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)
Me & My Arrow
Harry Nilsson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Straighter than narrow
Wherever we go, everyone knows
It's me and my arrow
Me and my arrow
Taking the high road
Wherever we go, everyone knows
And in the morning when I wake up
She may be gone, I don't know
And if we make up just to break up
I'll carry on, oh yes, I will
Me and my arrow
Doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, straighter than narrow
Wherever we go, every one knows
It's me and my arrow
Me and my arrow
Me and my arrow
Me and my arrow
Me and my arrow
Me and my arrow
Me and my arrow
Doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, straighter than narrow
Wherever we go, every one knows
It's me and my arrow
The lyrics to Harry Nilsson's (Children's) song Me And My Arrow speak of a strong and unbreakable bond between the singer and their arrow. The arrow symbolizes something that is constant, always pointing in the right direction and guiding the singer through life. The singer describes their relationship with the arrow as 'straighter than narrow', suggesting that they are always true to each other and always following the right path, no matter what difficulties they may face. They are recognised wherever they go and the arrow is an integral part of their identity.
However, the lyrics also demonstrate an awareness that this relationship might not last forever. The singer acknowledges that they may wake up one morning to find that the arrow is gone and that they may make up with the arrow just to break up again. Despite this, they are determined to carry on and remain true to themselves and their arrow.
Overall, the song Me And My Arrow speaks of the importance of having a guiding force in life, something that is true and constant, and the importance of staying true to oneself throughout life's journey.
Line by Line Meaning
Me and my arrow
The singer is closely associated with their arrow and sees it as an extension of themselves.
Straighter than narrow
The singer values being direct and unwavering in their decisions and actions.
Wherever we go, everyone knows
It's me and my arrow
The singer and their arrow seem to draw attention wherever they go, perhaps due to their confidence and unique nature.
Taking the high road
The artist is committed to making ethical and morally sound choices in life.
And in the morning when I wake up
She may be gone, I don't know
The artist may not be certain what the future holds, but they are embracing the present moment with their arrow by their side.
And if we make up just to break up
I'll carry on, oh yes, I will
Even if things don't work out in the long run, the singer is determined to keep moving forward and living their life to the fullest.
Doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, straighter than narrow
A playful refrain meant to emphasize the unwavering nature of the singer's character and their connection to their arrow.
Me and my arrow
Me and my arrow
Me and my arrow
Me and my arrow
Me and my arrow
Repeating the phrase emphasizes the strong bond between the artist and their arrow.
Wherever we go, every one knows
It's me and my arrow
The artist and their arrow are seen as a pair that are highly recognizable and memorable in any setting they venture into.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: HARRY NILSSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@silverballnz
My late son bought me here. He would have been 48 today, this is our first year without him. He just loved this record when he was little and played it once in a while throughout his life. Love and respect to you Son.
@Alan-oj3ps
Sorry for your loss
@fromthebackofmymind
😇
@miguelcunhakowalski1099
Hope you are ok, even if it has been 5 years without him, I hope you are ok.
@sparkyohms4206
He loves you😊 I hope these words cause you happiness.me and my arroow
@juneowens1913
❤
@DaveDynamo
My cat Arrow passed away this morning, and I am enjoying a quiet cry while listening to this. Thanks for posting.
@jawa4637
Miss you Dad so much sometimes. I wish I had known how special this song would be one day for me. For our time together. Always. What a blessing you were to me. I'm sorry I didn't totally understand it until now. No better father could I have had. ❤
@jeaniebird999
The greatest love song, EVER, between man and his best friend!
@dezertfox3130
🤣 😂😅😂