For The Love Of Harry

Dedicated To The Life And Work Of Harry Nilsson!

2013-12-31T00:00:00.001-05:00

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

Celebrating 50 Years Of Harry Nilsson 1962-2012

2012-01-31T16:22:00.002-05:00

Round Two... Seems we're under construction, again. As a result of the file sharing chaos of the last few weeks, most of our links are dead, but we're beginning to re-up them now. It will take a while, so be patient. Until everything is running smoothly, we'll be rotating posts up top and mixing them with unpublished finds. Please feel free to share your own Harry stories and rarities. Thanks for stopping by.

VIDEO: "Don't Leave Me" (Lipsync/French TV) (1968)

2012-01-21T15:44:00.009-05:00

Our pals over at Bedazzled TV have just posted this rare clip of Harry lipsyncing "Don't Leave Me" (before an arty backdrop and a blond model type) for French TV, surely in 1968. Wonderful stuff. We'll see if we can find out some more info. Many thanks to Spike Priggen for this cool share.

"Gotta Get Up" Unreleased Master Tape (1968)

2012-01-21T10:28:00.021-05:00

"Gotta Get Up" (2:33)
(1968 Aerial Ballet-Full Version)
Unreleased Master Tape/Correct Speed
Written & Performed By Harry Nilsson

Another speed variation, this time from a rare unreleased master tape of the original 1968 sessions for "Gotta Get Up." You've likely heard the bonus track version, recorded for Aerial Ballet years before it would officially debut on Nilsson Schmilsson. It's an upbeat, horn-enhanced pop romp that sounds like Harry was writing for Davy Jones again (Davy would even cover the tune in 1977). For whatever reason, the 1968 version never made it to Aerial Ballet, sitting in the can until being resurrected decades later as a bonus track. A few years ago, however, this unheard master tape surfaced... at the correct speed and running until the very end of the take, when the band breaks down, a subtle little highlight. Like our earlier, speed-corrected fan curio of "Daddy's Song," Harry sounds more natural on this original Master Tape version (from Remasters Workshop's Secret Tracks bootleg, 2009). We've been meaning to spotlight it since it came out (but needed a cheap Monkees parody cover first). Hear both versions below. Get them HERE.

"Gotta Get Up" (1968 Aerial Ballet - Full Version) (2:33) - Unreleased Master Tape
"Gotta Get Up" (Previously Unreleased Version) (2:15) - Bonus Track Version

RELATED POSTS: (Click For Pop-Up Windows)
Daddy's Song (Speed Corrected 1968)
Mermaid Theater Production Of Harry Nilsson's The Point!
(Davy Sing's "Gotta Get Up" 1977)
Secret Tracks (Bootleg 2009)
Bonus Tracks: Gotta Get Up (Previously Unreleased 1968 Version)

HARRY NILSSON "Let Me Go" (Unreleased Demo 1965) PAT AND ANDRE "Let Me Go" (1966)

2012-01-11T21:47:00.017-05:00

HARRY NILSSON "Let Me Go" (2:59) Unreleased Demo, 1965
PAT AND ANDRÉ "Let Me Go" (2:45) 45 Warner Bros-5824, 1966
Written By Johnny Cole & Harry Nilsson

NEW! More pre-fame songwriting from Harry Nilsson. We have to assume a direct Phil Spector connection to this echoey demo of "Let Me Go," an early Nilsson co-write with Johnny Cole. Harry sings lead, but Spector's influence slash involvement slash production seems a given - even though the state of this in-house demo, which uses mostly piano and lead bass, appears far from release ready. The eventual 45 by boy/girl duo Pat and André, as well as this demo - Harry's 'first take' of the tune - both boast openings similar to the Nilsson/Spector collaboration, "This Could Be The Night" (also recorded around this time), and both have that patented Gold Star demo sound. Adding further weight to the likelihood of Spector's over-lording is the fact that Gene Page, Pat and André's arranger on this Dick Glasser-produced 45, is one of Phil's go-to guys. And, he clearly used Nilsson's demo as his blueprint. Harry, for his part, is really giving the tune his operatic best. You can almost sense the Righteous Brothers grooming on Spector's radar, as Harry delivers on those soaring melodies. Coincidentally, Pat and André's flip side was called "You're Breaking My Heart" (no... not that one). Thanks to David A. Young for pulling these files out of his vast Spector collection to share with us (and for doing all the dirty work/research). Listen to both versions below. Get them HERE.

RELATED POSTS: (Click For Pop-Up Windows)
This Could Be The Night (Harry's Demo, Produced By Phil Spector 1965)
The Peculiarly Incestuous 30-Year Journey Of Harry Nilsson's This Could Be The Night (Multiple Versions 1965-1995)
NILSSON/CHER A Love Like Yours (Produced By Phil Spector 1975)

"Daddy's Song" (Speed Corrected 1968)

2012-01-10T19:32:00.015-05:00

"Daddy's Song"
(Speed Corrected) (2:53)
Original Version On Aerial Ballet (1968)
Written & Performed By Harry Nilsson

A fan-made curio. Since Aerial Ballet is brimming with upbeat pop, it's easy to forget that "Daddy's Song," the LP's original opening track, was sped up a couple of keys - losing 13 seconds in the process. Funny, since the entire song got bumped from subsequent vinyl pressings of Aerial Ballet. Reasoning? To avoid competing with The Monkees' freshly minted version from Head. Frank Zappa's response to The Monkees' elaborate "video" dance treatment ("the song was pretty white") is one of the film's highlights. Harry's "Daddy's Song" eventually got reinstated up front for the CD age Aerial Ballets. This (Speed Corrected) file, however, is just an excuse to hear it again and display another Monkees parody cover. Truth be told, we actually prefer this real-time, more natural sounding version of "Daddy's Song." HERE.

RELATED POSTS: (Click For Pop-Up Windows)
Aerial Ballet (The Album 1968)
"Daddy's Song" vs. "Best Friend" (1969)
Aerial Pandemonium Ballet (Remixes 1971)

THE YARDBIRDS "Ten Little Indians" Sessions (1967)

2012-01-10T00:01:00.005-05:00

THE YARDBIRDS
"Ten Little Indians"
Master Session Reels Takes 1-14 (1967)
Written By Harry Nilsson

From the Jimmy Page/Mickie Most version of the Yardbirds, circa 1967. These are unofficial recordings, capturing the band working on Nilsson's "Ten Little Indians," intended for the Little Games album. It was just the beginning of Nilsson's career, but the Yardbirds were starting to wind down around this time - a long way from the Clapton era, beyond the Beck years and now slowing starting to morph into Led Zeppelin. Why were the Yardbirds even doing pop stuff like Nilsson's in the first place? Credit/blame producer Mickie Most, who was steering the band towards a more commercial pop sound. Page would eventually come up with a better idea. Hear Take 9 below. HERE.

Ten Little Indians (Mixing Session) (2:22)
Ten Little Indians (Backing Track) (2:59)
Ten Little Indians (Take 4) (2:41)
Ten Little Indians (False Start) (1:57)
Ten Little Indians (Take 7) (2:28)
Ten Little Indians (Take 9) (2:48)
Ten Little Indians (Take 10) (2:37)
Ten Little Indians (Take 11) (2:46)
Ten Little Indians (False Start) (1:14)
Ten Little Indians (False Start) (0:24)
Ten Little Indians (Take 13) (2:26)
Ten Little Indians (Take 14) (2:19)
Ten Little Indians (Master) (2:27)

Live On The BBC: A Little Touch Of Schmilsson In The Nigh (1973)

2012-01-09T09:15:00.007-05:00

2012 Edition. Harry Nilsson's only full-length live performance. It might be hard to justify calling a sit down evening of easy listening music "daring." But, that's exactly what this 1973 live BBC performance of A Little Touch Of Schmilsson In The Night was... a daring move for an artist already accustomed to following his own whims. Nilsson decided that for his very first, full-length live concert, he would do it with a world renown arranger, an orchestra and... why not, in front of the BBC's running cameras. If Harry Nilsson suffered from stage fright, as so many around him have said, then he picked a hell of a way to combat the issue. Consider also that no modern rocker had ever had tackled the standards before. Ringo warbled the oldies for his debut solo album, Sentimental Journey, but it was nothing like this. Gordon Jenkins was the famed arranger for Sinatra and Nat Cole, who created a simply gorgeous, intermingling song cycle for A Little Touch Of Schmilsson In The Night, boasting the best of what 20th Century song craft had to offer. For his part, Harry had no intention of hiding behind a 16-track machine and a mountain of harmonies, performing every take live in front of the orchestra. So, after a week in the studio with Jenkins, Harry walked fearlessly front & center for his first, full-length live performance.

The music you already know, but there are two moments here that are worth your attention (cue the streaming player). Nearing the end of the show, arranger Jenkins warns the orchestra to pay attention on the next piece... then lobs a friendly dig in Harry's direction. As you might imagine, the idea of an arranger dissing his singer during a show seems to take Harry off guard, and he can only sheepishly respond, "whatchu mean?" "You know what I mean, Jack!," Jenkins retorts, putting Harry in his place with an air of authority you'd expect from someone used to dealing with Sinatra's shit. If you listen closely, you can hear Harry mutter "okaaay" under his breath, as if to say... 'ok, if that's the way you want to play it.' What happens next is a hysterical outrage (at least, for an orchestral evening), as Harry refuses to take the perceived slight sitting down. Beaten badly at his own game, Jenkins still gets in the last word, but only because he cued the orchestra immediately after asking, "Is there a baritone in the house?" As much fun as this warm, possibly very honest exchange is, it's surpassed by the performance of "This Is All I Ask." Harry's interpretation of Jenkins' own original composition (about "approaching the prime of his life") is one of this live set's warmest performances, as two generational greats find common ground on a tune that's not as weathered as some of the other chestnuts covered here. The recording of the album and the live concert, took place over the course of only about 10 days in March, 1973. A Note About Sound: I never fully embraced this live set because of the sound, which is sourced from video. But our new 2012 Edition has been de-hissed and is warmer and more expressive as a result. It's not studio perfect, but it's a version that's a joy to pull out to listen to, instead of just collect. Get it HERE.

Tuning (1:10)
Intro/As TIme Goes By (0:54)
Lazy Moon (2:32)
For Me And My Gal (2:47)
It Had To Be You (2:25)
Always (2:02)
Makin' Whoopee (4:41)
I'm Always Chasing Rainbows (3:20)
I Wonder Who's Kissing Her Now (2:36)
What'll I Do (2:33)
Nevertheless (I'm In Love With You) (3:12)
This Is All I Ask (3:33)
Over The Rainbow (3:52)
As Time Goes By (3:10)
Outro (1:27)

Watch the entire performance below. A special thanks to our friend, Patrick from Germany, for offering this rare, 40 minute live performance for everyone to enjoy. Get the .avi file HERE.

