really done it justice and many many thanks.