Harry Nilsson

Born Harry Nilsson in 1941, he recorded under several different names, but never using the name Harry. In 1964 he recorded Baa Baa Blacksheep and Do You Wanna (Have Some Fun) as Bo Pete. He also recored Donna I Understand as Johnny Niles. In 1972 he recorded Joy as Buck Earle.

Most of his recordings though, he was known simply as Nilsson.

Nilsson was best known for his hits, “Lime in the Coconut”, ”Without You”,  ”Everybody’s Talkin’” and for composing such hits as Three Dog Night’s “One”.

Later in life he did a lot of commission work for movies, and in 1985 set up a production company to oversee various movie, TV and multimedia projects. In 1990, the company, Hawkeye, produced only one movie before going broke, and Nilsson found himself in some serious financial trouble after it was discovered that his financial advisor had embezzled all of the money he had ever made as a recording artist.

Nilsson’s family wound up with a net worth of $300 and the stress was enough that he suffered a heart attack in 1993 and died of a massive heart attack a few months later.

Without You

“Without You” is a song originally recorded by Badfinger for their album No Dice (1970), and written by Pete Ham and Tom Evans.  Its verse was composed by Ham, originally titled “If It’s Love”, but had lacked a strong chorus. Evans had written a chorus without a strong verse, so the duo fused the two sections together. The protagonist of this ballad lets a lover know that they “can’t live if living is without you”. Badfinger’s recording of the song, which is more brusque than its successors’ versions, languished as an obscure album track until it was noticed a year later by Harry Nilsson.

Nilsson heard Badfinger’s recording of “Without You” at a party, and took it to be a Beatles song. After realizing it was not, he decided to cover the song for his album Nilsson Schmilsson.

No, I can’t forget this evening
Or your face as you were leaving
But I guess that’s just the way the story goes
You always smile but in your eyes your sorrow shows
Yes, it shows

No, I can’t forget tomorrorow
When I think of all my sorrows
When I had you there but then I let you go
And now it’s only fair that I should let you know
What you should know

I can’t live if living is without you
I can’t live, I can’t give any more
Can’t live if living is without you
I can’t give, I can’t give any more

No, I can’t forget this evening
Or your face as you were leaving
But I guess that’s just the way the story goes
You always smile but in your eyes your sorrow shows
Yes, it shows

Can’t live if living is without you
I can’t live, I can’t give anymore
I can’t live if living is without you
Can’t live, I can’t give anymore
(Living is without you)

• Audio from the 1971 Nilsson Schmilsson album:

Tagged as: Harry Nilsson

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Born Harry Nilsson in 1941, he recorded under several different names, but never using the name Harry. In 1964 he recorded Baa Baa Blacksheep and Do You Wanna (Have Some Fun) as Bo Pete. He also recored Donna I Understand as Johnny Niles. In 1972 he recorded Joy as Buck Earle.

Most of his recordings though, he was known simply as Nilsson.

Nilsson was best known for his hits, “Lime in the Coconut”, ”Without You”,  ”Everybody’s Talkin’” and for composing such hits as Three Dog Night’s “One”.

Later in life he did a lot of commission work for movies, and in 1985 set up a production company to oversee various movie, TV and multimedia projects. In 1990, the company, Hawkeye, produced only one movie before going broke, and Nilsson found himself in some serious financial trouble after it was discovered that his financial advisor had embezzled all of the money he had ever made as a recording artist.

Nilsson’s family wound up with a net worth of $300 and the stress was enough that he suffered a heart attack in 1993 and died of a massive heart attack a few months later.

Coconut

The third single from his 1971 album, Nilsson Schmilsson it features three distinct characters (the narrator, the sister, and the doctor) all sung in different voices by Nilsson.

Brother bought a coconut, he bought it for a dime
His sister had another one, she paid it for a lime.
She put the lime in the coconut, she drank them both up
She put the lime in the coconut, she drank them both up
She put the lime in the coconut, she drank them both up
She put the lime in the coconut, she called the doctor, woke him up,
And said, “Doctor, ain’t there nothin’ I can take,
I say, Doctor, to relieve this belly ache?
I say, Doctor, ain’t there nothin’ I can take,
I say, Doctor, to relieve this belly ache?”
“Now let me get this straight “,
Put the lime in the coconut, you drank them both up
Put the lime in the coconut, you drank them both up
Put the lime in the coconut, you drank them both up
Put the lime in the coconut, you called your doctor, woke him up,
And say, ‘Doctor, ain’t there nothing I can take,
I say, Doctor, to relieve this belly ache?
I say, Doctor, doctor, ain’t there nothin’ I can take,
I say, Doctor, dooooctor, to relieve this belly ache?’
Put the lime in the coconut, drink them both together,
Put the lime in the coconut, then you feel better,
Put the lime in the coconut, drink them both up,
Put the lime in the coconut, and call me in the morning
Wouh wouh wouh wouh wouh
Brother bought a coconut, he bought it for a dime
His sister had another one, she paid it for a lime.
She put the lime in the coconut, she drank them both up,
She put the lime in the coconut, she called the doctor, woke him up,
Say “Doctor, ain’t there nothin’ I can take,
I say, Doctor, to relieve this belly ache?
I say, Doctor, ain’t there nothin’ I can take,
I say Doctor! let me get this straight”.
You put the lime in the coconut, drink them both up,
You put the lime in the coconut, drink them both up,
You put the lime in the coconut, drink them both up,
Put the lime in the coconut, you such a silly woman!,
Put the lime in the coconut, drink them both together,
Put the lime in the coconut, then you feel better.
Put the lime in the coconut, drink them both down
Put the lime in the coconut, and call me in the morning
Woo Woo, ain’t there nothin’ you can take, I say
Woo Woo, to relieve my belly ache,
You say woo woo ain’t there nothin’ I can take, I say
Woo woo, to relieve your belly ache,
You say yah yah, ain’t there nothin’ I can take, I say
Waah waah, to relieve this belly ache,
I say doctor!, ain’t there nothin’ I can take,
I say doctor!, ain’t there nothin’ I can take,
I say doctor!, ain’t there nothin’ I can take,
I say Doctor!, you such a silly woman!,
Put the lime in the coconut, drink them both together,
Put the lime in the coconut, then you feel better,
Put the lime in the coconut, drink them both up,
Put the lime in the coconut, and call me in the moooooorning,
Yes, you call me in the morning,
If you call me in the morning, then

Tagged as: Harry Nilsson

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