For The Love Of Harry

For The Love Of Harry Nilsson

Dedicated To
All Things Nilsson

"Harry" By Eric Idle & Charlie Dore from Nilsson's Flash Harry (1980)

Non-Profit Harry Wear
We thought we'd have some fun. SpreadShirt is a new online company that makes t-shirts on demand. Now you can design something, post it in a free store, charge any amount of mark-up/profit for yourself and, voila, you're in the t-shirt biz. They even handle all the orders and shipping. No inventory, no start-up costs, no work! Is the 21st Century great, or what?

So... we thought we'd whip up a few Harry shirts for everybody. Maybe it will spawn some ideas of your own. If you're the sharing type, maybe you'll pass along some designs to The Harry Store to share with others. The best part? Nobody is making any money here, so you can get Harry Wear at rock bottom prices. The only $$ being made is by SpreadShirt & UPS. For The Love Of Harry does not get one single cent, in any way.

IMPORTANT!
THE Ts ARE TIGHT - SO SIZE UP FOR A NICER FIT. Made by Fruit of the Loom. You can change the color of the shirt - but not the color of the lettering. So keep letter contrast in mind when picking shirt colors. Prices vary, depending on lettering/designs used. Visit The Harry Store and see what you think. Leave some ideas in comments and let us know which ones you liked (or bought). Spread some Harryness around.

Popeye (1980)

NEW! RE-UPPED @ 320!
Robert Altman's filmed musical of Popeye is the weirdest. Tapping Harry to score it with original songs was classic Altman in maverick mode. The results can be considered either mad or inspired. You've got Harry's songs... about Popeye, Robin Williams & Ray Walston out-hamming each other on lead vocals, drunken sea shanty instrumentation and arrangements by Van Dyke Parks. It's not surprising then that the execution turned out a bit ham-fisted. Still, Harry's style is all over this album, even though his vocals are not. Popeye is worth owning if only for the Shelly Duvall vehicle, "He Needs Me." It's Harry at his most simplistic and endearing, aided by Duvall's off-key charm and Parks' dockside atmospherics. Composer Jon Brion knew the song's appeal when he used it for the 2002 film Punch Drunk Love. Overall though, Popeye is a dense listen. But, as one of Harry's last finished projects (and collaborations with Parks), it can always stand another review. This is a decent vinyl rip as it's never been officially released on CD. Thanks to JF for alerting us that the desirable Popeye CDs showing up on Ebay are not legit.

I Yam What I Yam
He Needs Me
Swee' Pea's Lullaby
Din' We
Sweethaven
Blow Me Down
Sailin'
It's Not Easy Bein' Me
He's Large
I'm Mean
Kids
I'm Popeye The Sailor Man

DVD OUTTAKES: Here are a couple of Popeye extras. "Everything is Food" was ripped from the movie soundtrack since the song never made it to the official album. "Popeye (End Credits)," donated by a Friend of Harry (whose name I misplaced, please write), comes from the DVD and features an orchestrated "overture" of Harry's compositions, probably better suited at the start of the LP than the end of the film. Click the links to grab.

The Point! LP Booklet Insert (1971)

Loopyjoe was kind enough to donate these stunning scans of the original booklet from the LP, The Point!. Click on each page for huge, gorgeous reproductions that will bring back all sorts of memories (find The Point!'s music here). FYI: Except for the catalog number, page 8 is virtually blank, but has been thoughtfully included so you don't have to ask about it. Download here. They're absolutely beautiful. Many thanks loopyjoe.

Goodbye - Gordon Jenkins Biography (2005)

Arranger Gordon Jenkins' history extends long before Nilsson, but author & son Bruce Jenkins remembers the 1973 recording of Harry & Gordon's A Little Touch of Schmilsson In The Night, in this excerpt from Goodbye - In Search of Gordon Jenkins. The chapter is menacingly entitled "All Manner of Debauchery," but only contains a touch of madness. The pic is Harry, Derek Taylor & Gordon. Click pages for enlargements.

