Reviews (page 2 of 13)
I mean… there’s plenty of schmaltz on this album to not like. And then the man goes and adds de lime to de coconut and suddenly you’re back to being 7 years old, laughing at it, and wanting to throw on another star.
https://media.tenor.com/sHWFG0eUKcQAAAAd/jonah-jameson-crap.gif
Trodde faktiskt han hade skrivit Without you, och så är det Badfinger. Habilt, men nä.
70s schmaltz, but some good signing and a few good grooves. Had only ever heard the coconut song before, which is not representative. I think this music would have been long forgotten without the novelty factor. Dude strikes me as the Ed Sheeran of the 70s.
Leftover dregs of the sixties with nothing to say. Painful.
This is like if you mixed Harry Styles and The Beatles but it sucked ass
Front half is extremely schizophrenic feeling. Instrument choices are all over the place throughout the album. Lots of songs feel more like musical ideas rather than fleshed out songs. As someone who's appreciation of The Beatles mostly comes from post-Beatles acts such as ELO, this album really doesn't hit the spot for me. I struggle to find any appreciation for most of the tracks on the album. The drum break and subsequent build up on the back half of "Jump Into the Fire" is the most interesting musical moment on the album. I feel like without intimate knowledge of the historical context of this album it is impossible to appreciate some of the choices made here. So many times during this listen I found myself thinking "why that choice!?". "Lamaze" and "Coconut" feel offensive to my time as a listener. I honestly had flashbacks to being 4 years old and watching Raffi VHS tapes during parts of this. *----
This whole album felt like a prank I wasn’t too keen
Gimmicky, forgettable album. So forgettable I had to remind myself what songs are there on the album other than the "coconut" song. Peaks at rhyming "each other" with "each other" about 4 times. Mediocre af.
Nilsson has shown that he can put out high quality material like Everybody’s Talking (Theme from Midnight Cowboy) but this album is just classic dreck with songs like Without you and Coconut. Even the Spanish version Si no estas is pure shmaltz.
fuck you harry nilsson
A master class in songwriting. Nilsson knows exactly what he wants to do then executes it perfectly. Heartfelt, insightful, and absurd in turns, there isn’t a miss on the album. Whoever decided to follow Without a you with Coconut is genius.
stone cold classic. everyone knows "coconut", and probably "without you" (although they may know the original by badfinger), but the rest of the album is great. all over the board with styles. "down" and "jump into the fire" rock. "gotta get up", "driving along", and "early in the morning" are catchy numbers. big fan. have his box set. surprising this is his only album on the list. if you like this check out: "song of schmilsson" - the most like "nilsson schmilsson". similar, but more brash, adult. "you're breaking my heart" (you're tearin' it apart, so fuck you) and "spaceman". big players on this one. "pandemonium shadow show" - some great beatles' covers and "cuddly toy" which the monkees would go on to record. "harry" - some more great covers, "i guess the lord must be in new york city", "puppy song", and "maybe". "nilsson sings newman" - all randy newman covers with randy newman, need i say more? "a little touch of schmilsson in the night" - all standards.
Simply exceptional. His voice straddles this line of weirdness and vulnerability and I'm here for it all. Perfect 3-minute tunes that are catchy af.
This is one of the best albums ever made. Also the most buoyant joyful exciting albums about manic depression
gotta get up, 9/10. very interesting start. driving along, 8.5/10. can hear some of the beatles. early in the morning, 7.5/10. laid back. the moonbeam song, 9/10. beautiful. down, 9/10. honky tonky. without you, 9/10. coconut, 8/10. unique. let the good times roll, 8.5/10. jump into the fire, 9/10. i'll never leave you, 9/10. beautiful. gorgeous album, can really hear where the beatles took inspiration. great! fav: down least fav: early in the morning
great album! was surprised by it, definitely something I see myself putting on wheen I'm chilling at home on a sunday
Awesome album by one of the greatest singers in history. He can do it all and shows it in every song.
I'm so dam far behind on the list, but this one inspires me to move on.
Harry Nilsson’s breakout masterpiece *Nilsson Schmilsson* is a masterfully produced, mixed, and mastered 5/5 gem that boasts zero filler across its wonderfully diverse sonic landscape. The album kicks off with an energetic and pleasant start on Gotta Get Up, which effortlessly transitions into the lyrical charm of Driving Along. Nilsson then pivots hard into the blues with Early in the morning, a track that serves as an early showcase for his flat-out amazing vocal range and delivery. While softer moments like the gentle atmosphere of The Moonbeam Song and the decent, tender closer I'll Never Leave You keep the album grounded, the record truly shines when it experiments with genre boundaries. Down seamlessly blends blues and jazz into something incredibly smooth, while the sweeping emotional peak of Without You delivers massive Beatles and Queen vibes through its beautiful instrumentation, great lyrics, and phenomenal vocal performance. Nilsson isn't afraid to get weird either; the goofy, tropical novelty of Coconut turns out to be an infectiously catchy and groovy earworm, while Let the Good Times Roll delivers exactly the kind of straightforward, feel-good rock energy its title promises. The ultimate highlight, however, is the explosive energy of Jump into the Fire, a brilliant multi-genre fusion driven by a slapping bassline, hypnotic guitar work, and absolutely on-point drumming. Ultimately, with its sharp lyricism, musical variety, and staggering vocal execution, there is absolutely nothing to dislike about this flawless record.
5/5. Nilsson combines incredible dexterity in genre, with a sophisticated and often subtle vocal performance that is worthy of being remembered. From the opening chords of "Gotta get up", to the Calypso feel of "Coconut", to the driving rock of Jump in the Fire", to the soft coos of "I'll never Leave you" and "the Moonbeam Song", Nilsson demands our attention, as he takes us on a journey of classic 1940s blues hits to Nilsson's own (and at times oddly brilliant) creations. If you have not listened to this album, you are missing out.
What an eclectic album! Swinging between different moods and feelings. Really entertaining, with some amazing hits, and interesting songs
WOW. NON. STOP. BANGERS. also the devastating without you song closely followed by coconut….. impeccable
Another excellent album from the best year in music, 1971. I played the song Jump Into the Fire so often and so loud that it's a wonder my parents didn't throw my radio into the fire
One of the all time great American records. Infinitely listenable.
P Schmils
This is a great album full of Harry Nilsson's quirky songs.
I love this album and have already listened to it
Great album, lots of hits
Amé. Ahora que me doy cuenta, sale en varios soundtracks
The album has a timeless quality that I really like. It is at times playful and adventurous. It is a varied album - genres and vibes. I quite enjoyed this album and would give it 5 stars for Coconut alone.