RELATED POSTS: (Click For Pop-Up Windows)
A Little Touch Of Schmilsson In The Night (The Album 1973)
includes A Touch More Schmilsson In The Night (1988) and
As Time Goes By... The Complete Schmilsson In The Night Sessions (1996)

JON BRION "Overture," "He Needs Me," "He Really Needs Me" + Sheet Music (1980) + Punch-Drunk Nilsson (2011)

2012-01-06T10:08:00.004-05:00

JON BRION
"Overture" (2:10)
"He Needs Me" (3:31)
"He Really Needs Me" (3:09)
From the soundtrack, Punch-Drunk Love (2002)

One of Harry's most underrated tunes comes from his 1980 soundtrack score for Popeye. Like a lot of Harry's best work, the charm of "He Needs Me" is in its simplicity, which was ably enhanced by actress Shelley Duvall's fragile, off-key vocal allure. Outstanding pop composer Jon Brion (The Grays), understood the song's appeal when he used it as the centerpiece for director Paul Thomas Anderson's, Punch-Drunk Love. We've got three Harry "covers" from the soundtrack; "Overture" (featuring orchestrated elements of the composition), "He Needs Me" (the soundtrack's sonically refurbished and enhanced version of Shelly Duvall's 1980 original) and "He Really Needs Me" (a gorgeous orchestrated rendition by Brion). The video above will give you a taste of the imagery & orchestration that appears in the film (the Popeye film version is at the bottom of the post). Hear all three tunes below, get 'em all HERE.

Thanks to our pals at Not Very Pretty Music for donating the sheet music for "He Needs Me," which you can view by clicking each page.

Bonus:
PUNCH-DRUNK NILSSON (2011) Kristian Goddard put together this clever mix of Jon Brion's Punch-Drunk Love orchestrations with a number of Harry's own more somber numbers - found here in quieter, intimate demos (instead of well-worn album versions). It's a great listen that is just as much about pop great Jon Brion as it is Nilsson, while easily jig-sawing together like it was all pre-designed. Punch-Drunk Nilsson offers both the structural blueprint of The Point! and the themed-melancholy of music like Sinatra's Only The Lonely over 22 tracks - though Goddard credits The Beatles' Love with this collection's inspiration. Get the entire set (mixed in mono, now @192) HERE.

Punchy Tack Piano (1:05)
Miss Butter's Lament (2:17)
Barry States His Case (1:39)
Little Cowboy (0:45)
Punch-Drunk (0:55)
He Needs Me (3:30)
One (3:04)
Overture (1:34)
He Really Needs Me (2:12)
Petit Chateau (1:36)
The Moonbeam Song (1:38)
Blossoms & Blood (1:24)
I'll Never Leave You (4:23)
Punchy Tack Piano (Reprise) (1:10)
Life Line (2:30)
Barry's Harmonium (0:17)
Somewhere (1:48)
One Is The Loneliest Number (2:27)
Punch-Drunk Melody (1:42)
Think About Your Troubles (2:41)
Petit Point (1:31)
Remember (3:44)

Bonus Tracks, Volumes 1-3 (2012)

2011-12-31T20:30:00.000-05:00

2012 Edition! An alternate Nilsson universe. 67 glorious outtakes, demos and hidden rarities... all the bonus tracks from Nilsson's officially released CDs. We've finally reorganized these collections to include material issued in the last few years on Japanese imports - some from upgraded 2007 sources - along with a couple of odds and ends that shouldn't be left out. The three sets boast some stunning, previously unreleased tunes ("Wasting My Time"), nifty alternate versions ("Gotta Get Up," three years before Nilsson Schmilsson), foreign versions of "Without You" and obscure non-LP covers, like John Lennon's "Isolation." A Little Touch Of Schmilsson In The Night's outtakes come from the 1973 LP's little known follow-up, 1988's A Touch More Schmilsson In The Night (which is now incorporated into reissues of ALTOSITN). Harry also soundtracked a Gene Wilder composition - "Ain't It Kind Of Wonderful" (from the brilliant World's Greatest Lover) in the same 'standards' vein. There are also intimate Nilsson Sings Newman outtakes, piano demos for much of Nilsson Schmilsson and two tracks thought to be slated for Nilsson's last, unreleased album. The overall quality is much improved and the collection seems complete (if not, let us know). So, if you got these 3 years ago, you're advised to get 'em again. A number of folks have contributed to this collection over the years, including Paul Rosen, John Krane and Gale From France. Many thanks. Since we've upgraded and combined these posts, we've lost our old comments, sorry. Get 1-3 HERE.

VOLUME 1
As I Wander Lonely (2:02)*
She Sang Hymns Out Of Tune (Mono Single Version) (2:21)*
Sister Marie (B-Side To "One") (3:03)**
Miss Butter's Lament (2:22)**
Girlfriend (1:50)**
I Will Take You There (Alternate Mix) (2:45)***
I Will Take You There (Single Mix) (2:43)****
Best Friend (0:58)****
Waiting (Non-LP Single Version) (2:23)*****
Rainmaker (Mono Single Version) (2:27)*****
Wasting My Time (3:34)*****
Snow (2:30)#
Love Story (Demo) (3:24)#
Cowboy (Demo) (2:22)#
I'll Be Home (Demo) (2:42)#
Living Without You (Demo) (2:41)#
Down To The Valley (2:12)##
Buy My Album (Non-LP Single) (1:32)##
Think About Your Troubles (Take 4) (2:36)##
Life Line (Take 4) (2:32)##
Down To The Valley (Alternate Version) w/hidden I'll Never Leave You (Demo) (4:55)##
From:
*Pandemonium Shadow Show 2002
**Aerial Ballet 2002
***Skidoo/The Point! 2000
****Life Lines The Songs Of Nilsson (Promo) 1998
*****Harry 2007
#Nilsson Sings Newman 2000
##The Point! 2007

VOLUME 2 (Schmilsson & Sons)
Without You (Demo) (3:55)*
Driving Along (Demo) (0:56)*
Gotta Get Up (Demo) (1:53)*
Coconut (Demo) (4:03)*
Down (Demo) (4:01)*
The Moonbeam Song (Demo) (1:50)*
Jump Into The Fire (Single Edit) (3:34)*
How Can I Be Sure Of You (Previously Unreleased) (3:06)*
The Moonbeam Song (Previously Unreleased Version) (3:32)*
Lamaze (Previously Unreleased) (1:44)*
Gotta Get Up (Previously Unreleased 1968 Version) w/hidden Radio Spots (5:07)*
Si No Estas Tu ("Without You" Spanish Version) (3:20)*
Per Chi ("Without You" Italian Version) (3:17)*
What's Your Sign? (Previously Unreleased) (3:05)**
Take 54 (Alternative Take) (3:39)**
Campo de Encino (Previously Unreleased) (4:55)**
Daybreak (Single Version) w/hidden It Had To Be Dead (Jam) (5:51)**
Joy (Demo Version Guitar) (1:56)**
Joy (Demo Version Piano) (0:57)**
Joy (Alternate Mix) a.k.a. Grunt Version (3:47)***
From:
*Nilsson Schmilsson 2007
**Son Of Schmilsson 2007
***Everybody's Talkin' - The Very Best Of Harry Nilsson 2000

VOLUME 3
You Can't Do That (Alternate Take) (2:15)*
Isolation (Previously Unreleased) (2:59)*
Joy (Demo) (2:31)*
Early In The Morning (Demo) (2:18)*
Walk Right Back w/hidden 30 Second Filler (3:10)*
You Made Me Love You (I Didn't Want To Do It) (Alternate Version) (2:29)**
Lullaby In Ragtime (Alternate Take) (3:48)**
Always (Alternate Take) (1:47)**
It Had To Be You (Alternate Take, Alternate Lyrics) (2:40)**
Outro (0:14)**
Down By The Sea (Alternate Version) (5:37)***
The Flying Saucer Song (Alternate Version) (6:31)***
Save The Last Dance for Me (Alternate Version) (4:29)***
Old Forgotten Soldier (Demo 1) (3:10)***
Old Forgotten Soldier (Demo 2) (2:44)***
Turn Out The Light (Demo) (2:32)****
Ain't It Kinda Wonderful (Bonus Track) (2:11)*****
Old Dirt Road (Previously Unreleased Alternate Version) (4:05)#
Animal Farm (Previously Unreleased) (4:54)#
U.C.L.A. (Previously Unreleased) (4:22)#
This Could Be The Night (Previously Unreleased Demo) (1:52)#
Duit On Mon Dei Radio Spot (hidden) (1:02)#
From:
*Aerial Pandemonium Ballet 2000
**A Little Touch Of Schmilsson In The Night 2002
***Pussy Cats 2007
****Duit On Mon Dei 2002
*****Knnillssonn 2002
#Perfect Day - The Songs Of Nilsson (Promo) 2006

Incidental Music From The Courtship Of Eddie's Father (Unreleased Nilsson) (1969)

2011-12-31T17:20:00.000-05:00

"The Courtship Medley" (27:55)
Unreleased Incidental Music From The TV Series,
The Courtship Of Eddie's Father, 1969
Songs Written And "Sunged" By Harry Nilsson
Music Score By Nilsson & George Tipton

Everybody knows the theme song. Hell, even people that don't know Nilsson know that theme. But what is less known, even by fans, is the incidental background music Harry penned for the 1969 television series, The Courtship Of Eddie's Father. Glorious thanks to our pal Les Peterson, who spent a considerable amount of time going through the original shows in the series, and pulling out all of the little tidbits, interludes, segues, joiners and background music that Nilsson concocted for the first year of the series. Because of the nature of these recordings (seconds-long snippets and quiet background music under the show's dialog), there's really no other way to listen to all this but as a whole, and Les did a top notch job of stringing all of these tidbits (over 55 of 'em) together, as well as providing historical info about Nilsson's involvement.

This music, as the funny screen shot on the right details, is really a joint venture with arranger George Tipton, who worked with Harry on albums such as Spotlight On Nilsson, Skidoo and The Point!, among others. You can hear Tipton's work in the numerous re-arrangements of Harry's melody lines for "Best Friend" and other tunes. Harry himself overdubs numerous one-line vocal punctuations for the show's visuals ("She Dropped 'Em" and "Be Careful With The Coffee For Your Dad," to pick a couple). We've isolated five segments below to give you an idea what's in the entire 28 minute medley. One surprising revelation is the minute long piece, "When We Were Young." It should be immediately recognizable to listeners as an early stylistic blueprint for The Point! (which Nilsson and Tipton would collaborate on a year and a half later, after Nilsson "sunged" Newman). It's not hard to imagine Harry instinctively recognizing that this technique - a vamping, two-chord keyboard weaving in, around and behind the dialog - was a handy tool for soundtrack composition. Tipton also expertly orchestrates a fairground version of the theme. Note also the two instrumental "rock and roll" backing tracks. One sounds like a typically generic TV rock combo, all hair-shaking 60s frenzy. The second, around the 24 minute mark, sounds closer to an instrumental reworking of "Good Times," from Spotlight On Nilsson. It's hard to tell, however, if Nilsson is actually involved in either of these tracks, even though his pre-fame discography is littered with this kind of basic R&R. All of this incidental music comes from the first 8 episodes of the series. By episode 9, the music began changing and Nilsson's vocals were no longer a part of the mix. By episode 10, the producers began using generic background singers for the rest of the year's shows (save the occasional Harry reprise from past episodes). The entire series ran until 1972. Listen to "The Courtship Medley" (and isolated segments) below. Get it HERE. We've been waiting decades for this, thanks a million Les.