Zapata Demos (1979)

Zapata, a stage musical written by Harry and long time arranger, composer & friend Perry Botkin, Jr., opened and closed in 16 weeks. The music has never been released, though some demos do exist. About a dozen tunes were written by Nilsson & Botkin for Zapata - and there were others purported to be a part of the ill-documented project. Here are four of those demos. "Mi Amigo" is a piano vamp featuring a comedic exchange between Zapata (voiced by Harry) and Poncho Villa. "Mexico City" (a.k.a. "What Are We Fighting For?") features a re-written sliver of Harry's Point!-era "Down To The Valley" mixed into the bridge. "The Wedding Song" was actually a European hit in 1980 when it was recorded by Demis Roussos, of Aphrodite's Child fame. Roussos also recorded a version of Zapata's "Love Is The Answer" at the same time (we'd like to include that here but can't find an mp3... help). We're not sure about the origins of Demis' close relationship to the music of Zapata (or Harry), but Demis did briefly appear, as did Harry, 10 years later on Paris. Nilsson re-wrote "Love Is The Answer" a few years after this, calling it "Give, Love, Joy," for the Nilsson/Botkin TV collaboration, Ziggy's Gift. Thanks to a Friend of Harry for the beautiful scans of the rare Zapata handbill. It's in the download and you can click any of the images to view.

Mi Amigo (Demo)
Love Is The Answer (Demo)
Mexico City (a.k.a. What Are We Fighting For?) (Demo)
The Wedding Song (Demo)
The Wedding Song - Demis Roussos (Man of the World, 1980)

WANTED:
Demi Roussos' "Love Is The Answer" (bonus track/Man of the World reissue)

"Give, Love, Joy" from Ziggy's Gift (1982)

While longtime friend and arranger Perry Botkin, Jr. was hired to score the 1982 television cartoon, Ziggy's Gift, Nilsson contributed Ziggy's childlike opening tune, "Give, Love, Joy." While the song was actually a re-write of Harry & Perry's "Love Is The Answer," from their 1980 stage play Zapata, it's easy to hear the similarities to Harry's simple Point! blueprint - especially when the vamping piano settles in behind the show's dialog. Maybe someone can offer a high quality, digital take from the DVD.

SEAN NELSON Nelson Sings Nilsson

Over the last few years, Sean Nelson (of the band Harvey Danger) has become one of the world's more well-known Nilsson interpreters. Oddly, Sean's fame is more for his attempts to get his tribute album, Nelson Sings Nilsson, onto store shelves than for the music itself, which officially remains unreleased - save for a few tracks (and some stripped demos) that have leaked over the years. The completed recording reportedly contains 14 tracks, including an 8 minute medley inspired by Nilsson's Beatles' medley, "You Can't Do That." Sean hasn't given up on the project's success and has periodically mounted live, orchestrated performances and intimate club shows in and around Seattle, Washington. And the music? Here's what we've managed to get. Three demo performances from 2004 and three full band arrangements from 2006 - presumably from the finished Nelson Sings Nilsson. Nelson has other projects as well - Society of the Golden West and Mortal Enemies. Read more about Sean Nelson here. Get all 6 tracks zipped here.

Gotta Get Up (2:25)
Daddy's Song (3:24)
Turn On Your Radio (3:44)
Miss Butter's Lament (2:18) (piano demo)
Gotta Get Up (2:17) (piano demo)
Daddy's Song (3:03) (piano demo)

ORIGINAL CAST Paris (1990/2003)