Harry got groove! Maybe a bit generous with the 5 star but it’s close. 9/10
One of the greatest albums ever recorded. This was a welcomed treat.
lol, this record is legit pretty fun. But the thing that makes me happiest about this weirdo is that he actually recorded “Without You” in Spanish. But then halfway through, he loses steam and reverts back to English. I don’t know why that seems so funny to me. But I appreciate a guy who couldn’t give a shit less, evidently, about coming up with a compelling album title or cover art, which I guess probably should have been some sort of an indication that he’d have no problem phoning it in for the back half of "Si No Estas Tu". Pretty psyched on this one. My only real experience with Harry Nilsson is with the song “Without You”, which is still one of my fave depressing songs. So I was half expecting a record full of enjoyable, but mopey, ballads. This record is really not that at all, which I would have thought would bum me out, but I’m really digging this anyway. This one is a 4-star record that flirts pretty heavy with being a 5-star...and I pretty much have to round up considering the laughs he's provided me. 9/10
Really loved this. Well, “Coconut” was a little weird but the second time through, I even enjoyed that one. I added “Without You” to my playlist.
I had no idea the same guy wrote all these! I had “you put the lime in the coconut” stuck in my head all weekend.
Increíble
Full of charm and perfect melodies. Coconut is silly but incredibly funny. Without you is moving and beautifully sang. Gotta get up is the perfect opening song. All of this album is an absolute delight, there is not a note out of place.
Awesome variety, and great songwriting!
5.0
Un disco muy bueno! La canción Coconut es muy divertida y pegadiza y la versión de Without you es fenomenal! Es un disco que te levanta el ánimo, con mezclas de Rock y Folk, hace que disfrutes de un disco lleno de vida y ánimo, muy recomendado!
muito curtinho mas gostei
I love it
Surprisingly extremely catchy. Probably the best album I've had so far. Lots of songs from movies. Without You was the best on here
i really liked it, jingled my bells very well
So much fun
I love the layout of the album. I feel I have a sense of this man's life and personality
It's a Travel of emotions, very good album 9/10.
He has been under my radar for so long until I finally figured out it was his song that was featured in “Good Fellas.” Such an amazing album with great grooves and melodies.
Great album, loved it.
Amazing
I fucking love it. Always loved a few of these songs but the full listen works just as well. Helps its only 35 min. I don't want to be hyperbolic about Coconut, but I will. In my mind it's one of the funkiest songs ever recorded. Jump Into The Fire plays in the coked out helicopter scene in Goodfellas......which is sick! Harry Nilsson Rules
I love Harry nilsson and I love all of you, even if you like incubus.
Harry you sure loooook beeeeeaaaaaaaattttttttt aaaahhhiiiihi 😂😂 - Early In The Morning Harry isnt as well known as I want him to be. While the Beatles fell off the map in the 70s, Nilsson carried the torch of psychedelic and weird pop rock on (at least for a little while). You can hear Harry do his best Mccartney and Lennon impressions on a few of these tunes (gotta get up sounds just like For No One). Some of the Apple records guys (mainly badfinger) play/wrote some good stuff here too. Coconut and Jump Into The Fire are legendary, but when you really listen to them, they sound like cool sketches that are REALLY stretched out. Like a white album song that went 5 mins instead of 1min30 and includes a drum solo. I love how “out there” they go For laughs, I suggest digging up Lennons Lost Weekend. He partied a lot with Nilsson in the early 70s in LA and those guys got into some weird shit together
Never heard of him! Other than Coconut I guess. This was fun. The American Beatle? Seems like he should be more of a name. Reading that the Wilco album Schmilco might be a slight nod to this one.
Didn't know this guy's name but oops all bangers
A delightful surprise, another one of those discoveries. I loved this album from beginning to end. So this is the guy who sings put the lime in the coconut!
Legendary, an album defining its own category
Without You hit hard. To follow that up with Coconut? What is this album??
Banger to open, makes you “gotta get up”. Nice vibey guitar for driving follows it. Really nice lead in. Mellows, then slays on without you. Then immediately chills out with “coconut”. Can’t help but smile. Great and a little odd album.
Gotta get up 5/5 Driving Along 4.5/5 Early In the Morning 4/5 The Moonbeam Song 4/5 Down 4.5/5 Without You 5/5 Coconut 5/5 Let the Good Times Roll 5/5 Jump into the Fire 4.5/5 I’ll Never Leave You 4.5/5 Overall: 4.5
- oh my god this is such a great album - DOWNNN GOIN DOWNNN - genuinely so beautiful - lyricism is just so amazing - instrumentals are so amazing - this album is so just amazingly grand i love it so much
This is the craziest album we’ve had what do you mean all these songs are from the same record thats mental. There was no coming back after Coconut it had to be 5 stars. Also did not appreciate the album name on first glance that’s great stuff.
I CAAAAAAN’T LIIIIIIIVE IF LIVINGISWITHOUTYOUUUUUU!!!! I really bloody love Harry Nilsson and I really needed this album today. 5 stars, no notes.
i didn’t listen to this but JUMP INTO THE FIRE is a very sexy song
Fantastic. I’d listened to Nillson before but not with this much attention to detail. He flies between genres at breakneck speed but never feels out of place in any of them. Plus he’s a great singer.
One of the best examples of the pop album as art. Nilsson was a genius. A previous reviewer here was irked when they found that the album's songs are all different and don't seem to belong together. To me, that's a great marker of what has changed in popular music: Nilsson could (and did) sing anything, and the record companies were happy to spare no expense. Want the best drummer in the business? You got him. Want cocaine and liquor, along with the trombones and the strings? Let the good times roll. And when you use real (sometimes real drunk, high) musicians and instruments to make every sound, you hear the diversity of human musicmaking, and that sounds very different than the digital creations that dominate the airwaves now. I think the album contains multitudes, and if someone asked "what did it sound like and feel like after the sixties went kaput and the Beatles broke up?" Nilsson Schmilsson is a pretty good answer.
classic, longtime favorite of mine
My album with my bobo (girlfriend). We listened to this and aerial ballet on our first road trip together to Ojai. I had heard of a couple tracks but listening to this made it feel like a perfect road trip album. Makes sense why McCartney called him his favorite songwriter. I also hear a lot of similarities to Ram in the varitey of instrumentation and goofy song subjects. Just really fun and definitely essential for 70's songwriter fans.
How have I not listened to this album? Found out a lot about Harry and his music by listening and reading his Wikipedia page. It’s a shame he passed so early…like so many before and after him. Loved this record for sure.
This album really surprised me and will be one I’ll listen to again. I’d probably take this to a desert island
This entire album sounds like it could be an entire Tarantino soundtrack. I’m guessing every cool cat in 1971 owned a copy of this on 8-track similar to 1994 when everyone had a copy of REM monster.
Тот самый утренний альбом под который делаешь кофе в своем трейлере. Спокойствие от медленной, плавной жизни. Шикарно подобраны аккорды. Похоже на колыбельную в стиле кантри. Потом ты понимногу как просыпаешься и едешь на машине по делам, смесь с джазом. А потом уже после работы идёшь в ресторан-клуб как из криминального чтива (кстати и именно с этим фильмом у меня сильная ассоциация)и зажигаешь. Смесь с роком. После приходишь домой, ложишься спать и думаешь о прошедшем дне, одном, другом, о прошедшей жизни. Для меня именно то что надо. Есть радость, спокойствие отчаяние и все буквально за 30 секунд. Лично я переживала все звуки, подпевала и просто кайфовала. Слушалось с огромнейшим удовольствием. Для меня 5 из 5.
I really liked the album singer and music! I recognized some songs that I didn’t realize he sang.