Everybody's Got The Flu (Call Your Girlfriend) (:36)

She Dropped 'Em (:10)

Little Cowboy variation (:25)

He's A Good Old Dad (:06)

When We Were Young (:56)

Go here to listen to Harry & Brandon Cruz (Eddie) jamming on "Best Friend," Courtship's theme song. Go here to hear the two Nilsson songs that formed the basis for "Best Friend."

Happy Birthday Harry (A Compilation) (2011)

2011-10-20T22:10:00.002-04:00

Over the last four years, we've had the pleasure to hear a number of wonderful tributes to Harry Nilsson from a variety of artists, both old and new. For Harry's birthday, we thought we'd gather some of them together for those of you who may have missed them the first time around. Click the artist's names to visit our original posts, where you can read more about them and find links to their activities.

The comp kicks off, naturally, with Todd McHatton's charming, self-released digital single, "Happy Birthday Harry." Veteran writer/popster, Seth Swirsky, offers the irresistible "(I Never Knew You) Harry," maybe my personal favorite of the bunch. Drew Smith (in 2008) and Paul Williams (in 1974) both penned tunes with the title "Nilsson Sings Newman." Williams' is but a snippet, but both are righteous tributes to Nilsson's style. Jim Boggia's "The Harry Nilsson Song" takes its cue from Nilsson's re-imagination of The Beatles' "You Can't Do That," by intertwining Harry's own melodies into something uniquely new. Ringo's "Harry's Song" is a touching shuffle dedicated to his old friend, while Monty Python's Eric Idle, and Charlie Dore, offer up the ultimate Nilsson theme song, "Harry" - released as the lead off track of Nilsson's Flash Harry, but originally created by Idle as a private joke (which explains its frankness). Included are two birthday greetings from Harry himself. First, the sweet demo for his son Beau's 10th birthday, then the just-surfaced "Happy Birthday Richard Perry," which finds Harry sending greetings to his Schmilsson/Son Of producer. Todd McHatton returns to bookend this collection with "A Christmas Song For Harry Nilsson." For you completist types, we decided to leave off a couple of long-known tunes by Little Sue and James Kirk (both entitled "Nilsson") since they don't lyrically reference the man himself. The fantastic original artwork comes to us courtesy of Steve Miller, who has created a handful of cool works based on Harry's mythology. This really is a fun listen and highly recommended. Just one spin and you're guaranteed to have a perfectly Harry day. Listen to it all below, download it all HERE.

TODD McHATTON Happy Birthday Harry (0:52) Digital Single, 2010
SETH SWIRSKY (I Never Knew You) Harry (3:31) Watercolor Day, 2010
DREW SMITH Nilsson Sings Newman (2:32) Drew Smith's Lonely Choir, 2008
JIM BOGGIA The Harry Nilsson Song (2:35) 4 Sketches, 2002
RINGO STARR Harry's Song (4:01) Liverpool 8, 2008
PAUL WILLIAMS Nilsson Sings Newman (0:54) Here Comes Inspiration, 1974
ERIC IDLE & CHARLIE DORE Harry (2:22) Flash Harry, 1980
HARRY NILSSON Happy Birthday Richard Perry (2:04) Son Of Harrities 4, 1972
HARRY NILSSON Here Comes That Beau Again (5:15) Unreleased Demo, 1986
TODD McHATTON A Christmas Song For Harry Nilsson (2:11) Christmas Songs, 2009

BIRTHDAY BONUS:
A video from Harry's son, Kief O. Nilsson, who - as fate would have it - was born on the same day as his dad, June 15th. Kief states, "Many of you may know that it is my dad's birthday today. What you might not know however is that it is also my birthday. So, I decided to goof around with the world's worst song." Enjoy Kief's nimble instrumental treatment of "Happy Birthday," below, and click here to view Kief singing some of his dad's songs.

RELATED POSTS: (Click For Pop-Up Windows)
KEIF O. NILSSON (You Tube Videos Of Harry Covers)

Nilsson Related Videos At YouTube

2011-10-20T12:49:00.000-04:00

YouTube offers hundreds of hits for Nilsson; including fans performing their own Harry covers, video tributes using Harry's music, clips from official releases (from The Point! to Popeye) and even Harry himself, in rarely seen footage. We've gathered some of them here, with links back to YouTube. We'll add more as we go along. Some of the more important YouTube offerings are already spread around For The Love Of Harry, but here are a few others - some offbeat, some just fun - you might enjoy. Please report dead videos.

Asher Roth (featuring D.A.)
"Gotta Get Up" (3:21)
A white-boy rap version of Harry's "Gotta Get Up" features the iconic opening chorus and a stream of consciousness rap that pays homage via various liquor references and gratuitous public robe use.

Raul Malo
"I Guess The Lord Must Be In New York City" (3:00)
Excellent version of Harry's New York City serenade, performed live in concert by the former leader of The Mavericks. Malo expertly weaves in the chorus from "Everybody's Talkin'" at the end, drawing subtle attention to some similarity in both songs. As fans know, Harry wrote "I Guess The Lord" for inclusion in the film Midnight Cowboy, but lost out to his own cover of "Everybody's Talkin'."

Marianne Faithfull
"Don't Forget Me" (3:39)
The promotional video for Marianne's 1997 version. The intro includes Faithfull's bizarre story of Harry dying in the dentist chair and his coffin being literally swallowed up by the L.A. earthquakes. I first saw this story via an interview with Faithfull in an ancient Mojo magazine. The tale has since been debuked, obviously, by those who attented Nilsson's actual burial. As of 1997, however, no one seems to have told Marianne otherwise. Here's another live version.

Van Dyke Parks w/ Clare & The Reasons
"He Needs Me" (5:21)
Van Dyke Parks, on stage with Clare & The Reasons, performing Harry's "He Needs Me." San Francisco, Feb 12, 2010. Parks arranged and orchestrated the tune for the Popeye soundtrack. Thanks Sam.

Harry & John In Central Park, NYC (5:56)
UPDATED! Just recently surfaced. Excellent new footage (with sound) of Harry and John Lennon on stage in New York City, for the March of Dimes Walk-A-Thon on April 28, 1974.

Filter
"One" (4:47)
Unique spin from Filter's contribution to X-Files The Album. Another unique spin from this fan video, made from a war game. Effective on all fronts.

Priscilla Ahn
"The Moonbeam Song" (4:13)
Utterly charming live rendition from the utterly charming Priscilla Ahn, who's got a vocal clarity that does Harry justice. Super audience cam.

Sean Nelson
"Think About Your Troubles" (2:25)
Four live videos from Feb, 2009. The audience cam quality is lacking, but it's an intimate look at Nelson at work. "1941," "Maybe" & "I'll Never Leave You."

Neko Case
"Don't Forget Me" (2:52)
Live from Seattle's Bumbershoot fest, August 30, 2008. A studio version appears on Neko's 2009 album, Middle Cyclone. It's great to see a new generation embracing Harry's music.

"Harry Meets George" (0:24)
Some interesting videos that have surfaced come from musician E.J. Gold, who offers tantalizing snippets of private moments with Nilsson. Here, Harry describes meeting George Harrison.

"Lay Down Your Arms" (0:22)
Another E.J. Gold video of Harry listening to a playback of "Lay Down Your Arms" on Dec. 30, 1993. Catch glimpses of Harry in other Gold clips, 1993 birthday party & Strawberry Schmilsson Forever.

Westside Sax Ensemble
"Coconut" (4:03)
A live-at-home performance from a sax quartet. Offbeat, fun and surprisingly entertaining. Presumably from 2008.

Howie On Harry (0:56)
The Turtles' Howard Kaylan, photographed like he's in the Witness Protection Program, discussing Harry's health, bathrobe fetish and appearance on his band's cover of Nilsson's "Battle Of The Bands."

Rob's How To Play Cool Songs (4:45)
Not much of a performance (it's set in a bathroom for cryin' out loud), but it's an easy & effective instruction on how to play Harry's "Life Line" on guitar. Even I can play it now. Rob's got more of these for other artists, too.

Melanoid (John Hanson)
"Don't Forget Me" (3:45)
At home on the piano singing the 1974 Pussy Cats tune... like it's Nilsson Sings Newman in 1970! Also a no frills take on Harry's cover of Randy Newman's "Living Without You." This guy needs a director something fierce, but he's certainly got Harry's voice & style nailed. MySpace.

Sandi Shaw
"One/Without Him" (3:32)
Shaw's lip synced medley of Nilsson's "One " and "Without Her" from UK TV in 1972.

"Without You" (1:41)
Another handy 'how-to.' This one shows you how to play "Without You" on the piano with three fingers. From the fine folks at pianoshortcuts.com. Delight and amaze your friends. Slay 'em at parties.

KIEF O. NILSSON YouTube Videos (2009-2011)

2011-10-20T12:45:00.001-04:00

Nilsson Sings Nilsson. Here are six (and counting) YouTube videos from the son of Harry, Kief O. Nilsson (who also goes by the moniker, Kiefo). In October, 2009, Kiefo posted his first video, a cover of Harry's "Open Your Window," which we liked so much we added it here at FTLOH without even knowing his famous lineage. This January (2010), Kiefo posted "I'll Never Leave You" and "Without Her" (which has since been removed). February brought "The Puppy Song," then a faithful reworking of "Early In The Morning," from Nilsson Schmilsson. The latest is a covers are "Ambush" and "Maybe." According to his YouTube profile, Kiefo is primarily a bassist (though he plays a different instrument in each video) and has a clean pop vocal style that should appeal to his dad's fans. The vids end with a little touch of self-effacing humor, also. We'll add more videos here if and when they surface. View the following performances above.

Maybe (Sept 2011)
Ambush (June 2011)
Early In The Morning (Mar 2010)
The Puppy Song (Feb 2010)
I'll Never Leave You (Jan 2010)
Open Your Window (Oct 2009)

RELATED POSTS: (Click For Pop-Up Windows)
Happy Birthday Harry (w/ Keif O. Nilsson Video 2011)

NETHERFRIENDS Netherfriends Does Nilsson (2011)

2011-10-20T12:14:00.000-04:00

NETHERFRIENDS
Netherfriends Does Nilsson (2011)

The latest free web release from Chicago's Shawn Rosenblatt, a.k.a. Netherfriends, is a Nilsson sample-fest tribute to everybody's favorite Harry. Netherfriends is quick to point out that this is not a covers album. It's also a bit different from your average, modern-day sampling cover - which is typically a swiped riff with rapping on top until the chorus arrives. The compositions here are all original but the base music is all by Nilsson (in a manner of speaking), as the samples come from a variety of Harry's LPs. Not only are many of the loops far from the obvious choices, some are downright impossible to determine. Nilsson fans should probably brace for the unexpected, as Rosenblatt rolls out a series of different vibes for this experiment. "Girrrlfriend" comes the closest to Harry's original pop vision, as both "Best Friend" (The Courtship Of Eddie's Father theme) and "Girlfriend" (the long unreleased original version of the theme) are fused for this variation, the poppiest track on the set. Of course, the cover art parodies Nilsson Schmilsson (which we've added to our parody post). Hear more from Netherfriends via their blog, MySpace & Bandcamp. Thanks to Tom Kola, The Nilssonian Curator for the tip. Hear it all below. Download it HERE.

