Nilsson Album-by-Album Thread*

I've searched but I cannot find a Harry Nilsson Album by Album thread...was one ever done here? I would love to read it if it exists.

 

This is a great idea, if anyone deserved an album thread it's Harry! My favourite album is Sandman and I guess I'm the only one. Love to discuss stuff like that!

 

I love that album too...maybe there's a Nilsson expert here somewhere who'd be willing to undertake this project - I don't really know that much about his except that I love his records!

 

Today is the 19th anniversary of his passing. The thread should be made; it's overdue.

 

I'm all for it. It took me 40 years to discover Harry, and I have been obsessed ever since. A stunning talent, a giant.

But NOBODY outside forums like this one knows about him. A shame.

 

I'm on board if it happens!

 

Everyone of a certain age knows Everybody's Talkin', Without You, the theme from Courtship of Eddie's Father, Coconut, One (by Three Dog Night, anyway). A decent number vaguely remember The Point.

What is true is that outside of that handful of songs, most recall him only vaguely, if at all, and as a tangential figure (which, in truth, he kind of was outside of Nilsson Schmilsson).

If you're under 35-40, however, you may well only know Mariah Carey's version of Without You, which took Nilsson's as a blueprint.

 

Count me in, for at least all the way through Nilsson Schmilsson.

(I think rdnzl88 needs to pick up the hint, change the thread title and let's get started!)

 

Let's get this thread started! Even though Spotlight On Nilsson was the first Nilsson album released, I bet no-one on this board knew about it at the time. We better talk about it later on when discussing rarer stuff, and focus on his RCA output first. Anybody bought this record when it was released?



Pandemonium Shadow Show is the second album by Harry Nilsson. It was the first product of his three-year, $50,000 recording contract with RCA Records, and was recorded in their Hollywood studio. Unlike virtually all his earlier records, Show employed the full potential of Nilsson's voice in the recording studio, turning him into what was described as a "chorus of ninety-eight voices".
Nilsson had hoped to use the title Something Wicked This Way Comes, and had asked sci-fi author Ray Bradbury for permission. But approval hadn't come by the release date, so the lesser-known title was chosen (of a circus sideshow appearing in Bradbury's novel) instead.
Among the original songs by Nilsson, were one by Phil Spector (who had earlier co-written a song with Nilsson), Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich, "River Deep - Mountain High", and two by The Beatles; She's Leaving Home and "You Can't Do That", the latter in an arrangement that quoted twenty other Beatles lyrics. Three other songs were written by Jesse Lee Kincaid, Botkin and Garfield, and Cliff Hess, Howard Johnson and Milton Ager.
The album debuted to little public attention in the US and England, although it was an immediate hit in Canada, where "You Can't Do That" was a top 10 hit. Beatles publicist Derek Taylor heard "1941" on his car radio waiting for his wife at the supermarket and, enjoying the track, ordered a case of copies, sending them out to various industry people he believed would be interested including The Beatles, who later invited Nilsson to London and helped further his career.
A cover of "1941" by Canadian folk/rock artist Tom Northcott charted in both Canada and the US in 1968.
Fellow musician and earlier collaborator Chip Douglas introduced Nilsson to The Monkees whom he was producing. Nilsson gave an impromptu audition of his latest songs, and covered his songs ("Cuddly Toy", and later "Daddy's Song") as well as becoming friends. ”Without Her” was covered by Blood, Sweat and Tears on Child Is Father to the Man and Herb Alpert and the Tijuana Brass on the album Warm.
His early work sold better after Nilsson had become better established through hits like "Without You" and albums like Nilsson Schmilsson. Nilsson revamped several tracks from his first two albums to produce one of the first remix albums, Aerial Pandemonium Ballet, in 1971.

All tracks composed by Harry Nilsson; except where indicated
Side 1

1. "Ten Little Indians" – 2:13
2. "1941" – 2:36
3. "Cuddly Toy" – 2:45
4. "She Sang Hymns Out of Tune" (Jesse Lee Kincaid) – 2:19
5. "You Can't Do That" (John Lennon, Paul McCartney) – 2:16
6. "Sleep Late, My Lady Friend" – 2:41

Side 2

1. "She's Leaving Home" (Lennon, McCartney) – 3:16
2. "There Will Never Be" (Perry Botkin, Jr., Garfield) – 2:27
3. "Without Her" – 2:18
4. "Freckles" (Cliff Hess, Howard Johnson, Milton Ager) – 2:21
5. "It's Been So Long" – 2:09
6. "River Deep - Mountain High" (Phil Spector, Jeff Barry, Ellie Greenwich) – 3:53

 

Pandemonium Shadow Show has been on my Nilsson wishlist for years, but alas, I've never come across a CD edition anywhere.