One of Harry's last released projects was also one of his most curious; singing the role of Ulysses in the Jon English/David MacKay musical based on the Trojan War, Paris (or Paris: A Story of Love). It was originally released in 1990 but was quickly deleted when the staged play failed to ignite. But English, a down under singing star since the early 70s, was tenacious and eventually got the show staged, and the 2CD set re-released, in 2003 - this time with additional material. Harry's role is minimal, but not unsubstantial. He participates on 8 studio recordings (**), sometimes singing only a few lines, or - as in the case of "Ulysses' Prayer" - nearly the entire song. But musically, this is not what you'd expect from Nilsson. This is a modern updating of the classic Greek soap opera, more akin to Jesus Christ Superstar than "Jesus Christ You're Tall." Others involved in the largely Australian project include John Parr, Joe Fagin, Doc Neeson and the London Symphony Orchestra. It's not for all tastes, but not without quality for those who find joy in the Andrew Lloyd Webber school of musical bombast. Grab Adobe Reader (free) and you can download the 71 page libretto. This is an out of print rarity that typically sells for three figures on Ebay. Many thanks to Paul McClelland for the 1990 version and an unnamed Friend of Harry for the complete, 2003 version (@320) you can download below. We all thank you.

ACT I (Disc One)
Overture (The London Symphony Orchestra)
Chorale (London Philharmonia Choir/The London Symphony Orchestra)
A Head Without a Heart (Gareth Mortimer/Sheryl Parker)
Straight Ahead (John Parr)
What Could Go Wrong (John Parr/Trevor White)
Perfect Stranger (John Parr/Sheila Parker)
A Long Time Coming (Sheila Parker)
**Business (Harry Nilsson/Joe Fagin/John Parr/John Waters/Doc Neeson)
The Leader (Doc Neeson)
**Paris in Court (Harry Nilsson/Joe Fagin/John Parr/John Waters/Doc Neeson)
**Any Fool Could See (Harry Nilsson/Joe Fagin/John Parr/John Waters/Sheila Parker)
Thief in the Night (Joe Fagin)
Thoughts of Love (John Parr)
Trust in Your Heart (John Parr)
Welcome Home (Jon English)
Hell or High Water (John Parr/Sheila Parker)

ACT II (Disc Two)
No Turning Back (Jon English)
For Better or Worse (John Parr/Sheila Parker)
Ten Years On (The London Symphony Orchestra/Tim Renwick)
**The Greek Camp (Harry Nilsson/Joe Fagin/John Waters/Doc Neeson)
What Price a Friend (Philip Quast)
Love Has Power (Jon English)
Two Titans (John Parr/Bernard Doc Neeson)
**The Beggar (Harry Nilsson/Sheila Parker)
**Ulysses' Prayer (Harry Nilsson/Joe Fagin)
**A Horse With No Rider (Harry Nilsson/John Waters)
Inside Outside (Barry Humphries/Demis Roussos/Francis Rossi)
The Balance Shifts (Jon English)
**Oh Paris (Harry Nilsson/Sheryl Parker)
Finale (Jon English)
Click here if you want JUST the 8 songs featuring Harry.

THE SUNDAY FUNNIES Headlines (1966)

The Sunday Funnies
"Headlines" (2:00)
Written By Nilsson/Garfield/Botkin, Jr./Cole
Capitol Records - Released March 14, 1966

Here's an obscure composition from Harry's pre-RCA years, released in 1966 by a one-off mystery group, The Sunday Funnies. Fans of Harry's early attempts to write sellable songs will surely appreciate the Sonny Bono vibe of "Headlines" (note also the "Peter, Paul & Harry" reference). The flip side is a Perry Botkin, Jr./Johnny Cole tune entitled "Another TIme, Another Place." Cole was (like Harry) a songwriting member of Botkin & Gil Garfield's Rock Music Company, a small music publishing concern that gave Harry his first paid songwriting job. Cole wrote "The Path That Leads To Trouble" and "I'm Gonna Lose My Mind" for 1966's Spotlight On Nilsson, Harry's first "album" for Tower Records. Because Botkin & Garfield are also credited with production here - and this Sunday Funnies never made another record (they're not to be confused with the 70s band on Rare Earth Records) - it's been speculated that The Sunday Funnies may be made up of Rock Music company employees, possibly including Harry - though, there's little detail about who is actually in the "group," if one actually existed. A Harry curio. Get both sides here, courtesy of The Geoffrey Greene Collection.

For The Love Of Harry