Im very glad this piece of work was brought to my attention. A truly amazing album, all killer zero filler. Never heard of Nilsson, however I learned I knew some of the songs on this record. It takes real talent to have something so easy to listen to as this album, whilst still experimenting with different styles & sounds. Even the way he sings he adds so much character into what he’s saying, and the lyrics range from simplistic repetitive type, sounding like another instrument, to the complex raw emotion lyrics. I now do plan to explore his discography in hope for more experimental work from Nilsson, I hear ‘Aerial Ballet’ is meant to also be a real work of art. I love the futuristics sounds of the song ‘Early In The Morning’. His singing is so fun and full of energy which matches the repetitive backing instrument which ’m guessing is an organ playing along. Although it is Nilssons impressive vocals which is probably the most prominent part of listening to this album. I think it’s fair to give credit to those who helped write & produce this beauty. A valiant team effort created something that I’ve heard for the first time 55 years later and still be blown away. Favourite tracks are: ‘Gotta Get Up’, ‘Early in the Morning’, ‘Down’, ‘Without You’, ‘Coconut’, ‘Jump Into The Fire’.
I was vaguely aware of Harry Nilsson and the fact that a lot of people love his music, but I was surprised to discover that I was very familiar with a lot of the songs on this album--maybe in part thanks to Quentin Tarantino. I was also surprised by how much I enjoyed the songs I wasn't aware of. This is going into my regular rotation.
he SAID you put the LIME in the COCONUT!!
Amazing album. What an underrated and fantastic musician. Incredible singing range.
Excellent, very well produced album. Harry has an incredible sultry voice, would definitely listen thru again
New favorite, I am obsessed with the sound Nilsson creates. What a voice.
Actually liked it a lot. A bit silly, a lot of fun and Without You is obv a BANGER.
The Brian Wilson of slobbishly charming & funny American crooners, but I guess that is just Brian Wilson, too. Whatever, I love them both. This album is the perfect entry point into Nilsson and his singular way of doing pop music.
Amazing, Coconut is dumb but everything else is absolutely lovely
i like!!!
This was a lot of fun. So many different styles and moods. Every song kept my interest. Without You is a classic and I could have given it a 5 just based off that one song, but the rest of the songs were great too. My favorite was The Moonbeam Song, really beautiful.
This album is excellent.
Loved it then, love it more now.
I really liked this. There’s a breezy tongue in cheek feel to these songs. I’ve been told for years to listen to Nilsson and now I know why.
One of my favourite listens. Harry Nilsson can be a bit hit and miss but he is in his best form on this album.
beste album dat ik hier al ben tegen gekomen da ik nog nie kende tot nu toe, folky, neil young vibe een beetje, maar tegelijk ook weer heel anders, ik kende het nummer "early in the morning" wel al. heel experimenteel ook vind ik, in begin wat folky, beetje blues ook, moeilijk te omschrijven, maar zeeeeker een pareltje, damn
Tolles Album, lustiger Name
Ah, sweet relief. After the Streets debacle, it's a genuine pleasure to listen to this one. The best title. The best cover. The best songs. It’s kind of maddening that HN didn't give us more music, but he gave what he had to give I suppose. This is maybe the ultimate “he wrote that?” album for casuals as there are three classics here that everyone knows but maybe 1 in 1000 know Harry Nilsson’s name in 2025
Masterpiece is an understatement.
Like it or not, this album was ballsy and very diverse. "Gotta Get Up" sounds like a Billy Joel song. "Without You" is a schmaltzy melodrama. "Coconut" is just bat-shit crazy. "Jump Into the Fire" sounds like a Roxy Music track.
Album 980 of 1089 Nilsson Schmilsson - Harry Nilsson (1971) Rating : 4.5 / 5 What a great way to start the day. While the big conversations about “greatest albums ever” usually circle around Abbey Road, Rumours, Nevermind, Dark Side of the Moon, and the like, this wonderful little gem is often just sitting quietly in the corner waiting for someone to remember it. And it absolutely deserves to be in those conversations more than it is. I wasn’t old enough at the time to know how big Nilsson was in the moment, but looking back, it genuinely feels like a shame that his name doesn’t float around more when people talk about the all-time greats. His voice, his writing, his eclectic style - it’s all on display here. There’s only one track that had me wishing it would wrap up, but even that one manages to save itself with an unexpectedly emotional vocal moment. And the songs… good grief, the songs. Gotta Get Up, Early in the Morning, Without You, Coconut - these aren’t just memorable, they’re timeless. They’ve aged beautifully, and they’re proof that Nilsson’s music has outlasted his level of fame. This album is charming, creative, heartfelt, and just a joy to hear from beginning to end. Truly one of those “why don’t we talk about this more?” albums.
Juste pour Coconut...
Le 6e beatle! Un artiste grandement sous-estimé à mon sens. Il a les talents de compositeur d'un Paul (McCartney mais ça pourrait tout aussi bien être Simon) ou d'un John Lennon une voix impressionnante. Coconut c'est un masterclass sur comment faire un build up dans une toune avec un seul accord. Même si ce genre de singeries serait sûrement mal vu par la milice woke en 2025. Je pense que c'est ce que Nilsson fait très bien, alterner avec beaucoup d'honnêteté entre le silliness complet et la grande émotion, quasiment même pathétique sur Without You.
Magnifique. Me fait penser à Paul Simon dans sa capacité à composer de magnifiques chansons loufoques et entraînantes. Mais en même temps. De nous sortir une balade de tout les temps avec Without You. Ça va rentrer dans la rotation, certain.
This is a great album, I will always remember Coconut from the Reservoir Dogs soundtrack but there were many other great songs on this, very fun and interesting! Gotta Get Up has been stuck in my head all day!
Love it
Soo many bangers, and still so much variety. This could be twice as long and made up of just Jump Into The Fire and Coconut and it'd still be five stars for me - maybe even an easier five stars tbh.
For whatever reason, this is the all-time "I know almost all of these songs and absolutely love several of them ("Gotta Get Up" and "Jump Into the Fire") but have no idea who sang them" album. Shame we didn't get more from him.
Super fun album with a lot of hits. 4.5/5.0: Excellent
Loved this! First listen.
Rollercoaster of genres!
This album is reminiscent of the Beatles. What a great album
So good!
Never heard of him before listening but recognised a few songs. Marey Carey covered I can't live if living is with out you but the original Nilsson version is a whole lot better. He's a great singer
Nå veit vi i hvert fall hvor Thom Hell og Ken li, ken liba diba dauchu kommer fra. Vokalprestasjonen på early in the morning er et høydepunkt. Alt i alt en utrolig sterk og overraskende plate
Fuckin awesome is what it is.
So goddamn much fun! The release date bumps it from four to five stars for personal reasons.
This is fun, Emma used to play this all the time
Packed with great tunes across different moods, styles, and levels of seriousness that the artist takes himself
So many classics
Every song was great
This is one of those albums where I wonder to myself "How have I never heard this artist before?!" I thoroughly enjoyed it, start to end. There's some humor, some whimsy, and just over all great jams. I was hooked from start to end. Short and sweet and oh so good. I'll be listening to more from Mr. Nilsson after this one.
