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The legendary Harry Nilsson. A very exceptional songwriter and a singer with a large voice. His classic "Without You" is a good example of that.

For those who have seen the classic Jon Voight/Dustin Hoffman film "Midnight Cowboy" may remember this classic song. This song was actually not written by Harry, but it has became synonymous with his name.

Everybody's Talkin':

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2AzEY6ZqkuE

Without You:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKwApaN1k6g

Marty do you know what Karen's all time favourite song was (Carpenters or not)? And has she sung it before?


Also, Marty I am a NOKS patient at my Local Hospital too!
Edited by Is a love song, 01 October 2007 - 04:04 PM.

What's significant about this to me...I was flabbergasted by Harry Nilsson at an early age--before I got into the Carpenters. He was my favorite singer....and strangely enough, this was because of an album I bought of his as a child where he did all these remakes of 1920's and 1930's-style classics. He was truly gifted (I still hear those songs in my head today). And when I heard that Karen say "Harry Nilsson just floors me"....it just solidified that I truly do have a real "cosmic" connection with her.

You know, he died of alcoholism in his 50's. Were you aware that he was one of John Lennon's best friends?

DG Farnsworth

I've been a fan for awhile and have the pleasure of owning some of his record albums. What an artist the man was! He was very experimental and had a great voice to go with his work. What a loss it was to the music world when he died. I'm still surprised that he is overlooked. It's a damn shame! It's good to see another admirer, though!

Yes, I was aware of his and John Lennon's friendship. He took Lennon's death very hard.

A huge Nilsson fan here too. Nilsson was a big friend of Van Dyke Parks who arranged quite a bit on his albums, plus the brilliant arrangements for Popeye. Van Dyke also segues nicely into Brian Wilson, yes, I've managed to mention him
again: - )

Nilsson, was also a huge friend of Jimmy Webb's. I saw Jimmy a couple of years ago in Bristol. He told tales as well as sang. Nilsson firured heavily in the tale telling. It would be an understatement of major proportions, to say they liked a drink. Jimmy is also friends with Brian Wilson (and I'm not even trying) and wrote the lyrics for Christmassey on Brian's Christmas album a few years ago.

Nilsson, also did an album of Yoko demos (John commissioned this), but it never saw the light of day, officially. It's surprisingly good.

In Ray Coleman's book, he says that two of Karen and Richard's biggest influences were Matt Monro and Patti Page. Several times, Richard criticized Karen's singing, saying that she was trying to sound like Matt Monro, on her pronounciation of "you" singing it in the British style, "yew."

Matt Monro has a slow, easy style, very soothing on the ears. Listen to this videoclip and you can hear some "Karen-esque" sounds...

Matt Monro - Walk Away
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klQcw7hHaHQ

and listen to Patti Page's style - Herb Alpert has said that Karen's voice reminded him of Patti Page's:
Patti Page - Tenderly
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=69xfFwA7JQw

I had heard that, Ned. That inspired me to look up Matt Munro a few weeks ago. I think that he has a wonderful style, like Frank Sinatra a bit in a way. Patti Page is synonymous with great female singers. I, personally, don't see the connection, but it's definitely a compliment from Herb.