One Is The Loneliest Number

 

On this day 32 years ago Harry Nilsson died from the effects of a heart attack at the age of 53. He was an American singer/songwriter and composer and was extremely well known in the 1970's. I only have one record in my collection but Schmilsson is one of those I get back from time to time. What was special about him was his voice, which spanned several octaves and made so many of his songs unique. 

He also became known as a close friend of John Lennon, who praised him effusively and paved his way into the music business. In addition, his drinking binges with Keith Moon, Ringo Starr, and Alice Cooper are legendary and went down in history as the Lost Weekends.

Good Old Boys

 

On this day 50 years ago Randy Newman released his fourth album Good Old Boys. Newman was born into a family of musicians in 1943 and his three uncles were successful film music composers. After studying music, he composed songs for Gene Pitney and Manfred Mann before releasing albums under his own name in the early 1970's. 

His songs were so good that Harry Nilsson recorded an entire album of his songs. After recording an album with Sail Away, which he orchestrated lavishly with strings, he then concentrated on the basics of songwriting with Good Old Boys. Perfect songs with a superb melodic line and lyrics  that critically examine the different sides of the American dream and in particular turn against the conservative-reactionary inhabitants of the southern states known as ‘rednecks’.

There are probably few artists whose music has been influenced by Hollywood film studios on the one hand and current and past political issues on the other. For me, this album, along with his subsequent album Little Criminals, represents the high point of his career, although he was to be honoured with an Oscar for his film music years later.

Coconut

Like many others in these days California based singer-songwriter Ty Segall used the time of staying at home to finish a project that was running around his brain for a longer time. He covered his favorite cuts from Harry Nilsson's 1971 album Nilsson Schmilsson. And he did a great job playing this songs in his lo-fi, psychedelic influenced style. A true and unexpected gift by an artist that should be featured much earlier at this place. You can get the whole recording as a free download here.

Lost And Found

In 1994 American singer/songwriter Harry Nilsson died on a heart attack at the age of 53. He was known for some chart achievements in the 70's and the collaboration with John Lennon and Ringo Starr. I like some kind of his stuff and featured him at this place. Now and album was released he worked on when he died. Together with his son the producer Mark Hudson released this album. Truthfully not the one you need to have but it shows the artist in a good condition and full of ideas. I took this release for going back to his former output.

Lost Weekend, Rediscovered Music

These days RCA published a box-set with 17 CD's from Harry Nilsson. Nilsson, was famous not only for his music but also for his excesses. Especially in the biography of his friend John Lennon Nilsson left a trail of destruction. As "The Lost Weekend" a total of 18 months-long, launched in 1973 by Nilsson and Lennon and notorious safe-drugs-vandal self-destruct orgy has gone down in pop history, "Harry supplied John always so long with drinks until all was too late, "says John Lennon's life affair May Pang recalled in her memoirs. Nilsson moved excesses probably magically, after all, died in his London flat "Mama" Cass Elliot and later Who drummer Keith Moon, and it surprised few, as Nilsson's overused body twenty years ago also failed the service. Since he was 52 years old.

Nilsson was primarily for hits such as "Everybody's Talkin'" and "Without You" - two famous songs he did not write. What is a sad joke eventually. Because Nilsson is before all things, a brilliant songwriter that never was the proper fame part. The best way to get to Nilsson's music is his 1971 album 'Nilsson Schmilsson' where todays song where published. It's not that baroque pop that he also did (this is more for late night with a glass of scotch to listen to).

Through his worldwide hit 'Without You', there is a sad story because it cost the lives of two musicians. The two composer / lyricist of this song Pete Ham and Tom Evans of BADFINGER had the years of nagging by the royalties of their hit not survive. At a distance of 8 years, the two hanged without ever having seen a penny. 

Sometimes you vanish like you lived: quick and fast. It's a story I read a longer time ago: Marianne Faithfull, who was invited to his funeral on 18 January 1994, said in an interview the following: Harry's coffin lay with the undertaker in a hall  near Los Angeles. On 17 January there were an earthquake around LA, with high damage and many deaths. The house where Harry lay in his coffin, was torn apart and Harry disappeared along with the coffin in a crevice.

Harry Nilsson - Jump into the fire

Harry Nilsson - Without you