Remembering Harry Nilsson

Harry Edward Nilsson III was born June 15, 1941, in Brooklyn, NY. His paternal grandfather was the great Claude Nilsson who created an act known as an “aerial ballet”. He enlisted the entire family into the act and they were know as the Flying Nilsson’s. The Flying Nilsson’s appeared on The Ed Sullivan show and performed all over the world.

The act broke up due to in fighting and drug abuse. Harry’s father was very upset and turned his back on the entire family. Harry then spent his childhood in California and New York. Nilsson then decided to forget aerial ballet and take up singing.

Beatles Love Nilsson

Harry had some success as a songwriter. Nilsson then signed with RCA Victor in 1966 and released an album the following year. The Beatles loved Nilsson and called him their favorite artist. He was eventually known as the 27th Beatle.

Remembering Harry Nilsson — Harry Nilsson Illustration By Paul King Art

In 1971, Nilsson released the most successful album of his career. Nilsson Schmilsson yielded three stylistically different hit singles. The first was a cover of Badfinger’s song Without You. The second single was “Coconut”, a novelty calypso number featuring four characters (the narrator, the brother, the sister, and the doctor) all sung (at Perry’s suggestion) in different voices by Nilsson. The song is best remembered for its chorus lyric (“Put de lime in de coconut, and drink ’em both up”). The third single, “Jump into the Fire”, was raucous rock and roll, including a drum solo by Derek and the Dominos’ Jim Gordon and a detuned bass part by Herbie Flowers.

Lost Weekend

Nilsson never reached that level of success again and spent the rest of the 1970s drinking with John Lennon in California. These years were known as John Lennon’s lost weekend. During this time, Yoko asked him to leave and set him up with a new asian chippie, May Pang. John, Nilsson, Ringo, Micky Dolenz, Ringo, Keith Moon, Alice Cooper and a bunch of beggars and hangers on spent their time drinking, carousing and living it up in Los Angeles.

Nilsson married Una O’Keeffe on August 12, 1976. They remained married until his death on January 15, 1994. They had six children. Harry was considered one of the greatest and eclectic songwriters of all time. Courtship of Eddie’s Father, Midnight Cowboy and One by Three Dog Night sums it up.