Friday Night Jukebox, Vol. CCXC--Nilsson: Everybody's Talkin'

For numerous reasons, in the spring of my junior year of college I was sick to death of my life and one day decided to blow off all of my classes and hit the backroads of Kokomo, Indiana.  A few minutes into my drive this week's tune came on the radio and after singing it to my heart's content, I hit upon the idea that what I most needed was to, as the song said, go "...where the sun keeps shining through the pouring rain."  And right then and there I decided to head back to California and return to the best home I'd ever had.  About the time I hit the mighty metropolis of Burlington an hour or so later, it dawned on me that I had less than ten bucks in my pocket and the car I was driving was owned by my parents, and not me.  I headed back home none the worse for wear, but to this very day every time I hear "Everybody's Talkin'" I can still feel the liberation of "skipping over the ocean, like a stone."

Harry Nilsson (professionally just Nilsson) began his career in 1958, and most certainly did not take a career path followed by many musicians.  He spent the first few years learning instruments and honing his songwriting, having some success writing songs for others (Little Richard and the Monkees to name a couple), all the while keeping his job as an overnight programmer at a bank.  He signed his first deal in 1966 and asked for an office so he could continue his songwriting.  He released his first album the next year and got a huge assist from John Lennon and Paul McCartney when at a 1968 press conference both proclaimed Nilsson to be their favorite American music artist (Nilsson would go on to be a drinking buddy for Lennon, often for the worst). Nilsson was not much on touring (which he later admitted was a mistake), and by 1980 his career was pretty much done (though he would continue recording). For his career, Nilsson released 16 studio albums (one of which reached #3), and 50 singles (with one #1 and two other top ten hits), as well as winning a pair of Grammy Awards.  Sadly, Nilsson suffered a heart attack in 1994 and passed away at the too young of an age of 52. Still, he's considered one of the forefathers of the Los Angeles singer/songwriter movement, and was listed at #62 on Rolling Stone's list of the greatest songwriters of all-time.

(Not so) Fun Fact:  Nilsson had a flat in London at which Mama Cass Elliot (heart failure, aged 32) and Keith Moon (accidental overdose, also aged 32) both died.  Distraught over their deaths, Nilsson sold the flat to Pete Townshend and never returned to London.

"Everybody's Talkin'" was released on Aerial Ballet in 1968, but did not become a hit until it was featured in the movie Midnight Cowboy in 1969.  It would reach #6 (with a bullet!) on the Billboard Hot 100.

Written by Fred Neil (who after deciding the music business wasn't for him, took the proceeds from his big hit and followed his own musical advice moving to Florida and spending the rest of his life advocating for dolphins), "Everybody's Talkin'" has become an American standard, covered by numerous artists.  Nilsson nails the vocals--his plaintive wail captures the protagonists hopes and dreams, while the guitar (ukulele?) and strings softly slide the music forward.  I've often thought the song captured Americans' grit perfectly with its cocky optimism...and have to admit that this is one of those songs that always makes my day better and that I never get tired of listening to.  A veritable classic.

Lyric Sheet:  "I'm going where the sun keeps shining/Through the pouring rain/Going where the weather suits my clothes..."

Enjoy:

Fuck Donald Trump,
emaycee