&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_19"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;lt&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/span&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;;a &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_20"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;href&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/span&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;="http://netherfriends.bandcamp.com/album/netherfriends-does-nilsson"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_21"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Netherfriends&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/span&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt; Does &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_22"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Nilsson&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/span&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt; by &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_23"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Netherfriends&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/span&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_24"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;lt&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/span&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;
Full Of It (2:19)
Me And My Ego (1:41)
Nobody's Talking (2:34)
Give UP (2:16)
Lonely Parachute Fort (1:56)
Girrrlfriend (2:23)

Mojo (November, 2011)

2011-10-20T11:23:00.000-04:00

The November issue of the UK's MOJO Magazine features a brief mention of Harry in their "Time Machine" column (news from 1976). In it, Nilsson's brief flirtation with politics is highlighted by the full page ad Harry ran in support of Democratic Presidential candidate, Jimmy Carter. See MOJO's post above, and the original Billboard ad on the right. Click any image for a larger pop-up.

ART: LUKE STETTNER The Effects Of Past Experience (Harry Nilsson) (2011)

2011-10-20T10:59:00.000-04:00

Luke Stettner The Effects Of Past Experience (Harry Nilsson), 2011
B/W Inkjet Photographs
10 1/2 x 15 3/4 Inches
It becomes difficult to detect local feature changes in an upside down face, despite the identical changes being obvious in the upright image. As a performer Harry Nilsson prompted feelings of acute tenderness or nostalgia but as a man often found himself plagued by great confusion and emotional unrest. The piece represents these two discrete, but often overlooked, personas.

Artist Luke Stettner used this upside down image from Harry Nilsson's first 1966 album, Spotlight On Nilsson, to make a point about our collective abilities of perception... and about the duality of Nilsson himself. Why is it upside down? Don't flip your computer over to find out, just click here and a pop-up will show you why. Then ponder what it was you were seeing in the first place. We scored this from The Kate Werble Gallery.

The Purple Chick "Son Of Harrities" Series (22 Discs) (2011)

2011-10-20T08:43:00.001-04:00

A 22-CD collection of Harry Nilsson rarities from the famed Purple Chick. Long time fans (and readers here) will recognize a lot of this stuff already, as most of it has been posted here for years. But, there are some new, uncirculated rarities that have yet to be heard included in this series, not to mention probable sound upgrades on some material. The links below include all of the details for each 2-CD set, which you can download in mp3 or flac (though, flac fanatics should know that numerous tracks are sourced directly from our own 320 mp3s). The original bit torrent link is HERE for those that don't mind waiting days for their 22CD download to complete.

Son Of Harryties 01: Spotlight On New Nilsson Songs
Son Of Harryties 02: Mr. Lennon's Favorite Group
Son Of Harryties 03: Schmilsson Schessions
Son Of Harryties 04: A Little Son Of Schessions In The Night
Son Of Harryties 05: John, Paul, Ringo & Harry
Son Of Harryties 06: God's Greatest Hits
Son Of Harryties 07: Zapata, Blondie And Dagwood and Harry Does Yoko
Son Of Harryties 08: Flash Harry - Deluxe Edition
Son Of Harryties 09: Popeye - Deluxe Edition
Son Of Harryties 10: The Lost Decade
Son Of Harryties 11: Papa's Got A Brown New Robe

Who Is Harry Nilsson... (And Why Is Everybody Talkin' About Him?) Movie & Trailer (2006/2010)

2011-10-15T23:58:00.000-04:00

The original 2006 documentary on the life and times of Harry Nilsson. Until August, 2010, its had only limited screenings in select cities and film festivals. Those who have have raved about it. At the bottom is the extended, six minute-plus trailer. Watch interviews with Director John Scheinfeld and producer David Leaf here. Below, you can read the Director's Diaries (files 1-5) and the film's Production Notes/Press Pack (files 6-21). Just pages for a bigger pop-ups. Get the DVD @ Amazon.

CONNECT THE DOTS 101
Did you wonder how Who Is Harry Nilsson (And Why Is Everybody Talkin' About Him)? got its lengthy, marquee-adverse name? The title is a parody of the 1971 Dustin Hoffman flick, Who Is Harry Kellerman And Why Is He Saying Those Terrible Things About Me?, a film about a rock musician (Hoffman) trying to find a guy named Harry Kellerman, who he believes is spreading lies about him (or, talkin' about him). Hoffman, of course, voiced Harry's The Point! in 1971. The soundtrack album, by the way, helped to launch the career of Dr. Hook & The Medicine Show, performing the music of Shel Silverstein.

STEPHEN KING SAYS...
From the latest issue of Entertainment Weekly, horror author Stephen King gives his take on the new Harry documentary. Given his nature, King seems to be preoccupied with the tragic side of Nilsson's life, but the film itself is nowhere near the depression fest that the headlines would have you believe. Click for pop-up/enlargement. Thanks to Jitterbug Boy for the scan.

IT'S @ NETFLIX
Who Is Harry... is available via Netflix, both for rental and for free, online viewing (with membership). Go here if you're signed up already. Thanks to Josh for the tip.

The Who Is Harry Nilsson... press machine has kicked into gear. Along with special theatrical screenings in Los Angeles and New York, the film now has a presence at MySpace, Twitter and Facebook, as well as a .com home page. Along with the push leading up to the Oct. 26th DVD release, comes a new trailer (below), a newly designed movie poster (left, starting to pop up on Ebay) and some fresh photo outtakes (click on all for enlargements).

Info On The DVD’s Addition Material...
The DVD contains more than 90 minutes of bonus material/deleted scenes. Follow the links to see, hear and learn about the albums, videos & songs.

1. PERFORMANCE - DELETED SCENE. It's accepted that Harry never performed his songs live in concert. But he did. His ex-wife, the late Diane Nilsson, recalls what happened and shares never-before-seen photos.

2. SINGER - EXTENDED SEQUENCE. Harry's friends and wife, Una, reflect on Harry-the-singer and his extraordinary three-and-a-half octave range. As Ringo Starr once said, "He was the greatest voice on planet Earth!"

3. SONGWRITER - EXTENDED SEQUENCE. In an excerpt from his unpublished oral autobiography, Harry discusses his songwriting process. Producers and fellow musicians opine on his gift and what makes Harry's songs so special.

4. NILSSON SCHMILSSON - DELTED SCENE. Producer Richard Perry serves up behind-the-scenes details about the making of the classic album.

5. "WITHOUT YOU" - EXTENDED SEQUENCE. In an excerpt from his unpublished oral autobiography, Harry and producer Richard Perry reveal how Harry came to record this song and what he really thought about it. Musical colleagues explain why it became such a smash hit recording.

6. A LITTLE TOUCH... - EXTENDED SEQUENCE. A behind-the-scenes look at the making of the album and TV versions of A Little Touch Of Schmilsson In The Night. Includes bonus performances, by Harry, of songs from the album.

7. PROMO - DELETED SCENE. Producer-Director Stanley Dorfman, Van Dyke Parks and Una Nilsson remember the humorous and frustrating incidents that occurred during the shooting of the Duit On Mon Dei album promo - the lowest-cost promotional film ever made to support a major label album.

8. "TRY" - DELETED SCENE. Producer Mark Hudson talks about getting Harry back in the studio to make his final recordings.

9. ADVENTURES - EXTENDED SEQUENCE. Terry Gilliam, Jimmy Webb, Gerry Beckley and Ray Cooper describe wild adventures with Harry - clubbing with Harry in London, making the mistake of loaning a new Jag to Harry, meeting up with the group America in Australia - by way of a bizarre series of telegrams that culminated in a rare on-stage appearance by Harry, and action in the back seat of a London cab.

10. HUMAN FLY - DELETED SCENE. Jimmy Webb and Harry, in an excerpt from his unpublished oral autobiography, recall a freakish and death-defying incident that occurred on the balcony of the Howard Hughes Suite at the Inn On The Park in London. Is it the same death defying scene that Harry discusses in the Unpublished Interview?

11. PYTHON - DELETED SCENE. A strange ending to Harry's 1976 appearance on stage with Monty Python for "The Lumberjack Song" is recalled by Eric Idle & Terry Gilliam. Also, a full performance of Eric Idle's "Harry."

12. FOOLS - DELETED SCENE. Harry did not suffer fools well, as friends and family relate with much humor.

13. GENEROSITY - DELETED SCENE. Alongside all the craziness there existed an immense streak of generosity within Harry, as friends and family recall with much admiration and emotion.

14. FAMILY - DELETED SCENE. Everyone remembers the wild and eccentric side of Harry Nilsson. In this sequence, cut from the film at the last minute, we get an insider's look at Harry's marriage, how being a father impacted his life, how his children got their names and other family matters.

15. ANNIE - DELETED SCENE. Harry's eldest daughter relays her very first memory of her father...and how he literally saved her life.

16. HARRY - EXTENDED SEQUENCE. The cast of Who Is Harry Nilsson...? explains that there was far more to Harry than the public ever knew and why they loved him, warts and all.

17. "REMEMBER" - ALTERNATE ENDING. Ultimately abandoned, this fully edited sequence is set to Harry's beautiful and poignant, "Remember."

18. "LONELINESS" - DELETED SCENE. Yoko Ono reflects on Harry's recording of her song "Loneliness," from the Every Man Has A Woman album and, with director-producer Stanley Dorfman, introduces the full length version of the "Loneliness" video that never aired. Filmed at Harry's home in Bel Air.

Interviews With John Scheinfeld & Daivd Leaf (2010)

2011-10-15T23:57:00.000-04:00

The above video is an interview with Who Is Harry Nilsson... director John Scheinfeld, and comes to us from Richard Metzger @ Dangerous Minds. It's an excellent, 26 minute conversation that chronicles the making of the documentary and what went into pulling together all of the visual elements to tell Harry's story. Scheinfeld touches briefly on the 90 minutes of extras included on the DVD and, perhaps most interestingly, Metzger had the foresight to ask about Harry's unreleased final album - long thought to be "finished" the day before he died. According to Scheinfeld, "some (of the songs) are finished, some are not finished and some were just demos that he did not finish before he passed away." The story that Harry had completed the album was first suggested by agent David Spero, as quoted in Nilsson's (error filled) obituary in the New York Times.

Here is a 30 minute interview with producer David Leaf, from the Stupid For Movies guys. Thanks to Ian for the tip. Watch the trailers for the movies, read the film's Production Notes and Director's Diaries and more, here.