It turns out, I've always liked Harry Nilsson, even if I'm just now realizing it. Jump Into The Fire is a banger, and other tracks like The Moonbeam Song, Early In the Morning, and Down all hit well too. Five Schmive
Lowkey inventive.
Great album! Great to finally listen to the full album that a couple of my favorite Harry Nilsson songs are from.
This record is a huge reason for why I do multiple listens of an album. I need to wrap my head around each track completely to give it a fair rating that I’m happy with. In this case, I heard this record in the afternoon and I thought it was OK with some great songs in between. Then I heard again at night and it hit for me completely. Harry Nilsson, with his overall mystique and talent, strikes me as someone that a lot of my favorite songwriters and artists know and admire. Now that I have jumped into the fire properly, I completely get why. This utter nuance this record provides is really something. Good job, Monday (8/10, 5/5 on this scale) (Update: 9/10)
Отличный альбом, ранее я слышал только without you, но голос Нильссона в остальных песнях меня удивил
Ég var eiginlega bara upp með mér þegar ég hlustaði á þessa plötu og vildi bara vita meira um þennan mann sem ég hélt af titli og plötuumslaginu að dæma að væri einhver gríngjörningur. Þetta var æði. Týndi bítillinn. Fimm stjörnur af því að ég spenntist upp við að hlusta.
I like Harry Nilsson and this album has all his bangers on it.
Omg, these song are awesome and funny! The styles are all over the place: pop, blues, folk, soul, latin ballad, classic rock. I love the lyrics and how the musicality of each song perfectly reflects its subject matter. Never heard of Harry Nilsson, and I'm so glad to know him now. Update: OMG THIS IS THE GUY WHO WROTE THE COCONUT SONG?!?! Hot dang.
she called the doctor woke him up :(
Harry Nilsson is one of those artists that I heard tons and tons of songs of but never knew they were from the same artist.
First time listening, not the last amazing album by amazing artist. I'm going to check out all of his catalog. This is definitely a five-star album in my book.
Robe
Another immaculate album.
Je ne savais pas que je connaissais si bien Harry Nilsson, mais ses talents d'auteur-compositeur ont vraiment traversé les années, bien que de styles complètement distincts.
Along with Warren Zevon, Harry Nilsson was that genius that died way before his time. He was eclectic, absurd and infinitely enjoyable
Listening to "Gotta Get Up," I thought, ah Jesus what is this next half hour going to be. And then the next half hour was Gas. This feels like an album where he truly made whatever the fuck music he felt like he wanted to. And he just so happens to be great at all of it. Makes me want to make my own album. Name it Davis Schmavis. Put a photo of me in my boxer briefs on the cover. Little bit of bedhead. Teeth not brushed. But you know that music would be exceptional as fuck. Fave songs: - Driving Along - Early in the Morning - The Moonbeam - Down - Coconut (lmao. Why is this such a stellar vibe.) - Jump Into The Fire - I'll Never Leave You
All timer except for the Coconut song. Man, I hate that song. 5 stars in spite of it.
An absolute masterpiece. Nilsson’s voice is in top form.
Great
The lime in the coconut song is real??!!
nilsom schilmsn
Harry Nilsson, _Nilsson Schmilsson_ Why not ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ It just feels good. No gimmicks. Interesting and catchy tunes. Nostalgia. Unfortunate drunken escapades with uppity Beatles notwithstanding, he seems like a solid guy, unfortunately checked out early like Gerry Rafferty and other brokenhearted troubadours. As much as I admire people like Hubert Selby who say _I'm talented—the world should hear my spin on things_ I'm equally (or more) enamored with the Peter O'Tooles of the world, or the Peter Sellerses who say _I'm talented *and* the world should hear my take on things *and* let's get drunk and fuck shit up and make a mess of it all._ And that's Nilsson, better or worse.
1971 NY. Rock, pop
What a jewel. Liked it all from start to finish.
Never not in the mood for this. It’s got the big Nilsson hits, but every song on this record slays. This album is structured perfectly. It forms a cohesive album with eclectic moods and styles (“Without You” followed immediately by “Coconut”!?). This is Nilsson’s “Odelay”.
What? So far four songs I was very familiar with but had no idea who sang them. Digging this a lot . Definitely going back to this album on a regular basis
I did not expect to love this album as much as I did. You can hear the influences a lot of artists took from him.
5/5 amazing pop, reference aux beatles et aux beach boys indéniable
putting “without you” and “coconut” back to back on this album?? insane, amazing, gorgeous. hit after hit.
Gotta get up ! New favorite album, a whole range of emotion.
Þarna er verið aðeins að ýta á mörkin. Fíla þetta. Þetta er ekki í neinum kassa.
Альбом, после которого хочется сказать "ДА, Я ЛЮБЛЮ ГОРЛАНИТЬ БАЛЛАДЫ В ХАЛАТЕ НА ВСЮ КВАРТИРУ"
favorite: Without You I loved this entire album nearly every song is a close second for favorite. I need to listen to this again.
Quirky, poignant, jovial. This album is like a pallette of different emotions and yet everything gels perfectly well. The musicianship is top notch.
2 songs down so far, the album is very catchy and ahead of its time. Early in the morning has a very simple melody to it yet it’s very hypnotic. Down is a standout. Favorite has to be Driving Along
I thought the name was familar, but as I listened to the album on my commute, I didn't recognize anything UNTIL I got to Without You. I somehow remember the words of this song even though I haven't heard it in years. The vocals give me tingles in my spine (the only other song I've noticed that happens to me is Sound of Silence by Disturbed - and is there a name for this? I just googled it, it's called musical frisson) Then I was singing along with the Coconut song, and there's a Spanish version of Without You!? I thought I would rate it a 4, but I gotta bump it up.
I love Harry Nilsson and regularly listen to this album, so the moment I saw this pop up I knew it's rating. As a teenager in the 90s I was massively into Reservoir Dogs - many things attracted me to it (not just Tim Roth, sigh...) but the soundtrack was a major part. Every time I watched it, I fully watched the credits so I could listen to the weird man sing "She put the lime in the coconut, she drank 'em both up". That was my introduction to Harry Nilsson. Gotta Get Up is one of my favourite songs and it was used to excellent effect in the first season of the Natasha Lyonne show Russian Doll with is worth a watch. His cover of Without You is another fabulous song, made far more famous for people of my age by Mariah Carey (who apparently loved his version of the song). I love Nilsson's lyrics (he tells stories), I love his voice (especially his falsetto, which is just dreamy), I love the instrumentation (lots of brass and piano is the way to my heart). My only down point to this album is that Jump Into The Fire is too long - I am not a jam track lover- but it's not a big enough negative to change the fact, this is one of my favourite albums, even though doesn't contain my favourite Nilsson songs (One and 1941). 5/5
This is the 170th album I’m rating. Funny name that I think I've heard before but I don't know much else. Adding to my Playlist - Gotta Get Up, Driving Along, Early in the Morning, The Moonbeam Song, Down, Without You, Coconut, Let the Good Times Roll, Jump into the Fire, and I'll Never Leave You. Not Adding to my Playlist - Nothing. Gotta Get Up - Amazing song. All in all I liked 10/10 songs. Definitely one of the best albums in the entire list.
