Staff Picks Blog

John Waite had a song out recently that had a line, “Don’t you remember me? I sang that song you liked, way back in ’83.”  The same could be said for Harry Nilsson. Most people may not remember the name but most will remember the music. He sang, Fred Neil’s , Everybody’s Talkin, and a cover of Badfingers, Without You. His own work includes the epic Coconut, Jump into the fire, Gotta Get up. His work can be heard in moves like, You Got Mail, Goodfellas and Practical Magic. I remember two of his songs that are from my childhood, Cuddly Toy by The Monkees and The theme from The Courtship of Eddies Father. His music is still being used today but Harry seemed to be falling through the cracks until this last year when a great documentary, Who is Harry Nilson (and why is everybody talkin about him?) came out.  I thought this was one of the best documentaries I have ever seen. We get to see what shaped him and who changed him. Here is a hint for those of you who know about John Lennon and the lost weekend Harry was there. The stories are told by his friends and family and just like any  good biography  you really get interested in the subject. Legendary record producer Richard Perry talks about working with him on a Grammy winning record of the year only to follow it up with The Break- Up Song, which includes one of those words they don’t like on radio. Harry was complex and loved. Unappreciated during his life and in death worshiped by some. You can see that in the people who were interviewed, Yoko Ono, Jimmy Webb, Micky Dolenz and many others all have unique stories and memories and they are all revealed with a degree of respect. Finally, there is a lot of music in this film and as you watch you may remember him. I know I did. Check this out you won’t be sorry.