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)
Moonshine Bandit
Harry Nilsson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Taking from the rich of spirit
Giving to the poor of heart
Guilty of a human weakness
He was known by all
As a moonshine bandit
He was a moonshine bandit
Not just another common criminal
Oh no, he was not like them
They were different men
They would not dare
But he was there to do it for them
He was a moonshine bandit
A moonshine bandit
He took from the rich of spirit
And gave to the poor of heart
Guilty of a human passion
Which tears his heart apart
Ah, she was not like them at all
She would cry each time the night would fall
Oh boy, if she only knew
What I'm going to tell you
She'd never have to suffer from a broken heart
Moonshine bandit
A moonshine bandit
She would pine away each hour
In her fantasy she would be
Set free from her tower
Each night she would wait in vain
For a savior without a name
Then one night it happened
He came to her
He was a moonshine bandit
A moonshine your light on her
Take her away, moonshine bandit
Now two lovers appear every
Year above the milky way
Do you believe in magic?
Can you see it my way?
Two lovers appear every year
Above the milky way
Can you dig it?
Do you believe in magic?
The lyrics to Harry Nilsson's Moonshine Bandit seem to paint a picture of an unlikely hero or anti-hero, referred to as a "moonshine bandit", who takes from those with a "rich spirit", and gives to those with a "poor heart", thus highlighting the difference between the two. It is suggested that he is guilty of a "human weakness" or "human passion", which is not specified in the song, but generally alludes to a flaw or mistake that he has made which causes him regret or pain, and perhaps even isolates him from others.
The lyrics further elaborate on the characters in the song, describing the woman who the moonshine bandit eventually rescues. She is depicted as vulnerable, waiting for a "savior without a name" who will set her free from her "tower". The moonshine bandit, who is different from the others, takes it upon himself to be her "savior", and in doing so, he becomes her lover. The song closes with a dreamlike image of "two lovers" who appear "above the milky way" as a symbol of the couple's love enduring beyond life and across the stars.
Line by Line Meaning
Taking from the rich of spirit
Stealing from those who are emotionally fulfilled or spiritually wealthy
Giving to the poor of heart
Providing for the emotionally deprived or spiritually impoverished
Guilty of a human weakness
Feeling remorseful for a flaw in his character or behavior
He was known by all
His reputation preceded him and everyone in the community was aware of him
As a moonshine bandit
He was recognized as someone who illegally traded in alcohol
He was not like them at all.
He was unique and different from others who had the same occupation
Not just another common criminal
He was distinct from ordinary lawbreakers or delinquents
Oh no, he was not like them
He was markedly dissimilar from other moonshiners
They were different men
He had a separate identity from those he associated with in his illegal trade
They would not dare
Others in his occupation would not take the risks or engage in the behaviors he did
But he was there to do it for them
He was willing to take chances and engage in the risky or criminal behaviors that others were not
A moonshine bandit
An individual who illegally trades in alcohol
He took from the rich of spirit
He stole or took from those who were emotionally fulfilled or content
And gave to the poor of heart
He provided or gave to those who were emotionally deprived or in need
Guilty of a human passion
He experienced deep and intense emotions or desires that are often considered faults or flaws
Which tears his heart apart
His emotions create inner turmoil and cause him great pain
Ah, she was not like them at all
The woman referenced was different from her peers and not typical of her community
She would cry each time the night would fall
The woman was sad or unhappy and would cry frequently
Oh boy, if she only knew
The singer hints at a revelation that the woman would find significant or life-changing
What I'm going to tell you
The artist plans to share important information or a big secret
She'd never have to suffer from a broken heart
If she knew the secret, she would avoid the hurt and pain of heartbreak
She would pine away each hour
The woman would long for something or someone constantly
In her fantasy she would be Set free from her tower
In her dreams or imagination, the woman would escape her trapped or constricted life
Each night she would wait in vain
The woman hoped for something to happen, but it never did
For a savior without a name
The woman hoped for someone to rescue or free her, but she did not know who they were
Then one night it happened
Finally, the woman's dream or wish became a reality
He came to her
A man arrived who could save or free the woman
He was a moonshine bandit
The man who saved the woman was someone who traded in illegally-produced alcohol
A moonshine your light on her
The man brought a light into the woman's life and saved her
Take her away, moonshine bandit
The woman was saved and rescued from her previous life
Now two lovers appear every Year above the milky way
The two people were reunited and live together in the stars
Do you believe in magic?
The artist emphasizes the fantastical and magical nature of the story
Can you see it my way?
The artist is asking the listener to view the story through their perspective
Two lovers appear every year Above the milky way
The two individuals who were reunited live eternally in the stars, representing their great love
Can you dig it?
The singer is asking the listener if they understand and are willing to believe in the magical story
Do you believe in magic?
The artist repeats the question to reinforce the idea of the fantastical nature of the story
Contributed by Sophia O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.