A classic. Have loved this one for a long time.
What a great lp. Harry was one of the best vocalist’s of the 60’s & 70’s Everyone should give this album a serious listen
Something about this album really resonates with me. Loving the rhythm and vocals. Begs to be on repeat
Very enjoyable
nilsson schmilsson. 10/10
++: Gotta Get Up, Driving Along, Early in the Morning, The Moonbeam Song, Down, Coconut, Let the Good Times Roll, Jump into the Fire, I'll Never Leave You +: Whithout You 9,7/10
For a lot of this album, I had a hard time getting a beat on it. In fact, even as I'm writing this, I still might not. I know I liked what I'd heard, and I know I found Harry Nilsson to be a great talent... I just didn't know what to expect coming in, and I had a time trying to figure out the exact label for what I heard. I suppose if I had to try and throw down anything, it'd be... It'd probably be "Beatlesesque," honestly. Which is a term I've thrown around a bit before to describe, like, Electric Light Orchestra and the Bee Gees and whatnot — y'know, on 70's updates on what we imagine The Beatles to sound like on a generic level. But with this album, though, I think this is the first time I mean it to refer to the members' **solo careers**, particularly Paul's. Going back through samples of this album, there were a lot of times where I figured that if you hadn't told me, I honestly would've believed I was listening to a bunch of solo Paul cuts I'd just never heard before. It just has that kind of music hall-adjacent pop I expect out of a 70's McCartney cut — when it's not playing into the side of music that gave him an excuse to belt like a motherfucker, anyway. And it's like, I don't bring up the "Beatlesesque" label to put down what Harry's doing here. I mean, I hardly mind when a band or artist sounds like something else I enjoy, as long as they can bring their own personality to the table — and I think Nilsson very much does. While the songs remind me a lot of Paul's, I don't think any of 'em would 100% fit on any of his albums. Would "Coconut" fit on RAM? I don't think so. And with how many different genres and styles Nilsson tackles on this album, in addition to the Beatles-iness of it all... It's quite a feat, I tell yah. (Word up to the harmonies as well. Those are all him, from what I've read, and, dang, if they don't approach The Beach Boys, I tell yah.) Like, yeah, it's just a really solid and fun album where I don't know why it took me so long to write about it (seriously, I'm publishing this review over 24 hours after I began writing). I hear that one of the most notable things about Nilsson is that he got as big as he did despite the fact that he never toured, and going off of just this one record... Yeah, I can hear why — and why The Beatles were such big fans of him. I give it... Five schmive, I guess.
I’m at a 4.5 that I’ll bump up to a 5. I’ve never heard of Harry Nilsson until listening to this, but as it turns out, apparently I have. Not from the chart-topper that is “Without You” (of which I need to hear the Mariah Carey cover), nor from “Jump into the Fire”, as I’ve made the grave mistake of never watching Goodfellas. It was goddamn “Coconut”. I like the song, don’t get me wrong, I’m just stunned that my once in a while epiphanies on this sort of thing went to the goofy comedy track this time around. This is a pretty good album, and I’d say there’s no misses here, though it won’t go without a little bit of nitpicking on my part. I do think this album is a little heavy on covers, but it’s fine enough given that he bends the tracks towards his strengths – I do wish he had a few more original tracks here though. There’s a little bit of repetition throughout some tracks; not enough to be a big deal, given the energy the instrumentals bring on each track, but enough to poke at the ear a little bit (“Let the Good Times Roll” & the first 3 minutes of “Jump into the Fire” are guilty here). My biggest thing here is probably just how many times tracks end on a fadeout; I felt a little robbed at times of a bigger finish, but that’s just personal preference at that point. All of that said, I wouldn’t be bumping this up to a 5 if I didn’t enjoy it for a reason – it’s just a catchy album that tackles a lot of styles & genres whilst evoking some Beatles-y sensibilities (apparently, they loved this guy), with great instrumentation & vocals throughout. They’re not all winners from a lyrical standpoint, but if I can give some love to “Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da” despite how ridiculous it is, who am I to judge the writing of something like “Down” or “Coconut”? I wish I had more to say, but it’s a breezy 35 minutes that’s worth a listen, and I liked it. At worst, it’s a 3 if you fucking HATE “Coconut”.
The American beatle himself! This is a supremely awesome listen. Fun, laid back, and yet so unique
One of the purest voices to grace an album.
One of my favorites, just has that special magic flow. Loaded with classics like without you, coconut, and gotta get up. Variety of song styles and nothing overstays its welcome
This album was ... not even remotely what I expected. I read the title and completely thought it would be a kind of spoof joke album with humorous undertones. I was wrong. Then, maybe I thought it would be a throwaway. But this album falls into a very small category of albums where the title does not match in any way with the content. This is a gift. To all of us really. It is maybe contemporary peaceful or a mix of light rock and singer/ songwriter pop. IDK. I don't care really! This is just sublime and so absolutely worth listening to that I couldn't recommend it enough!
Great!
Only heard a few songs by Nilsson before but was quite happy to listen to this album. I really enjoyed it, not a very long listen would recommend this album
Nilsson's genius lies somewhere betwixt Joni Mitchell and Carole King: he has the the poetic sense of the former and the soulful pop instincts of the latter. But what sets him apart from the pack, his being that of the singer-songwriter, is an unvarnished optimism, even at his darkest: 'Driving along you can see all the people / Who seem to have nothing to say to each other.' That's like an inversion of King's 'You've Got a Friend,' but it's also an inversion of the inversion, since he sings it w/ such buoyancy that you're left feeling: perhaps it's better this way. Vocally, he's simply extraordinary, possessing a soul voice, a rock voice, a pop voice, a blues voice, and his own voice, all at once. I've always known he was good, but not this good.
What a delightful, sonically interesting album. "Without You" is obviously great, I also really like "Gotta Get Up". Interesting songs, great voice. "Let the Good Times Roll!" Somewhere either extremely high four or low five stars. Probably will go 5.
I liked this album very much. I didn't know he sang "I can't live, if living is without you." It was really nice.
Riktigt bra
All killer, no filler. Sounds like a greatest hits compilation, though the only downside is that it is so eclectic that it lacks the cohesion of my favourite albums.
Love this album
A beautiful album that doesn't take itself too seriously. Especially a treat on SACD
I've Listened to this album before
Really good album. The Beatles influence is strong.. The opener Gotta Get Up is very McCartney esque and bounces along much like Paul's middle 8 from 'A Day in the Life'. I also found Let The Good Times Roll to be quite Beatles-y but that's just fine. Without You is a belting vocal performance and surely one of rock's great covers, while I really liked the tender ballads Moonbeam Song and I'll Never Leave You. The strings on the latter are particularly beautiful. The only track I didn't really like is Coconut which just seems a bit of a dumb novelty, but whatever. I was between a 4 and a 5 but I think I've convinced myself it's a 5
I have heard several of his songs prior and all of them were great except the Coconut song which felt a bit out there.
I need this album on vinyl!