 

The cover of "River Deep, Mountain High" is so damn good here.

 

I didn't realize that... and randomly I watched the documentary about him yesterday on Netflix!

 

It's surprised me , how little info there is on here of Nilsson. I've just caught the vinyl bug and was trying to get some insight into what Nilsson vinyl was worth picking up.

8 mins later........

To late just bought the reissue of The Point couldn't resist.

 

There's a great blog out there (For the Love of Harry) which unearths a ton of really rare stuff. Nilsson's career was a real odd duck. Particularly in the way he seemed to intentionally tank himself after Nilsson Schmillson.

 

It came out in Japan as a cardboard-sleeved affair a few years back.

 

This is a very good idea for a thread. I only own his Randy Newman covers album and Nilsson Schmilsson albums but after watching that documentary on his life that came out a few years ago, I am interested in checking out more albums from him. I'll definitely follow this thread with interest even if, at this point, I can't contribute much to it.

 

And check out the original promo box of the Pandemonium LP that appeared in 1967, with balloons, photos, a button, etc.:

http://fortheloveofharry.blogspot.com/2008/08/true-one-promo-1967.html

Arnie

 

I've got the mono LP and the RCA CD. A good album, I'd rank it somewhere in the middle of his catalog.

 

Anyone listen to Howard Stern this morning? He had Robert Carradine and Curtis “Booger” Armstrong on, from Revenge of the Nerds, and apparently Curtis Armstrong wrote liner notes for seven Nilsson remasters. Not sure what remasters – I don’t recall ever seeing his name on any CDs I own, but then again, I never looked. Howard played a game with him, to see if he could identify Nilsson songs by just hearing the first second. He got ‘em all, though to be fair, they were all “greatest hits” fare.

Anyway, I consider Pandemonium Shadow Show to be a very good “debut” (for RCA, that is), but somewhat weaker than the albums which followed it. I adore “1941”, which I think stands as one of his greatest songs.

 

This album is really Nilsson starting to find his way and giving hints of what was to come. There are no tracks on this album that I don't like or love, but I mostly prefer his own songs to the covers. She's Leaving Home is very beautiful, but the original is hard to beat. We shouldn't forget the fact that he covered it so quickly after the release of SPLHCB, which is quite cool. My least favourite track on the record is the cover of River Deep, Mountain High. I wonder what his reasons were for covering that one, except for having worked with Phil and probably admiring the song. Did he think that just maybe it could be a hit? Since the original flopped in the US?
My favourite songs are Ten Little Indiands, 1941, Cuddly Toy, Sleep Late My Lady Friend, Without Her and It's Been So Long.

 

I like Pandemonium Shadow Show, but I just don't think it's anywhere near as good as his next two albums. There are some fine songs here, amid others which are just clever ("Ten Little Indians") or very well produced ("You Can't Do That"). To me, this is better produced than written, or maybe even sung.

To me, it's funny that this album had the impact it did on the Beatles and their gang, but that's because I'm looking at it from a great distance of time, and not when it came out. I think what John and Paul liked about it, beyond the nods in their direction, was the newness of the invention, of using oldish melodies and circus sounds to present a kind of singer-songwriter concept before its time. I can hear the harmonium stuff in "She Sings Hymns Out Of Tune" and wonder if John was hearing a step forward from "Being For The Benefit Of Mr. Kite."

To me, the standouts are "1941," "Sleep Late My Lady Friend," "Cuddly Toy," and "Without Her." The rest don't do nearly so much for me. I especially don't think he needed to cover "She's Leaving Home" or "River Deep, Mountain High." He sings great on both, but they don't add anything to the experience for me.

 

I heard that as well and was hoping he would get more into the Nilsson talk. Curtis is Nilsson expert and has written liner notes to at least 6 or 7 of the reissues. I just wish the rest of his early albums were reissued and the final three or four which weren't remastered/reissed either.
Not to make this a sad thread but the news (confirmed by Curtis) that the Nilsson box set was being scrapped was the saddest box set news for me since the canceling of the Warren Zevon set some years back. Two of my favorites that really should have been given the treatment. I'm not sure why Hip-O or Rhino wouldn't want to do these as limited edition sets. I'm sure 5,000 or even 1,000 would sell enough.
Alright enough sadness, back to the music!

 

I had Pandemonium Shadow Show on used vinyl as a kid that I bought years after my Uncle turned me on to Nilsson with The Point! (that story can wait for when we get to that title). Good album, but what came afterward down the line weakened it a little, especially since I was hooked on Harry's later work before I bought this one. I regret never buying the 1995 CD reissue...it was one of those "it will stay in print, i'll get it eventually" mindsets that I should have learned my lesson after issues with getting The Point! on CD (another story down the line).