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)
The Puppy Song
Harry Nilsson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And a wish's just a dream
You wish to come true, woah-oh
If only I could have a puppy
I'd call myself so very lucky
Just to have some company
To share a cup of tea with me
La, la, la, la, I wouldn't care
Then we'll stay away from crowds
With signs that said "no dogs allowed"
Oh we, I know he'd never bite me
Up, la, la, la, la, la, ooh
We, I know he'd never bite me
Up, la, oh
If only I could have a friend
Who'll stick with me until the ned
And walk along beside the sea
To share a bit of moon with me
I'd take my friend most everywhere
La, la, la, la, I wouldn't care
And we'll stay away from crowds
With signs that said "no friends allowed"
Oh we, we'd be so happy to be
Up, la, la, la, la, la, ooh
We, we'd be so happy to be together
But dreams are nothing more than wishes
And a wish's just a dream you wish to come true
Whoa-whoa-ooh, ah, ah, ah
Dreams are nothing more than wishes (your wish will come true)
And a wish is just a dream (your wish will come true)
You wish to come true (your wish will come true)
(Your wish will come true, your wish will come true)
Woah-woah, ooh (your wish to come true, your wish will come through)
Dreams are nothing more than wishes (your wish will come true)
And a wish is just a dream (your wish will come true)
You wish to come true
(Your wish will come true, woah-woah, ooh)
The Puppy Song by Harry Nilsson is about the power of wishes and dreams. The opening lines state that dreams are nothing more than wishes and that a wish's just a dream that one wishes to come true. The singer longs for the companionship of a puppy, someone to share a cup of tea with and to take everywhere he goes. He believes that his puppy will never bite him and that they will both be happy together.
Later in the song, he wishes for a friend who will stick with him until the end, someone to walk along beside the sea and share a bit of moon with him. He wants to take his friend everywhere he goes and avoid crowds with signs that say "no friends allowed." Throughout the song, the singer longs for someone to share his life with and is hopeful that his wishes will come true.
In summary, The Puppy Song is a simple and optimistic song about the power of dreams and the hope that they can bring. It is a gentle reminder to hold onto our wishes with hope and optimism.
Line by Line Meaning
Dreams are nothing more than wishes
Dreams are aspirations that we have, but only remain fantasies until they become reality.
And a wish's just a dream
Wishes are just dreams until we make them come true with our actions.
You wish to come true, woah-oh
You have the power to make your wishes come true, but it requires effort and action on your part.
If only I could have a puppy
The artist yearns for companionship and unconditional love from a furry canine friend.
I'd call myself so very lucky
Having a puppy would make the artist feel fortunate and grateful for their companionship and affection.
Just to have some company
The singer desires companionship and a sense of belonging from their puppy, which would improve their emotional wellbeing.
To share a cup of tea with me
The singer desires a close bond with their puppy, to the point that they can share mundane activities together like drinking tea.
I'd take my puppy everywhere
The artist wants their puppy to be an inseparable part of their life, accompanying them wherever they go.
La, la, la, la, I wouldn't care
Having their puppy with them would make the artist content and carefree, regardless of the surrounding circumstances.
Then we'll stay away from crowds
The artist wants to protect their puppy from any situations that might be stressful or harmful due to large groups of people being present.
With signs that said 'no dogs allowed'
The singer is aware that there are many places where dogs are not allowed and wants to respect those rules while still spending time with their puppy.
Oh we, I know he'd never bite me
The artist has a deep level of trust in their puppy's affection and loyalty, knowing that their puppy would never harm them.
Up, la, la, la, la, la, ooh
Phrase used as a filler and does not have a specific meaning in this context.
If only I could have a friend
The singer yearns for companionship and a deep connection with a human friend who will always be there for them.
Who'll stick with me until the end
The singer wants a friend who will always have their back, no matter what challenges arise in their lives.
And walk along beside the sea
The artist desires to share simple yet meaningful moments with their friend in nature's beauty, such as walking by the beach.
To share a bit of moon with me
The artist wants to share peaceful moments with their friend at night, under the moon's light.
Oh we, we'd be so happy to be together
The singer is certain that they and their friend would be endlessly happy in each other's company.
Your wish will come true
The singer reaffirms that wishes require effort, but they will eventually be realized if we work hard enough for them.
(Your wish will come true, your wish will come true)
The artist repeats the message from the previous line, emphasizing its importance.
Woah-woah, ooh (your wish to come true, your wish will come through)
Phrase used as a filler and does not have a specific meaning in this context.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: HARRY NILSSON, HARRY EDWARD NILSSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Patrícia Carneiro
Dreams are nothin' more than wishes
And a wish is just a dream you wish to come true
Woo, woo-woo, woo
If only I could have a puppy
I'd call myself so very lucky
Just to have some company
To share a cup of tea with me
I'd take my puppy everywhere
La-la, la-la, I wouldn't care
But we would stay away from crowds
With signs that said "No dogs allowed"
Oh, weee
I know he'd never bite me
Whoa, whoa-whoa, lo-do-do-do, po-doo
Weee
I know he'd never bite me
Whoa, whoa-whoa
If only I could have a friend
Who'd stick with me until the end
And walk along beside the sea
Share a bit of moon with me
I'd take my friend most everywhere
La-la, la-la, I wouldn't care
But we would stay away from crowds
With signs that said "No friends allowed"
Oh, weee
We'd be so happy to be
Whoa-whoa, lo-do-do-do, mo-bwah
Weee
We'd be so happy to be together
But dreams are nothin' more than wishes
And a wish is just a dream you wish to come true
Whoa, whoa, whoa-wha-oo
Whoa, wah, wah, wah-wah-wah
Dreams are nothin' more than wishes (Your wish will come true,
Your wish will come true)
And a wish is just a dream (Your wish will come true,
Your wish will come true)
You wish to come true (Your wish will come true,
Your wish will come true)
Whoa, whoa, woo (Your wish will come true,
Your wish will come true)
Dreams are nothin' more than wishes (Your wish will come true,
Your wish will come true)
And a wish is just a dream (Your wish will come true,
Your wish will come true)
Wish to come true (Your wish will come true)
Whoa, whoa, wha-oo
Wah, wah, wah
Drinkclintons
Everything Harry made was absolute gold.
Logan B
This song always makes me cry because it reminds me of the dogs I’ve had that have passed away. Makes me think of all the good times, and the times I passed up an opportunity to take them for a walk or a car ride. I can hum it all day and be fine but the second it’s on the radio the waterworks start.
Cherish your dogs like they cherish you.
Jeliann Senilla
I have the same connection with the song
April Blossom
You are not alone there x
April Blossom
You are not the only one! x
Kitsuyuutsu R
After hearing this in You’ve Got Mail, I was in love with this song. So when my youngest was born and would cry during bath time as an infant, I would sing this song to him and he’d stop crying. He loved when I sang this. It’s such a cute, light hearted song! And I thank Harry for giving me something that made my son’s bath time bearable for him ❤
Rapture Ready
I'm a dog rescuer, used to play this for all my precious fur babies. Xoxoxox ❤❤❤❤❤ ❤❤❤❤❤ ❤❤❤❤❤ ❤❤❤❤❤
rob ariosto
Harry Nilsson was an inspiration. He was very influential in the development of my music. I am deeply indebted to him. He was gone too soon.
Yvonne
I can’t believe I’ve never heard this song until today! ❤️ Dogs Rule!!
Michael
I feel so ready to fall in love but with whom