Nilsson Sings Beatles (1967-1980)

2011-10-15T23:27:00.000-04:00

To highlight a couple of unreleased Harry recordings - a demo cover of "Blackbird" and a rough sounding tape of Harry and John Lennon rehearsing "Mucho Mungo/Mt. Elga" - we thought we'd put together this little package called Nilsson Sings Beatles. As you may already know, the Beatles/Nilsson connection cannot be overstated. One of Harry's very first records was a 1964 Beatles' homage, "Stand Up And Holler," while his first charting single was a creative re-invention of the Fab's "You Can't Do That." John and Paul practically launched the barely-heard-of Nilsson's career when they mentioned his name at an Apple press conference and, in later years, John & (especially) Ringo were among Harry's best friends - routinely composing, recording and carousing together. FYI: We left off a Nilsson/Starr composition from Flash Harry, since it's really a Harry song, but we did include the 1980 Ringo/Harry remake of "Back Off Boogaloo" (thanks for the tip, Johnny B) that features Nilsson harmonizing various Beatles' melodies in the background, coming full circle from where the idea originated... 1967's "You Can't Do That." In Feb. 2010, we re-upped this collection to include a much better recording of "Blackbird." Get it all HERE.

You Can't Do That (Lennon/McCartney) Pandemonium Shadow Show, 1967
She's Leaving Home (Lennon/McCartney) Pandemonium Shadow Show, 1967
Mother Nature's Son (Lennon/McCartney) Harry, 1969
Blackbird (Demo) (Lennon/McCartney) Unreleased, 1970
Isolation (Lennon) Aerial Pandemonium Ballet Bonus, 1971
Mucho Mungo/Mt. Elga (Lennon/Nilsson-Adpt.) Pussy Cats, 1974
That Is All (Harrison) ...That's The Way It Is, 1976
That Is All (Reprise) (Harrison) ...That's The Way It Is, 1976
Old Dirt Road (Lennon/Nilsson) Flash Harry, 1980
Back Off Boogaloo (Starr) Stop And Smell The Roses, 1980
extras...
You Can't Do That (Alternate) Aerial Pandemonium Ballet Bonus, 1971
Old Dirt Road (Alternate) Perfect Day: The Songs Of Nilsson 1971-1993, 2006
Mucho Mungo (Lennon)/Mt. Elga (Nilsson-Adpt.) (Demo) Unreleased, 1974

VIDEO: Harry Nilsson Tribute Night At The Patio (2010)

2011-10-15T12:37:00.000-04:00

A 10-video live, acoustic tribute filmed January 23rd, 2010, at the "Harry Nilsson Tribute Night At The Patio." On their YouTube Channel, The Patio refers to themselves as "a private and secret concert & party location in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, New York." Some interesting takes on Harry's compositions here, from seven different artists (and friends). Watch them all above.

JOHN BRODEUR Good Old Desk
LUTHER RUSSELL Jump Into The Fire
PATRICK BOWER Are You Sleeping?
JON WILEY Without Her
AUSTIN McCUTCHEN Nobody Cares About the Railroads Anymore
TIM MISLOCK You're Breakin' My Heart
LUTHER RUSSELL Turn On Your Radio
JASON LOUGHLIN Think About Your Troubles
AUSTIN McCUTCHEN Life Line
JOHN BRODEUR Mr. Tinker

NEIL DIAMOND "Don't Forget Me"

2011-10-15T12:29:00.000-04:00

Neil Diamond
"Don't Forget Me"
Written By Harry Nilsson
From Dreams, 2010

The latest album from Neil Diamond, Dreams, features a cover of Harry's "Don't Forget Me," originally found on Nilsson's Pussy Cats. Neil's version is a pretty faithful cover, until the expanded instrumental bridge and the cancer reference. The tune is fast becoming one of Harry's post-60s signature tunes, as many have rediscovered it in recent years. Neko Case also covered it just last year for her album, Middle Cyclone. Diamond's newest is @ Amazon. Listen to "Don't Forget Me," below. Grab it HERE.

Neil Diamond Don't Forget Me (3:10) Dreams, 2010

BOOTSY SPANKINS, P.I. "He Needs Me" (2010)

2011-10-15T12:22:00.000-04:00

Bootsy Spankins, P.I. (the alter ego of musician Brendan Castner) has just released a new 5-song covers album entitled Lovely Laundry, featuring a great rendition of Nilsson's Popeye classic, "He Needs Me." Regular readers may remember Bootsy's 2008 album, All I Want For Christmas Is To Be Left Alone, which included an excellent reading of the obscure Popeye oddity, "Din' We" (he's expressed a desire to eventually cover all of Harry's Popeye compositions), along with "Remember (Christmas)" and "Snow." For "He Needs Me," Bootsy is joined by vocalist Lauriana Mae, who exquisitely captures the tune's melodic charm, originally voiced on the soundtrack by actress Shelley Duvall. The production is stunning, beginning with the simplicity of Harry's original demo, while incorporating the soundtrack's dockside (and additional carnival) atmospherics, before evolving into a fuller, more elaborately arranged piece. Give a listen below. Visit Bootsy Spankins. P.I. via MySpace, where you can also hear and/or purchase the full release. You're also invited to visit (the rather stunning) Lauriana Mae's MySpace page and watch her performance on MTV's Starmaker. As we speak, she's currently recording her debut album. Download "He Needs Me," courtesy of Bootsy, HERE.

Bootsy Spankins, P.I. He Needs Me (feat. Lauriana Mae) Lovely Laundry, 2010

SETH SWIRSKY "(I Never Knew You) Harry" (2010)

2011-10-15T12:20:00.000-04:00

Seth Swirsky
"(I Never Knew You) Harry" (3:31)
from Watercolor Day, 2010

Seth Swirsky is best known for his membership in The Red Button, a highly recommended pure pop outfit that should easily appeal to Harry-minded types. For his second solo album, 2010's Watercolor Day, Swirsky offers this absolutely winning tribute to Harry Nilsson entitled, "(I Never Knew You) Harry," which is filled to the brim with Nilsson-esque harmonies, references and vibes. The track's co-producer is Rick Gallego, who is also known as Cloud Eleven, another Nilsson disciple we've previously posted at FTLOH (for his Aerial Ballet cover homage, Terrestrial Ballet). Big thanks to Rick Greene, who not only sent along the track for everybody to enjoy, but essentially wrote the post by connecting all the dots for us. Watercolor Day is available at Amazon and you can hear more at Seth's MySpace and web pages. Get "(I Never Knew You) Harry" HERE.

SETH SWIRSKY "(I Never Knew You) Harry" (3:31) Watercolor Day, 2010

MIKE VASAS Songs Not By Me (2010)

2011-10-15T12:16:00.000-04:00

MIKE VASAS
"Remember (Christmas)"
"How To Write A Song"
"Daybreak"
"Coconut"
"The Lottery Song"
"Ambush"
"Nobody Cares About The Railroads Anymore"
"Daddy's Song"
"All I Think About Is You"
All Songs Written By Harry Nilsson
From The Blog Songs Not By Me (2010)

Singer/songwriter, multi-instrumentalist Mike Vasas is wrapping up his year-long, song-a-day project this month. For "Songs Not By Me," Vasas has performed and released a new song every day throughout 2010... 365 days, 365 songs, all free for the downloading. As the moniker spells out, "Songs Not By Me" is a covers project, and finishes with nine Harry Nilsson tunes, including the new, seasonally appropriate, "Remember (Christmas)." Vasas' year-long quest has drawn its inspiration from Harry's own covers project, Nilsson Sings Newman. Except, Vasas explains, "I couldn't decide on a single artist to cover." Mike has also promised to record a couple of additional Harry tunes for us here, so we can put together for an album. Visit Songs Not By Me to see what Mike's has been doing all year. Grab 'em HERE.

Mike Vasas Remember (Christmas) (2:46) www.songsnotbyme.com (Dec, 2010)
Mike Vasas How To Write A Song (3:00) www.songsnotbyme.com (Dec, 2010)
Mike Vasas Daybreak (2:53) www.songsnotbyme.com (Nov, 2010)
Mike Vasas Coconut (4:48) www.songsnotbyme.com (Nov, 2010)
Mike Vasas The Lottery Song (2:51) www.songsnotbyme.com (Sept, 2010)
Mike Vasas All I Think About Is You (4:09) www.songsnotbyme.com (June, 2010)
Mike Vasas Daddy's Song (2:29) www.songsnotbyme.com (May, 2010)
Mike Vasas Nobody Cares About The Railroads Anymore (2:44) (Mar, 2010)
Mike Vasas Ambush (2:44) www.songsnotbyme.com (Feb, 2010)

TODD McHATTON "Happy Birthday Harry" (2010)

2011-10-15T12:12:00.000-04:00

TODD McHATTON
"Happy Birthday Harry" (0:51)
Digital Single (June, 2010)

Musician Todd McHatton has released a digital birthday tribute to Harry Nilsson, a short and sweet ditty entitled "Happy Birthday Harry." You'll hear that Todd effortlessly nails the day's appropriate mood, with winning harmonies and a line that just exudes Harryness; "Sometimes people grow up to be... something extraordinary." Readers of this blog may remember another charming, Harry-themed song from McHatton that we posted last year, "A Christmas Song For Harry Nilsson." Todd's latest is free via Bandcamp, along with his other releases (and an upcoming album, Sundays At The Rocket Park, July 21, 2010). You can also listen to and/or download "Happy Birthday Harry," below by clicking the player's "download" link.

&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;a href="http://toddmchatton.bandcamp.com/track/happy-birthday-harry"&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Happy Birthday Harry by Todd McHatton&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/a&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;

CLARE AND THE REASONS featuring VAN DYKE PARKS "He Needs Me" (2010)

2011-10-15T12:07:00.000-04:00

CLARE AND THE REASONS
Featuring VAN DYKE PARKS
"He Needs Me" (4:47)
From The CD Live In Amsterdam (2010)
Written By Harry Nilsson

Earlier this year we posted a video performance of Clare And The Reasons (with the great Van Dyke Parks), live in San Francisco, performing a charming version of Harry Nilsson's "He Needs Me" (here). Now the tune is featured on the group's 2010 CD release, Live In Amsterdam. Van Dyke is on board, not only for The Reasons' album, but the band's tour dates, as they open for him before returning as his back up band. Unbelievably, it's the first time Parks has ever gone on the road with his own material. Fittingly, Van Dyke' involvement provides a connecting thread to one of Harry's most endearing compositions, as it first appeared on the soundtrack for the movie version of Popeye, which was arranged and orchestrated by VDP 30 years ago. Harry never released a version of the song himself (it was performed by Shelley Duvall for the film). Clare And The Reasons' new album is at Amazon, and you can download their excellent version of "He Needs Me" (note the amazing piano work), HERE. Read Van Dyke Parks 2005 tribute to Harry Nilsson, here.

"He Needs Me" (4:47) Clare And The Reasons Live In Amsterdam, 2010

The Point! (Interactive) (2010)

2011-10-15T11:13:00.000-04:00

Dan Hennessy sent us this delightful interactive re-telling of Nilsson's The Point!, which he created for a class project. Included are... well, I'll let you investigate for yourself. Just click the image and enter. Nice work, Dan.