Starts strong with "Gotta Get Up" - love that song. I had no idea "Without You" was by this artist, so beautiful and powerful! Then he spins to a totally different direction with "Coconut" and "Let the Good Times Roll" - iconic - a whole album of amazing songs.
Turns out he wrote and performed like 5 songs on this album to which I've known the chorus lyrics for most of my life, so that's nice to discover. Good stuff, Harry! Funny but serious! Sooooo pop!
Very influenced by the Beatles with an even lighter touch. Not genius, just plain entertaining on the highest level. 4.5/5
Wow a 5 on a first listen. I loved this album. A few of them I recognized, but it was all pleasant and nice. Man can Harry Nilsson belt it out. I got a lot of John grant vibes from it. Plus just the title, Nilsson schmilsson. Gold !
What a treat--decades since I last heard this and I'm worse for that. Beautiful music with a profound lack of ego, so rare!
I loved this. This might be my favourite so far. It’s very weird and I can’t believe how many of these songs I know.
Good chill rock.
I'm utterly brainwashed by Russian Doll, so yeah.. 5
4.5 - I really liked this, such a pleasant surprise. His voice is actually so pleasant to listen to
This is an album I'd been meaning to dive into for a while and it did not disappoint. His vocals are powerful and the instrumentation is so full and beautiful.
I can’t be objective on this one…I bought it in the 70’s and have listened to it countless times. It is one of my favorites. This was a good reminder of the wonderful things Harry Nilsson could do with his voice before he ruined it with self abuse. On a side note, there is a terrific documentary out there called “Who is Harry Nilsson?” that is worth watching. Anyway, you may have guessed that l love this album. My only complaint is that Jump into the Fire is just too long, but I really like all of these songs. Even the weird and discordant I’ll Never Leave You is something that I can listen to over and over. I am sure a lot of my love for this record comes from nostalgia and my introduction to it while I was coming of age, but I still think it’s terrific, displaying Nilsson’s versatility and fearless approach to unconventionality. One other side note: Even though I own this on both vinyl and CD and as I mentioned had listened to it countless times, today I accessed it via Amazon music for convenience. I don’t know what Amazon did to this recording, but they somehow messed it up. The balance and mix on some of these songs were really off compared to the vinyl and CD versions. Any event, this is still a 5 star album for me.
just siiiick, start to back
Such a fun album, and I knew more songs than I expected.
Classic underrated album
Super Dope
twee but good. Didn't realise Harry Nilsson was both the "can't live if living is without you" but also the "coconut" song guy. diverse.
Neste álbum aparece a Without you que lembra Mariah e uma fofinha coconut! Gotta get up é demais! Jump into the fire é animada!
Volvemos al ruedo después de unos días de descanso, también sólo por unos días: éste viernes se viaja a Buenos Aires, así que retomaré el 1001 recién el martes. Toca hoy un artista que sólo ubico por su nombre. De entrada, tiene un innegable sonido beatle y ése mood se mantiene a lo largo del álbum. Automáticamente cuando escucho "Without you", ya sé de quién estamos hablando. "Coconut" me retrotrae a Reservoir Dogs y a mis años de descubrir qué podía ser el cine. Una más que grata sorpresa en un año/mes/semana particulares en Argentina y en mi vida. Hasta mañana.
Was not familiar with Mr Nilsson’s game
Such an enjoyable album. Perfect length too. Probably not a 5 in most people’s eyes but I really enjoyed it
The Dude Abides! I was surprised that I had never really heard of this artist before, especially since four of the songs are famous. This was a great album, it had a wide variety of styles, catchy tunes, and Harry can belt it out. This is the kind of album that redeems some of the other choices in this 1001 list. I'll be listening again. Jump into the Fire is my favorite, never realized who the artist was before.
Loved this! Variety, well written, well sung,
Harry Nilsson is the tortured artist who tortured himself and self-sabotaged until he died. He is one of those “your favorite artist’s favorite artist” types. A guy with unbelievable talent that terrified him into a bottle and album decisions to derail any chance of the massive success he was capable of. This album is the perfect representation. Starting with the self-deprecating title and continuing through the disjointed beauty, anguish of everyday life, and absolute bombast of the songs with full bands. Harry liked to drink and he was good at it. You can tell. But dammit he was good. This album is all of that: beauty, heartbreak, gin-soaked and piano-driven tottering pieces about love, loss, and his inevitable failure pushing people away. I love it in a perverse sad way, this is the perfect representation of Nilsson.
This is a fabulous discovery. I saw a review saying he was a mix between McCartney and Lennon and that feels spot on
Coconut baby!
8,7/10 reminds me of the beatles least fav: Jump into the fore fav: gotta get up
Absolutely phenomenal!
- if you don't know this record, do yourself a favor and devour it. -
Great album. I have been a fan over 40 years.
Fantastic album, didn’t realize most of these songs were by him
First time listening to the entire album and it is definitely a masterpiece. Completely holds up over time. A pleasant palette cleanser after the past week's selections on this list. Nilsson seamlessly slips into each genre and wears them as comfortably as the bathrobe on the cover of the album.
I always thought the “lime in the coconut” was just a funny phrase! Who knew it has origins as an actual song!!! Never heard of this guy but he’s great! Thoroughly enjoyed this album and have already replayed it!
Related to a few songs pretty heavy. Phenomenal, timeless and well produced. 9/10 Fav tracks - Gotta Get up, Down, without you, coconut, I'll never leave you, Si No Estas Tu,
You could hold you own discussing pop music from 1930-1970 having only heard this album. He created trop rock (Coconut) and hair metal (Jump into the Fire) on the same record in his bathrobe.
Everyone should hear this album
Great, memorable, and enjoyable album. Very Beatlesque.
Heard of this album, and heard a couple songs on it but never listened to it all the way through. I'm a big fan of the Cooper Black font on the cover here, such a classic font, and I'm also now a fan of this album, such a classic album. Cooper Black has been around since 1922 and has found many uses in display lettering, on storefronts, signs, print ads, online ads, album covers etc. in that time; this album has been around since 1971 and has surely been accompanying dinner parties and lazy Sunday afternoons, since then. One of my favorite things about music law is that when you cover someone else's song, the original songwriter (or whoever owns the song I guess) gets the royalties. So putting a cover on your album means you love that song enough to make someone else some money. Harry Nilsson cared enough about Let the Good Times Roll to make Shirley Goodman's estate some dough. I've been trying to find a place to use the word "rollicking" in these comments and I never quite found it, so I'll put it here: god damned rollicking.
I didn't know the line in the coconut came from here! Awesome!
What an album. Brilliant from start to finish. Massive Beatles influences throughout.
Albums like this are why I’m doing this
Muy bueno. Explora en muy pocas canciones diversos temas que conciernen a la condición humana de una forma difícil de replicar.
