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)
Rainmaker
Harry Nilsson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Last rain was in May
When the rainmaker came to Kansas
In the middle of a dusty day
Said the rainmaker said to the people
"Tell me what you are prepared to pay"
Said the rainmaker said to the people
"Now, I'm a-conjure up a rain today"
Hundred-and-ten in the hot sun
Heat from the street burned the feet of the ladies
See how they run
Called down the lightnin'
By a mystical name
And the rainmaker called on the thunder
And suddenly it began to rain
And the rainmaker passed his hat to the people
But the people all turned away
And the rainmaker's eyes and the Kansas skies
Well, they both became a darker gray
First day of August
The last rain was in May
When the rainmaker came to Kansas
In the middle of a dusty day
The rainmaker smiled as he hitched up his wagon
And without a word he rode way
Then the people of the town heard the sound of his laughter
And they knew the rain had come to stay
Rain, rain, go away
Come again another day
Rain, rain, go away
Come again another day
Rain, rain, go away
The song "Rainmaker" by Harry Nilsson tells the story of a rainmaker who comes to Kansas in the middle of a dusty summer to help end the drought that has lasted since May. The opening lines set the scene of the drought, with the first day of August being the last hope for rain. The rainmaker offers his services to the people of the town, asking what they are prepared to pay for his skills. He promises to "conjure up a rain today" and starts his rituals to call down the rain.
The lyrics describe the intense heat of the day, with temperatures up to 110 degrees in the hot sun that burned the feet of the ladies. The rainmaker calls down the lightning and thunder with mystical names, and suddenly it starts to rain. However, when the rainmaker passes his hat to collect his payment, the people all turn away, leaving him empty-handed. The final verse sees the rainmaker leaving the town, his laughter signaling the arrival of the rain.
The lyrics to "Rainmaker" can be interpreted in many ways, but the most common is that it's a commentary on human nature and greed. The people are willing to pay for rain, but when it comes, they refuse to pay for what they got. The rainmaker represented a metaphorical solution to the drought, but the people missed out on the opportunity to make a positive change.
Line by Line Meaning
First day in August
The beginning of a new month.
Last rain was in May
No rain has fallen since May.
When the rainmaker came to Kansas
A person who claims to have the power to make it rain arrived in Kansas.
In the middle of a dusty day
It was very dusty outside.
Said the rainmaker said to the people
The rainmaker addressed the people.
"Tell me what you are prepared to pay"
The rainmaker asked the people what they were willing to offer in exchange for rain.
Said the rainmaker said to the people
The rainmaker spoke to the people again.
"Now, I'm a-conjure up a rain today"
The rainmaker claimed he could make it rain that day.
Ninety degrees 'neath the trees where it's shady
Even in the shade, it was still very hot.
Hundred-and-ten in the hot sun
The temperature was 110 degrees in the sun.
Heat from the street burned the feet of the ladies
The pavement was so hot that it burned women's feet.
See how they run
The women were attempting to find shade or cooler areas.
Called down the lightnin'
The rainmaker used mystical abilities to call forth lightning.
By a mystical name
The name used to summon lightning was not given and was likely not known by anyone but the rainmaker.
And the rainmaker called on the thunder
The rainmaker also called forth thunder.
And suddenly it began to rain
The rainmaker's abilities seemed to have worked, and it began to rain.
And the rainmaker passed his hat to the people
The rainmaker asked for payment for his services.
But the people all turned away
No one was willing to pay the rainmaker.
And the rainmaker's eyes and the Kansas skies
The sky became darker, and the rainmaker appeared to be unhappy.
Well, they both became a darker gray
The sky and the rainmaker's eyes became darker.
The rainmaker smiled as he hitched up his wagon
The rainmaker seemed to be satisfied with the rain and was preparing to leave.
And without a word he rode way
The rainmaker left without speaking to anyone.
Then the people of the town heard the sound of his laughter
The people heard the rainmaker laughing as he left.
And they knew the rain had come to stay
The rain was likely going to last for a while.
Rain, rain, go away
The singer is asking the rain to stop.
Come again another day
The singer wants the rain to return in the future.
Rain, rain, go away
The singer is asking the rain to stop again.
Come again another day
The artist wants the rain to return in the future again.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: HARRY NILSSON, BILL MARTIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Anthony Lennen
This is one of my favorite songs of all time. Awesome lyrics.
Squirrel Butler
The links in the world of music are fascinating. Jim Gordon, who's drumming on this one, also was the drummer on Valdy's cover of this a couple of years later. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VTgnfjUcVA)
It's interesting to hear how Gordon varied his drumming for the Valdy version.
I'm equally a fan of this original and the cover by Valdy.
Melissa Gridley
I've loved this song since I found it on the B side of one of my mom's 45s in 1984. Wore that sucker out!
Robert Gosselin
The drummer on this song is Jim Gordon who, passed away on March 13, 2023. Gordon, one of the best session drummers during the 60s & 70s had a tragic life.
Derrick Frieson
excellent song, great lyrics God Bless you Harry Nilsson!
hotrodgs
I can remember this song from High School ..It was on the jukebox at the local teen hangout This was always one of my favorite songs and I could understand why Harry never got the recognition he deserved.
RIP .
Xavier Joshua Tadeo
Fantastic remaster!
bonelish
Thank you for this. Like it much better than the official release.
Rob Geddis
Remaster is excellent!
Ramon Sobreira
Great tune! Heard for the 1st time in 1974 on an AM Radio Station in Rio de Janeiro, when I was 12...