Harry Nilsson CD Giveaway (Yeah... A Contest) (2010)

2011-10-15T09:53:00.000-04:00

HARRY NILSSON CD GIVEAWAY
(Contest Is Now Closed)

We have our winners!
Thanks to everyone for participating. We will announce the winners Tuesday, June 15 (Harry's birthday), along with the correct answers (which will surprise some of you).

With incalculable thanks to the inglorious efforts of The White Rhino, For The Love Of Harry is thrilled to give away three (count 'em) sets of the essential compilations, Life Line and Perfect Day, as seen above. These promo-only CDs, produced by Harry's music publisher, Warner/Chappell, were never sold in stores and feature tracks (including selections from Nilsson's final, and still unreleased, album) that can't be had anywhere else. You can read more about these CDs here and here. For you fastidious types, the Life Line CD is the rare re-issue (RA-001-X), that features the upgraded version of the theme to The Courtship Of Eddie's Father, "Best Friend."

Cool... Free CDs. What Do I Have To Do?
Send us your name & email address (won't be used for any other purpose) by midnight, Sunday, June 13th, with the answer to one simple question.

Which Is...?
Harry officially released around 20 albums. On the front covers he's seen wearing all kinds of different clothes - sports jackets, suits, sweaters, capes... even a bib. But, his favorite clothing was, of course, his many robes. So the question is...

On which album covers is Harry seen wearing a robe?

Rules/Fine Print:
* Front covers of Harry's official albums only. No best of's, reissues, etc.
* All correct responses (1 per email address) will go into a hat (not literally) and 3 names will be chosen. We'll contact winners for a shipping address.
* Winners will be posted here on Tuesday, June 15th, Harry's 69th birthday.
* Don't game the system, nefarious activity will be frowned upon.

And The Winners Are...

We received a lot of entries in our Nilsson CD giveaway, managing to separate the fans from the fanatics in the process. For our part, we helped everyone the best we could. Like the question itself: "On which album covers is Harry seen wearing a robe?" Covers... plural, should have been a clue. Still, many fans went only with the handiest answer... Nilsson Schmilsson. Incomplete, sorry. (A few "Nilsson Schmilsson" respondents even politely chided us for making the question "too easy.") We also knew up front that not everybody owns every Harry release, so we included a link to all of the official albums in the Fine Print/Rules. As you can see, when you click the link, the first album displayed is Flash Harry, with Nilsson prominently be-robed on the cover. Sorry... but we're not accepting the old "but, that's a smoking jacket" excuse. The cover that stumped fans the most, however, was Duit On Mon Dei, which is dominated by Harry's face. But... right there on his shoulder is a tiny Harry decked out in his favorite garment. And, a few participants believed Harry was wearing a robe even when he wasn't. Close inspection of ...That's The Way It Is, where Harry is reading in his chair and watching TV, reveals he's only wearing a shirt... though he should have been in a robe. So the winning answers are...

Nilsson Schmilsson, Duit On Mon Dei and Flash Harry

Only about 35% of the responses nailed it, and we randomly chose three winners from those that supplied the three (and only three) correct answers. The winners are... Ben Roth, Gary Meyers & Jonah. They'll each receive a rare set of cool promo CDs, Life Line: The Songs Of Nilsson 1967-1971 and Perfect Day: The Songs Of Nilsson 1971-1993.

Thanks to everyone for participating and for the many kind remarks (and sorry if we stumped you). A BIG thanks to The White Rhino for unearthing and donating these promo-only rarities to spice up Harry's 69th birthday.

Secret Tracks (Bootleg 2009)

2011-10-05T21:18:00.008-04:00

RE-UPPED Secret Tracks first surfaced in December, 2009, featuring a number of recordings familiar to fans, along with a few that have yet to make the rounds in collector's circles. Most of this disc's first 11 tracks, from 1971, have been previously released as bonus tracks by RCA, but these versions are what you might call pre-masters, meaning they have not been sweetened with reverb effects, limiting or overdubs. As a result, you'll hear how immediate and "live" these files are compared to the tamer, more "produced" RCA versions. A few of Secret Tracks' tracks we've already posted separately - "Blackbird," "Yo Dodger Blue (L.A. Loves You)" and "I Want You." But, some of the extra surprises here have already been upgraded in recent years, like the files from Harry's Popeye Demos and Flash Harry outtakes (some seeing the light of day for the first time). The master tape (at the correct speed) for 1968's full band rendition of "Gotta Get Up," which doesn't fade out like RCA's bonus track, so you can hear the band break down at the end. The 1971 demo, "How Can I Be Sure Of You," is a similar but different take, without overdubs. Other previously unheard demos are "A Place I Know" and "Unknown Title," a crappy tape of a great unknown song, which Purple Chick would later title after the tune's first line and date @ 1976. Get Secret Tracks HERE.

1 - Without You (Piano Demo)*
2 - How Can I Be Sure Of You (Piano Demo)*
3 - Driving Along (Piano Demo)*
4 - Gotta Get Up (Piano Demo)*
5 - Coconut (Guitar Demo)*
6 - Old Forgotten Soldier (Piano Demo)*
7 - Down (Piano Demo)*
8 - I Want You (Piano Demo)
9 - The Moonbeam Song (Piano Demo)*
10 - Joy (Alternate Guitar Version)*
11 - Joy (Alternate Piano Version)*
12 - Yo Dodger Blue (L.A. Loves You) (Unreleased)
13 - Camp Candy Theme (Long Version)
14 - I Yam What I Yam (Studio Demo)
15 - He Needs Me (Shelley Duvall Studio Demo)
16 - Best Move (Alternate)
17 - Cheek To Cheek (Alternate Vocal 1)
18 - Cheek To Cheek (Alternate Vocal 2)
19 - Feet (Unreleased)
20 - She Drifted Away (Unreleased)
21 - Leave The Rest To Molly (Unreleased)
22 - A Place I Know (Demo)
23 - Unknown Title (Demo)
24 - Gotta Get Up (1968 Aerial Ballet Full Version)*
25 - Blackbird (Demo)

Tracks 1-11 The Trident Demos, 1971 - coming
Track 12 Unreleased/Rejected L.A. Dodgers Theme Song, 1990
Track 13 TV Cartoon Theme Song, 1989
Tracks 14-15 Popeye Demos, 1980
Tracks 16-21 Flash Harry Outtakes, 1980
Tracks 22-23 Unreleased Demos, Unknown Dates
Track 24 Aerial Ballet Outtake, 1968
Track 25 Unreleased Demo, 1970
* (Alternate version of bonus tracks released by RCA)

RELATED POSTS: (Click For Pop-Up Windows)
Gotta Get Up (1968)
Blackbird (1970)
I Want You (1971)
How Can I Be Sure Of You (1971)
Popeye Demos (1980)
Flash Harry Outtakes (1980)
Yo Dodger Blue (L.A. Loves You) (1990)
Bonus Tracks

Mark Hudson "Give It Back" (2009)

2011-10-05T14:57:00.000-04:00

Mark Hudson
"Give It Back" (4:43)
From The Artist, 2009
Written By Mark Hudson
With Harry Nilsson on "background conversation"

Mark Hudson first achieved fame as a member of the 70s pop act, The Hudson Brothers, a talented sibling outfit heavily influenced by The Beatles and the shifting pop landscape that was left in their wake. The Hudson's were a diverse and ambitious bunch, however, getting their own (slightly ridiculous) sketch musical/comedy television show in the 70s and releasing numerous albums (now all out of print), the most pop-worthy being 1974's Totally Out Of Control (a great one that you can find here). In HarryWorld, Hudson was the producer of Nilsson's last, still unreleased album, tentatively titled Papa's Got A Brown New Robe. Mark's most recent solo release is The Artist. We're including the track "Give It Back" here, though... for a weird reason. Credited with "background conversation" is Harry Nilsson, and while it's easy to hear some quiet chatter behind the music, it's impossible to identify it as Harry (though we trust Mark isn't messing with us). Beyond the Nilsson connection, "Give It Back" is a solid tune - catchy and memorable with a punchy production, highlighted by the richly layered guitars and harmonies. The album is only available via Hudson's website. You can investigate Mark's MySpace page, too. Many thanks to RB for bringing this to our attention and for supplying the track and liner note scans. Grab "Give It Back" HERE.

"Give It Back" (4:43) The Artist, 2009

VIDEO: The Annex Theater Presents The Point! (2009)

2011-10-05T13:21:00.000-04:00

Here's a charming and totally weird live stage presentation of Nilsson's The Point! by Baltimore's Annex Theater. Low budget, part puppet and part human, this rendition of Harry's still beloved creation is strange and likable, and not unlike a backyard Rocky Horror-styled recreation, with makeshift sets and a live band. It's about 35 minutes in length and recreates the entire piece, based on the storyline of the 1971 movie. Check Comments to see the names of all involved. You can find lots of other Point-related posts at For The Love Of Harry, including the 1971 album (with beautiful scans from the original booklet), the original ABC movie (with Dustin Hoffman narrating) and the Original Cast Album from 1977 (with Davy Jones & Micky Dolenz of The Monkees). If you're the type to poke around, you'll also find articles and various other pointy covers spread around FTLOH.

VARIOUS ARTISTS Songs From The Point (2009)

2011-10-05T12:58:00.000-04:00

A various artists collection from Amano Recordings, released in October, 2009. Eight covers from Nilsson's The Point! There's no storyline, just the music, with covers from the likes of Nada Surf, Martha Wainwright, Andrew Bird, Sex Mob and others. Listen to the entire release, below. From the label: "The artists all came together on the album to benefit 826NYC, the nonprofit group that provides creative-writing workshops and tutoring to kids aged 6 - 18. 826NYC will receive all proceeds from the album." Get it HERE. Be supportive and buy the higher quality CD, here.

DEVOTCHKA - Everything's Got 'Em
NADA SURF - Me and My Arrow
SEX MOB & CATHERINE RUSSELL - Poli High
ANDREW BIRD - Think About Your Troubles
DAWN LANDES - Life Line
MARTHA WAINWRIGHT & JIM CAMPILONGO - P.O.V. Waltz
NATHANIEL RATELIFF & THE WHEEL - Are You Sleeping?
MATTHEW CAWS, CATHERINE RUSSELL & NATHANIEL RATELIFF
- Down To The Valley

MAKEOUT VIDEOTAPE "I Guess The Lord Must Be In New York City" (2009)

2011-10-05T12:34:00.000-04:00

MAKEOUT VIDEOTAPE
"I Guess The Lord Must Be In New York City" (2:30)
Written By Harry Nilsson
From Heat Wave!, 2009

Don't think your speakers have blown when listening to this highly distorted, highly entertaining, lo-fi garage take on Harry's "I Guess The Lord Must Be In New York City" from Makeout Videotape. That grungy, distortion is all part of the charm. The track comes from the Canadian rockers' only release (so far), a 7 song vinyl EP with a print run of 500, entitled Heat Wave! According to Mac DeMarco, MV's main man, "I recorded Heat Wave! in the garage of my old house in April 2009, but then moved into an apartment in May. My downstairs neighbour said he and his boys'd kick my ass if they heard the drums again." The EP has sold out, but if you contact DeMarco (see comments for his email) he'll kindly send you the code to download the entire EP for free (here). You can hear more from the band at their MySpace page, too. Grab their cover of Harry's ode to NYC HERE.