Mostly famous for "Gotta Get Up" and the (far more commercially successful) cover of Badfinger's "Without You" -- schmaltzy for sure, but iconic nonetheless --, not to mention the tongue-in-cheek "Coconut" and the more fiery "Jump Into The Fire". The charms of this LP is that it jumps over all sorts of different places, yielding to a messy, dishevelled and yet endearing result. Now if you don't mind, I'm gonna return to bed. It's way too early to write a proper review, and this ain't the sort of album that triggers me to make a somewhat substantial effort. Have a good day, folks. 4.5/5 for the purposes of this list of essential albums. 9.5/10 for more general purposes (5 + 4.5) Number of albums left to review: around eighty, as I've gone over the 1000 line and this generator is including albums from all editions of the book Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 449 (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 270 Albums from the list I won't include in mine: 325
3 chansons connues ! Sans connaître le bonhomme
I loved this album. It contains so many songs I never knew came from the same artist, let alone the same album. The lyrics, hooks, and simplicity make for a fun ride. I'm a fan.
A great album by a great talent wonderfully produced with great songs at every turn. A lot of great going on. Pop music of the highest order with just enough weird to keep it interesting. An obvious heir to the Beatles (especially McCartney) though he would befriend Lennon. This like a collection of singles - each track unique sonically - but still hangs together as a whole piece. A masterclass by an underappreciated artist.
Very good vocals and it sounds great
It is a bold move to follow one of the most gorgeously heart-wrenching breakup songs ever written with a song about the dangers of mixing lime juice and coconut water. This was just fun to listen to, and by god is Nilsson’s voice incredible
9/10. Amazing album all the way through. Varies in style too.
hell yeah brother best song: moonbeam song worst song: n/a
I've been into Nilsson since I was a kid watching The Point and The Popeye Movie - I didn't know it but this dude was shaping my musical brain. This album is all over the place stylistically, piano plonky tonks, blues rockers, folk jams, ballads, and the coconut song. I think what makes it a great album rather than just a weird one is the apparent talent and palpable emotion that goes into each wildly different song. He's having a lot of fun too, and fun really matters! My favorite summer cocktail is a Harry Nilsson and my kid lit up and started automatically swaying at the first bars of 'Driving Along' - I've gotta give it a 5.
I don’t think I’d heard of Harry Nillson before. Maybe I had. I’m doubting myself now. Anyway, it surprised me to find that there are several songs here that I’m very familiar with. Gotta Get Up gets very regular radio and advert play, Coconut has some vague familiarity, and Without You have got to be up there with the most well known songs ever written. It’s a very pleasant poppy rocky sound that made for a very nice listen. I’m going to be keeping an eye out for the vinyl version of this going forwards.
Is Without You the best song of all time? I dunno man, it's right up there. Seriously very difficult to think of a time that listening to Without You hasn't materially improved my life. The rest of the album is also really good to be fair. Like, really, really good. Even Coconut, which is stupid at heart, is very lovely. I've been blown away by this listen. It's magnificently produced as well, really bouncy and light and with a good range of instruments involved. This is an obvious point, but you can see why the Beatles liked him so much and see the influence working both ways.
An absolute peach of a record with many likeable hits.
nilsson forever 💘
Primo
Felt like a masterpiece. Great range
Idk man I just think so many of these songs are les intouchables
Contiene With or Without you ... una de mis canciones favoritas. Los primeros acordes erizan la piel: preciosa voz, Harry Nilsson. Maldita Mariah Carey. También tiene otras canciones conocidas: Gotta Get Up, Coconut
He’s so silly but then will slap you over the head w a killer ballad. Unbelievable
Yuhhhhh
Sorpresa mayúscula
Maverick genius
One of my personal favorites. I'm glad I had an excuse to spin it again. Highlights: Gotta Get Up, Driving Along, Early in the Morning, Down, Let The Good Times Roll, Jump Into The Fire (!!!)
i just really adore this album. harry nilsson is one of my favorites and i think this is him at his most commercial and probably pound for pound his most consistent album. he's a really clever and funny songwriter, which i adore about him. he never takes himself too seriously, although this definitely is not the silliest album he has. the sound and production is similar to a lot of early 70s solo beatles stuff, which makes sense because he was close pals with john and ringo, especially in this time period. just a really great album from a musician i adore.
Excellent album. Plenty of bangers in here, vocals and instrumentals on point. 'Gotta Get Up' wins my fave vote.
So many wonderful songs
I’d heard Nilsson referred to as The American Beatle before but I’d assumed those people were delusional or selling something. I was wrong.
I wasn't expecting this album to be so jamb packed with these specific songs. I have heard them all many times over the years, in too many movies to count, and have listened to Harry Nilsson many times... just not in album form apparently. Fantastic shifts in styles with some truly memorable songs everyone knows!
Fantastic. I was Today years old when I discovered Nilsson did the like in the coconut song. Gotta Get Up is one of my favorite songs since discovering it on Russian Doll. Such a tragedy that his life was cut short.
I absolutely loved this. This whole album has such a lush sound. You get almost the full spectrum in the first couple songs - marching-band brass textures on "Gotta Get Up" (probably the best individual song), a really solid guitar solo AND a modulate-up key change on "Driving Along", mournful blues on "Early in the Morning". Every song on here is good, and Nilsson just does everything right. He's got nice melodies, great harmonies (the backing vocals on "Without You" are chilling"), and a wonderful diversity of sound. The pacing is impeccable - it's short, all the songs (save one) are themselves short, and even the slower songs have a steady backbeat keeping it moving. Nilsson just doesn't waste any time at all in a musical sense. And he himself is quite a good singer - he's not A+ level, but when he stretches (like on "Down") he's a solid B+. I feel like this CD also just gives you a great sense of what Nilsson himself is like, it lets you know him. That's pretty rare for one CD, and maybe this is just an act, but he really comes through. And what this CD says is that Nilsson is a fuckup and a bit of a goofball. The first few songs are consumed with the fact that he stays out all night, can't get to work on time, can't hang on to a girlfriend, and kind of can't figure out what to do with his life. That dovetails nicely with both the cover art, which is amazing - it just instantly evokes a guy who can't his shit together - and the title. And he's pretty funny too, especially on "Coconut", which stands out as being quite different from the rest of the CD, yet still kind of ties it all together.
Man, this has so many amazing tracks. Also The Moonbeam Song is there I guess… Also also, the whiplash of going from Without You to Coconut is so funny every time
Not surprised that I basically loved this. I generally really enjoy Harry Nilsson in general. Do I think “Coconut” was unnecessary and seemed to go on for too long? Yes. But was everything else fantastic? Also yes. Basically a 4.5 for me, but I’m rounding up.
Fucking fantastisch
Rich variety from heart wreaking ballads to motorik beat
Ik kende enkel Coconut. Maar wat een album. Echt fantastisch. Beatles-achtig, maar zonder te klinken als een copycat. Geweldige teksten ook, zouden zomaar door McCartney kunnen geschreven zijn. Na wat opzoekingswerk bleek hij dus ook effectief een goeie maat te zijn van John Lennon. Een pareltje dus! 4.9
Thought the whole album was great. The older/simpler sound was fresh for me at this moment in time. also didn't know this was the coconut guy. I will be replaying this one for sure. The opening song really stuck with me.
