TMS Retro: What Is It About Harry Nilsson?

(Michael Ochs Archives)

One of my favorite movies to come out recently is Joachim Trier’s The Worst Person in the World. Featured on its exceptional soundtrack are two songs by pop-rock artist Harry Nilsson [‘I Said Goodbye to Me’ and ‘I Will Take You There’]. I always enjoy hearing Nilsson’s music on soundtracks. His songwriting and recordings can feel appropriately cinematic, so it’s not a surprise many scenes often make use his songs. The most famous instance to combine Nilsson and film is probably ‘Jump Into the Fire’ prominently and memorably featured during the ‘Last Day as a Wiseguy’ sequence in Martin Scorsese’s GoodFellas (1990). An epic and powerful track with bass and drums that assists the viewer in feeling Henry Hill’s adrenaline rush throughout the day. Before GoodFellas, most possibly associated the name Nilsson with his cover of Fred Neil’s ‘Everybody’s Talkin’,’ which quickly became the theme to John Schlesinger’s drama Midnight Cowboy (1969); or the opening credits song, ‘Best Friend,’ for ABC’s sitcom “The Courtship of Eddie’s Father” (1969-72) composed by Nilsson. Many of his songs are a part of Nora Ephron’s millennial staple You’ve Got Mail (1998); ‘Gotta Get Up’ is heavily used in Netflix’s new hit series “Russian Doll” (2019- ); Nilsson composed the entire soundtrack of Robert Altman’s ill-fated Popeye (1980) and previously wrote his own animated musical with Fred Wolf’s The Point! (1971); ‘One’ and ‘Coconut’ are in countless movies and TV episodes, including Quentin Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs (1992), Griffin Dunne’s Practical Magic (1998), P.T. Anderson’s Magnolia (1999), and so on.

I think the appeal of Nilsson in Hollywood productions is the song & dance quality to his melodies and productions. Beginning his career a part of an era where his musician peers were either rock & rollers or folkies, Nilsson was channeling a Vaudeville-esque sound and atmosphere that made his tunes twice as catchy and unique. Ironic for someone who was hellbent on never performing live or touring. Listening to the blonde singer-songwriter puts a smile on my face and makes me want to go back to my musical theatre days. I can’t say I feel like that with most music artists associated with classic rock. Of course, soundtracks aren’t the only reason we remember Harry Nilsson. Before his solo efforts broke through, he was a steady studio songwriter penning material for the likes of the Monkees, the Turtles, Modern Folk Quartet, the Shangri-las, the 5th Dimension, Glen Campbell and Fred Astaire. His ‘Cuddly Toy’ and ‘Daddy’s Song’ for the Monkees both fit that showtune-y vibe perfectly for Davy Jones and Micky Dolenz, and foreshadowed ‘Best Friend.’

 When John Lennon was asked in 1968 who his favorite new band was, he said simply “Nilsson.” Within very little time, Nilsson, Lennon and Ringo Starr became close buds and three of the infamous Hollywood Vampires clique in the early 1970s. Despite his acclaim as a songwriter, Nilsson had no issue with covering other people’s material either. Most noted with his two biggest hits and his only Grammys being for ‘Everybody’s Talkin’’ and his cover of Badfinger’s ‘Without You’ off his classic 1971 LP ‘Nilsson Schmilsson.’ His generous friendships extended to releasing a whole album covering good friend Randy Newman with ‘Nilsson Sings Newman’ in 1970.

There is a bit of an enigma quality to Nilsson’s legacy too. He started with a party animal rep and ended a family man with his third wife and their six kids. So many records and friends to keep his memory alive since his fatal heart attack in 1994, yet it still feels like we know the art more than the person. And it’s not a bad thing in Harry’s case, I think. The fact that we only have audio recordings and no concert performances shows he wanted some mystique. Even with the upbeat, cheery tone of his songs, the words to them could range from serious topics like divorce, childhood abandonment, promiscuity, loneliness and substance abuse; to fun novelty ditties like ‘Kojak Columbo.’ The same man who wrote ‘The Puppy Song’ for Mary Hopkin also wrote the greatest break-up song of all time [i.e. ‘You’re Breaking My Heart,’ or as some call it, ‘The F*ck You Song’].

It’s now 2022, and I hope there’s never a time where we don’t hear Nilsson’s music.