Makeout Videotape
I Guess The Lord Must Be In New York City (2:30) Heat Wave!, 2009

TODD McHATTON "A Christmas Song For Harry Nilsson" (2009)

2011-10-05T12:25:00.000-04:00

TODD McHATTON
"A Christmas Song For Harry Nilsson" (2:13)
From Christmas Songs (2009)

Musician Todd McHatton has released a free digital EP of Christmas songs entitled, appropriately enough, Christmas Songs. We were drawn to the track, "A Christmas Song For Harry Nilsson," which is filled with multi-layered vocal harmonies and some Harry-esque, eye-winking seasonal sentiments ("Let's spend the holidays just like Harry would, the best thing about it, you don't have to be good"), while the cover art references Nilsson's famous robe fetish. McHatton has made the entire 5 song set available for free download via Bandcamp, (where you'll also find his other original releases) or you can listen to and/or download just Todd's tribute song to Harry, below.

ESTHER CAULFIELD ORCHESTRA Without Her (2009)‏

2011-10-05T12:24:00.000-04:00

We're currently sitting on hundreds of wide-ranging covers of Nilsson material, but we always enjoy getting freshly recorded versions from a newer generation of Harry's fans. This version of "Without Her" was recorded just yesterday, April 22, 2009, and comes to us courtesy of The Esther Caulfield Orchestra - nom de plume for solo artist Michael Perkins. It's a pretty faithful cover (ECO's only cover, by the way) of an early Harry favorite. You can hear more from The Orchestra at MySpace and download the digital debut, Good Morning, Whiskey Breakfast for free (or a donation) at the official website. Download "Without Her," compliments of The Esther Caulfield Orchestra, HERE.

The Esther Caulfield Orchestra Without Her (2:18)

NEKO CASE "Don't Forget Me" (2009)

2011-10-05T12:18:00.000-04:00

Neko Case
"Don't Forget Me" (3:10)
Written By Harry Nilsson
From Middle Cyclone, 2009

Singer songwriter Neko Case has received some surprisingly welcomed attention for her cover of Harry's sad and almost prophetic, "Don't Forget Me" (originally released on Nilsson's 1974 LP, Pussy Cats). Last year we posted Neko performing the song at Seattle's Bumbershoot Festival in 2008 (watch it here). Since then, her studio version of "Don't Forget Me" was released on the critically acclaimed CD, Middle Cyclone (listen below, grab it HERE). On an upcoming episode of Elvis Costello's music & talk show, Spectacle, Neko performs what may be her definitive version of the tune (stripped to piano & vocal), which you can watch above. The show airs Saturday, January 30.

Neko Case Don't Forget Me (3:10) Middle Cyclone, 2009

Nilsson Cover Parodies

2011-10-05T10:14:00.000-04:00

Nilsson's album cover art has received its fair share of the parody treatment over the years. So far, most of it centers around the hash pipe-holding Nilsson Schmilsson cover (by Dean O. Torrence). But there have also been loving lampoons of Aerial Ballet and Nilsson Sings Newman. Here are what we've found so far, along with some info and music from the perpetrators. We'll add more as they surface. Leads accepted.

NETHERFRIENDS
Netherfriends Does Nilsson (2011)
Netherfields is Chicago's Shawn Rosenblatt, who put together this varying array of samples from Harry's albums, fused with original melodies and compositions. It's not a covers album, but all of the music (cut, chopped and rearranged) comes from Harry's albums. You can listen to the entire release on our dedicated post for Netherfriends, here. Get the free download HERE. Hear the Harryest track, "Girrrlfriend," below. Say howdy at MySpace.

BOBBY CONN
Llovessonngs (1999)
Everything we've read about Bobby Conn suggests he's something of a madman, releasing 8 or 9 albums and EPs since the 90s, and making a name for himself with outrageous live shows that border on the absurd. This EP parodies the Nilsson Schmilsson cover (along with the Knnilssonn title). He mimicked the back cover, too. Llovessonngs even has a musical connection to Nilsson's music, as Conn re-covers Badfinger's "Without You" - turning Harry's sweeping epic into a campy suicide ballad. For reasons we're not sure of, Conn also issued alternative cover art for this EP. MySpace

CLOUD ELEVEN
Terrestrial Ballet (2004)
A parody cover of Aerial Ballet, with the actual auto artwork from Nilsson Sings Newman replacing the aeroplane. Terrestrial Ballet even mocks Aerial's prominent RCA logo. Musically, Cloud Eleven just might appeal to Nilsson's fan base, as they're a muscular, pure-bred pop band (in the Teenage Fanclub mold) with a soft, melodic underbelly. Since 1996, they've released around a half dozen albums that successfully evoke the spirit of 60s pop. Hear "Clover," below. Website

JOHN KRANE
Doris, Buzz & Friends (2008)
We wrote about John Krane's Doris, Buzz & Friends last year, when John kindly donated his entire album for free download here at FTLOH. We also wrote about him the year before when he surfaced as the winner of one of Harry's famed robes at auction - the same one he's wearing for this Nilsson Schmilsson cover tribute. There's no Nilsson material on the album, but there are moments when Krane makes clear that he's an influenced fan (the well-timed belch is a dead giveaway). Hear the album ending demo, "Sarah." Website

WORLD STANDARD
Country Gazette (1998)
I won't begin to try to explain these guys. Spearheaded by Sohichiro Suzuki (and produced/directed by Haruomi Hosono, of Yellow Magic Orchestra), World Standard has explored Beach Boys pop, skewed Americana and ambient world rhythms over the course of at least 7 albums. Rhapsody calls it a "disjointed collection of short, melodic pieces that seem like an astral collaboration between Hank Williams, Sr. and Bill Laswell's creepy alter-ego." Country Gazette, their debut, is sleeved in a Nilsson Sings Newman parody that expertly manages to out-Dean O. Dean O. Torrence's own distinctive artistic style. Hear the cool, trip-hop instrumental "Loser's Lounge" below (no relation to Ringo's cover on Sentimental Journey). Artist Page

CHEESEBURGER
Gang's All Here (2005)
This Brooklyn based trio (that's singer Joe Bradley copping Harry's Schmilsson pose) delivers aggressive, proto-punk rock with a heavy vocal debt to Iggy Pop. So... besides the Brooklyn connection, why a Nilsson cover parody? Bradley explained one possible reason when he picked Nilsson Schmilssson as a favorite album in an online poll: "My uncle Thom was Hugh Hefner's butler in the early 70's. One time he made a sandwich for Harry Nilsson. Anyway, we like this one so much we decided to rip off the cover art." Bradley decided against the pipe in favor of the rolled variety. Listen to this EP's opener, "Cocaine." MySpace

L.A. RECORD MAGAZINE
Cover story interview with musician Devon Williams. Why the magazine chose to parody Nilsson Schmilsson we can't say, but one of the mag's left field, non-sequitur questions to Williams was... "How would you spend your dream weekend with Harry Nilsson?" Williams response: "Well, we’d go to the Troubadour… We were talking at the shoot—when did they decide to use that cover? But you look at the other ones and maybe this is the best—I mean, Sandman, with him on the beach and that fake crab? He’s out of control. He’s totally awesome. I can gather that he’s probably like an ego maniac, so maybe the less I know about him the better." Read the entire piece HERE.

Shameless Plug: We've even conjured up a couple of parodies ourselves, for these FTLOH compilations. Just click the covers to view the posts.

Pussy Cats Jam Session Auction (2009)

2011-10-05T10:09:00.000-04:00

Two reel to reel tapes of John Lennon and Harry Nilsson jamming on the oldies during the Pussy Cats sessions are currently up for auction at Bonhams in June. The auction house estimates the value of the tapes at $40,000-45,000 (...guess they're not used to hearing Lennon's live jams). The tapes feature Lennon on guitar & vocals, Nilsson on drums & vocals and Simon & Garfunkel, all rehearsing at the Record Plant in NYC for approximately 95 minutes. According to a source who has heard some of the tapes, Nilsson is heard saying "goodbye Paul" and "stick around Artie" at one point. The source goes on to say that both Lennon & Nilsson "have had too much to drink." Also confirmed is that the tapes are not the god-awful Toot And A Snore session tapes featuring Lennon, Paul McCartney, Nilsson and Stevie Wonder. Here's the description from Bonhams. It seems to have been removed from the Bonhams site. Apparently, there weren't any takers.

Lot No: 6346

A John Lennon and others likely never-before-heard set of reel-to-reel tape recordings, 1974. Two 7 1/2 IPS [inches per second] tapes with audio of John Lennon, Harry Nilsson, Paul Simon, Art Garfunkel, and other musicians rehearsing at the Record Plant East Studios in NYC for Nilsson's album, 'Pussy Cats,' that Lennon was producing at the time. Approximately 95 minutes in length, songs heard on these recordings include: Rock Island Line, Midnight Special, Wake Up Little Susie, Railroad Bill, Everyday, Maybe Baby (all with Paul Simon), Let the Good Times Roll, Send Me Some Loving, Baby I Want to Play House, Stand By Me, Give Me Head (improv), Alright Alright, You Can't Catch Me, That's Alright Mama, Well Alright (jam), Do You Wanna Dance, Dance All Night, Can't Get It Right (jam), We're Having a Party, Keep Your Hands Off My Baby, Stand By Me, Groupie Talk, Goodnight Baby, Johnny B. Goode, Slippin' n' Slidin', Whole Lotta Shakin', Mean Woman Blues, Be Bop a Lula, I Couldn't Sleep at All, Stand on My Face (improv). Some snippets of funny conversation and talk about the music can also be heard throughout. Included are two CD transfers of these reel-to-reel tapes plus one CD of highlights from it.

HARRY-OKE Alternate Instrumental Mixes 1 & 2

2011-09-30T20:44:00.005-04:00

Sing Along With Harry!
There have been many files circulating over the years featuring single channel and/or broken down Quad channel mixes of some of Harry's released work. The appeal is the opportunity to hear radically different mixes - some with no vocals, some with only Harry's harmonies or guide vocals and even tracks with differently mixed instrumentation. For the casual Harry fan it may not make a lot of sense. But, that's why God created fanatics. What we have here are two sets of unreleased alternate mixes. The 1st set has been around for decades and boasts instrumental and isolated channel mixes. The 2nd set we're offering for your approval is brand new, however, and comes to us courtesy of Dan & Kathy over at Kate's Track Shack. They specialize in 8 Track tapes and have kindly tapped into their inventory to offer us some very cool alternate mixes of Harry's 8 Track QUAD Tapes, Pussy Cats, Sandman & Nilsson Schmilsson. We're calling it all HARRY-OKE - and besides the chance to sing along with Harry there are also some cool audio surprises to be found here. Like the distinctive string melody producer John Lennon used in "Many Rivers To Cross," then cannibalized for his own "#9 Dream," the version of "Without You" without drums (or the bombast) or the jarring guitar work buried beneath "Gotta Get Up." Don't take these things for granted. D&K spent their spare time to put these mixes together for you, so... show some love. Thanks to Harry Head from Boston for the irreverent cover art. Big thanks to ChevyW for creating a wonderful stereo version of Alternative Instrumental Mixes 1, the set that's been traveling around for decades in Harry circles. Long time listeners will immediately hear the difference. Get it all HERE.