Sad beautiful perfect weirdo outsider pop music (and one of my favorite albums/artists ever)
Always thought I should like Harry Nilsson, his (cover of) "Everybody's Talking" has been a long time favourite, as this album's title that I was aware of, but this is the first time I'm listening to it or any record of his and what can I say? An American Beatle indeed. Complete with his own [weird outlier on any Beatles album]. So either I'm going to be more critical of THEIR work (bar Sgt. Pepper I've already had them all from Rubber Soul forward) or this is a clear 5 as well. So. Uh, it's the latter. And why should it not? It's fun, surprising, quirky, capital letters Nice.
One of my favorites. This record fucking rocks and it doesn't matter what type of song it is Nilsson crushes it every time. No way an album can have songs like "Gotta Get Up", "Early In the Morning", and "The Moonbeam Song" in the first half and ALSO having "Without You", "Coconut", and "Jump Into the Fire" in the second, all being the same album. Nilsson went fucking nuts on this record. Masterpiece
Now that's a god damn 5 star album right there. From one of the most underrated artists and vocalists of all time
"Nilsson Schmilsson" is the seventh album by American singer-songwriter Harry Nilsson. Rock and pop are listed genres. Fair enough, they fit. This album was his most commercially successful hitting #3 in the US. A bouncey piano begins "Gotta Get Up." Catchy, poppy. A trumpet. A trombone. All instruments come in. Very musichall. Transitioning from carefree youth to a responsible adult. "Down" is another happy song, at least musically. Horns carry the melody. A dichotomy with the music as Nilsson sings about going down to the bottom of a hole. Nilsson covers Badfinger's "Without You." Oh. I've heard this. And a lot. A power ballad as Nilsson's voice explodes. Piano. Strings. Yeah, this a great song. And then we come to "Coconut." You know the lyrics. A humorous song with acoustic guitar and percussion. A woman mixes a lime and coconut into a drink, gets sick and calls the doctor who tells her to drink another and go to bed. Simple enough. "Jump into the Fire" is the most rockin' song on the album. It better be with that title. There's echoing vocals and a drum solo and ends with a guitar jam. I knew I had heard a lot of Harry Nilsson. And it's true; I've heard about half of these songs....on radio, in TV shows and, heck, LCD Soundsystem covered "Jump Into the Fire" a few months ago. This a great album. It's fun, catchy, bouncey and sometimes humorous pop songs. Within that, there's a variety of ballads, more rockin' and straight-forward pop songs. Nice production and arrangments with strings and horns. Nilsson has a tremendous voice. Well, wasn't he almost a Beatle. This guy should have been much bigger. An album everyone should like.
Day246 - this sound like the beatles but also like it could have been recorded yesterday. there should be a list of best album names cause this would be on it.
Love Nilsson. I spin this album frequently so its an easy 5 star for me.
Really good
Unexpected. What a gem.
Fantastic!
So good to return to this after a few years. Always loved it, and how it fits together as an album - great songwriting, a great voice, a lot of fun.
Consistent and brilliant
Schmorgasbord!
Jump Into The Fire is the best song in the world. And the rest of the songs on this album are tied for second.
Brilliant, funny
Great record with one hit song, that everyone knows. Elements of blues, happy atmosphere
Fun, quirky, with great melodies. I really liked how different each song was from the next but there was still a continuous feel of easy-going anything goes vibe, kind what you'd expect from the way Nilsson looks on the cover.
For years my name on Twitter was Wilsson Schmilsson and my profile pic was my face photoshopped over Harry’s. So yeah.
Grew up on Nilsson’s The Point. I was really surprised with Jump into the Fire on this album! Expected a lot more songs like Coconut, but the diversity was great! Loved the cover of Let the Good Times Roll, too!
A favorite of mine. All the thumbs way up.
I'm not sure that anyone has ever taken someone else's song and made it so completely, utterly their own. And he didn't want to do it. His producer wouldn't let him do what he wanted with it. He made him ramp up the emotion, throw caution to the wind and make it full on, nuclear force of hurt and need. As far as I'm concerned, producers are every bit as important as the artists, and help to make the music be as good as it can be, in a way that can't be done through live performance. Theres some filler on this album, don't get me wrong, but the good stuff is next-level good. Hell, if Without You was tucked in here amongst half an hour of pigeon coos, that track would still elevate the album to at least four stars.
Great discovery!
I had no expectations for this album but it is now one of my favorite albums I've discovered though this project. Every song is a banger. I tend to not rate albums 5 stars as I leave it for perfect/close to perfect albums. This album is 100% perfect. Favorite songs: "Gotta Get Up", "Down", "Without You", "Coconut"
Harry Nilsson is a 5 star man. He's an incredible songwriter, and he takes you on an unexpected journey with every song. He's heartfelt and emotional one minute, but goofy and quirky the next. I love vibing to his playful lyricism and funky musicality, but then I get all up in my feels when he serves an aching love song. It's phenomenal. Dude was a genius and he's under appreciated, I think.
Great album
DELICIOSO
Great!
Me gustó cómo experimenta con diferentes géneros
First there’s the voice. Then there’s the songwriting… then there’s this album of polished shimmery pop that also rocks and manages to all feel subversive. Singular stuff.
What a great album. I feel like he should have been an enduring household name
I have heard this album hundreds of times now, and have determined that Nilsson is an underrated legend. With the deft genre-flipping you could compare this album to a Ween album, or the Beatles White album. He switches personalities from song to song and pulls each style off with full embodiment, while style sounding true to himself. Harry is truly a man in touch with his own multitudes, it is just sad that those multitudes seem to have had difficulty finding validation. You can hear that underlying sadness and isolation on Driving Along, among many others. This man hit "fuck it" long before he chose to don a bathrobe for his blurry album cover. Also gotta shout out the bassist on Jump Into The Fire with down-tuning his E string.... twice... during the drum breaks of the song to downstep into oblivion.. only to crank it back into tune just right to step back into the main riff. One of the greatest rock songs without those moments and then you add that to the mix.. Every song goes to 10 whether it's trying to rock or tug heartstrings or get a bit goofy.. Underrated.. this whole album.. 5/5
Me ha encantau
Great! 3 bangers. The rest is fairly bad 70s (correction, normal 70s). Worth keeping around.
I mean come on
Well this is a classic and easy 5. Always stoked when something I own and can listen to on vinyl pops up on this list.
Awesome Beatles-like album. Lime in the coconut
Loved this one. Although not on the album, Nilsson wrote the popular Beetles song One.
This is my favorite album so far, from the first track, where I Gotta Get Up, to the Without You banger and then another one in Spanish! This was a pleasure throughout the album, and it's even got that coconut song. I put this album into my regular listening rotation, and I had no idea who Harry Nilsson was before starting this album. This album experience reminded me of watching a movie, hearing a song I like, and then discovering they were all by Harry Nilsson. I rate this 6.5 coconuts out of 5, but 5 stars will have to suffice.
Good as hell this
Awesome album. Myself and a coworker were blown away. Some hits we didn't know he sang. Some really good songs
Loved this one. All the tracks give you something unique and the top tracks are classics. Rating: 4.6
One of the best quirk pop albums of all time!
I've owned this one a while, but it took relistening a couple of times to really cement it as an album I think of as a favorite.
So many good songs on such a random album!
Loved it - every song was a treat.