Alternate Instrumental Mixes 1 (New Stereo Version)
Girlfriend (instrumental)
Cuddly Toy (alternate)
She Sang Hymns Out Of Tune (alternate)
You Can't Do That (alternate)
One (alternate)
Wasting My Time (instrumental)
The Puppy Song (instrumental)
Nobody Cares About The Railroads Anymore (instrumental)
I Guess The Lord Must Be In New York City (instrumental)
Anita (Intro to Vine Street) (instrumental)
Yellow Man (alternate)
So Long Dad (alternate)
I'd Rather Be Dead (alternate)
The Ivy Covered Walls (alternate)

Alternate Instrumental Mixes 2 (NEW!)
Gotta Get Up (instrumental)
Without You (alternate)
I'll Never Leave You (instrumental)
Many Rivers To Cross (alternate)
Don't Forget Me (instrumental)
Mucho Mungo-Mt. Elga (alternate)
Loop de Loop (instrumental)
Rock Around The Clock (instrumental)
Save The Last Dance For Me (alternate)
The Flying Saucer Song (instrumental)
Jesus Christ You're Tall (alternate)
Pretty Soon There'll Be Nothing Left For Everybody (instrumental)
How To Write A Song (instrumental)

RELATED POSTS: (Click For Pop-Up Windows)
HARRY-OKE Harry (Instrumental & Vocal Only Versions 2010)
HARRY-OKE Aerial Ballet (Instrumental & Vocal Only Versions 2010)
HARRY-OKE Skidoo Songs (Instrumental & Vocal Only Versions 2012)

RINGO STARR - "Harry's Song" (2008)

2011-09-30T13:35:00.000-04:00

Ringo Starr
"Harry's Song" (2008)

Ringo's new studio album, Liverpool 8, features an original track dedicated to Harry Nilsson entitled "Harry's Song." Connoisseurs may notice the stylistic similarities to Eric Idle & Charlie Dore's "Harry," from Flash Harry (hear that one here). Still, it's a friendly, fitting and familiar setting for Ringo's vocals. Many thanks to John Krane for sharing this one. Get it HERE.

Ringo Starr Harry's Song (4:10)

BOOTSY SPANKINS, P.I. All I Want For Christmas Is To Be Left Alone (2008)

2011-09-30T12:32:00.000-04:00

Bootsy Spankins, P.I. (the alter ego of musician Brendan Castner) has issued a self-made, 12 track Christmas album that dips heavily into the Nilsson and Nilsson Sings Newman songbooks. Making use of beautifully sparse arrangements, Spankins successfully captures the sometimes bittersweet melancholy inherent in some of Harry & Randy's better work. The highlight of the four Nilsson/Newman related tunes Bootsy has kindly donated to FTLOH, is a stunning piano & bass interpretation of "Din' We," a song originally heard on the Popeye movie soundtrack but never officially released by Harry himself. Stripped of the film's stringed instrumentation and film-fitting comic vocal, Spankins (with pianist Ricky Riccardi) showcases "Din' We" in the naked, Nilsson Sings Newman style, bringing the previously hidden beauty of Harry's composition to life - for the first time - in a gorgeous, live-in-the-studio performance. The same care is given to all the Harry-related cuts on All I Want For Christmas Is To Be Left Alone; "Remember (Christmas)," a superb rendition of Nilsson & Newman's "Snow" and Randy's "The Beehive State," which is expertly coupled with "St. James Infirmary." Hear them all below and visit Bootsy's MySpace page to hear more and purchase a limited edition copy of the full album. (PS: In case it crossed your mind too, we've already officially requested that Spankins record the entire Popeye soundtrack in the same vein). Download all four tracks HERE.

Din' We (Nilsson) 3:17
Snow (Newman) 2:35
Remember (Christmas) (Nilsson) 2:41
Medley: St. James Infirmary/The Beehive State (Mills/Newman) 4:02

JOHN KRANE Doris, Buzz & Friends (2008)

2011-09-30T12:20:00.001-04:00

Musician John Krane has just released an album of all original material and is kindly offering it for free download on For The Love Of Harry. The album contains no Nilsson material, but Harry's spirit is obviously present - whether it's the comic belch that punctuates the opener, "Doris Buzz," the Harry-esque piano that introduces "Sarah" or the special, digital cover John has put together (a tribute to Nilsson Schmilsson) featuring Harry's actual robe, purchased at auction last year and previously reported here (see below). Doris, Buzz & Friends should appeal to pop lovers of all kinds (Krane's vocals compare admirably to Paul Simon's). You can hear some below. The album is also available at iTunes. At the very least, leave a comment and say thanks to a musician willing to share his music with you (not to mention the various Harry rarities JK has donated for us all). Visit John's webpage to get a special, high quality download version of Doris, Buzz & Friends with new artwork, liner notes and unreleased music for a mere $5 (via PayPal). Supporting working musicians is good. Get it HERE. Many thanks, John.

Doris Buzz (2:30)
I Lost My Life One Day (2:33)
Cal Ripken (Chan Marshall's Neck Vein) (2:19)
Shadow and Clementine Again (3:17)
The Political Campaign (2:34)
The True Story of the Japanese Bat Bomb (3:39)
Q: Who Will Be The One To Save The World? (2:29)
A: John Mayer (2:52)
When The Cubs Lose (1:49)
Sarah (7:07)

Back Story: From Dec. 2007
Backstageauctions.com has auctioned the robe you see here worn by Harry. It was won by John Krane, a fan, musician and a FTLOH "Friend Of Harry." We all know that Nilsson's fondness for bath robes wasn't confined to the covers of Nilsson Schmillson and Flash Harry. Besides recording sessions, Harry was known to show up in many a public place wearing little more than his robe. Congrats, John.

DREW SMITH "Nilsson Sings Newman" (2008)

2011-09-30T12:20:00.000-04:00

DREW SMITH
"Nilsson Sings Newman" (2:32)
From Drew Smith's Lonely Choir, 2008

Austin based singer/songwriter Drew Smith has already earned a reputation as a Nilsson fanatic. Visit his website and the first thing you'll hear is this charming ode to Harry entitled, "Nilsson Sings Newman" (not to be confused with Paul Williams' similarly titled 1974 tribute). His debut album, Drew Smith's Lonely Choir, draws heavily from The Beatles' School of Pop, of which Nilsson is an alumni, and his sharp, savvy, intuitive melodies should appeal to power-pop lovers of all persuasions. Spinner just conducted an interview with Smith where he discusses spending a fantasy lost weekend with Harry and names Nilsson and The Beatles as his favorite songwriters. In fact, Smith just recently landed his cover version of "Get Back" on the extremely cool online/live project, The Beatles Complete On Ukulele, a series of 185 projected Beatles' covers (over a 3-1/2 year period) that is available for free download just by visiting. You can hear even more of Drew Smith's work on his MySpace page. Download the engaging "Nilsson Sings Newman" HERE.

Drew Smith "Nilsson Sings Newman" (2:32) Drew Smith's Lonely Choir, 2008

The acoustic video below of "Nilsson Sings Newman" was taped July 5, 2010, while the electric version was recorded June 5, 2010. Both in Austin, Texas.

PAUL STARLING "I Guess The Lord Must Be In New York City" (2008)

2011-09-30T12:01:00.000-04:00

Musician Paul Starling wrote to tell us that he was so inspired by some of the discoveries he made at FTLOH, he recorded a cover of Harry's "I Guess The Lord Must Be In New York City" - just last night. "I sang and played all the instruments while my dad added harmonica," Paul wrote, "...anyway, it's nothing close to Nilsson's, nothing ever will be." Well, we liked Paul's beautiful pop vocals and the whole idea of an exclusive, freshly minted cover, and thought you might, too. Paul humbly failed to mention his new CD of original material, Doors & Windows, at Rockshot Records & iTunes, so we will. You can hear some excellent stuff on his MySpace page, too. Thanks for spreading a little Harry around, Paul. Get it HERE.

Paul Starling I Guess The Lord Must Be In New York City (3:17)

Mojo (November, 2008)

2011-09-30T11:36:00.000-04:00

The November '08 issue of Mojo Magazine features an "Ask Fred" segment regarding the deaths of both Mama Cass Elliot (The Mamas & The Papas) and Keith Moon (The Who) in Harry Nilsson's 70s London flat. There's nothing new in the way of unique information, though author Fred Dellar is his usual, spot-on self. For those that have never heard the tale, it's an odd one. Click the article for a pop up read.

Mojo (April, 2008)

2011-09-30T11:25:00.000-04:00

The April '08 issue of the UK's most essential Mojo magazine features a well-researched, 7 page spread on everybody's favorite Harry. As usual, Mojo has managed to dig up some rare, unseen photographs and has talked to many of the usual suspects - Van Dyke Parks, Perry Botkin, Curtis Armstrong, among others - about Harry's highs & lows. Author Erik Himmelsbach notes on his blog that the piece was originally turned in to Mojo in August, 2004. Click on each page for an easy to read pop-up enlargement, then visit www.mojo4music.com for Mojo's cheeky gathering of YouTube clips (all of which are also found @ FTLOH) documenting portions of Harry's career. The world's best rock mag (especially for us 60s types) even included a link at the bottom that will send you right back here... to For The Love Of Harry.

Deadpool #1 (2008)

2011-09-30T10:00:00.000-04:00

We snagged these from the cool comic & music blog, Cable & Tweed. Four panels from Marvel's Deadpool #1 (by Daniel Way & Paco Medina), showing the title character messin' with the Skrull. Rich @ C&T suggests that "Jump Into The Fire" might have been a more appropriate soundtrack. But, cool art is cool art... regardless. Click for pretty enlargements. Thanks, Rich.

One - The Best of Nilsson (2007)

2011-09-20T23:55:00.000-04:00

The UK's Music Club (Deluxe) has released a new Harry Nilsson compilation entitled One - The Best of Nilsson. It's a 36 song, 2CD set of Harry's hits and album faves spanning 1967-77, and is quite different from the 49 track Personal Best anthology. There's nothing new in the way of rarities, though it does end with Nilsson's cover of John Lennon's "Isolation," which appeared as a bonus track on the reissue of Aerial Pandemonium Ballet. You can click on the back cover (or check Comments) for the track listing. It's only available in Europe and not available for download here (though you can check the archives for other greatest hits releases).