Who Is Harry Nilsson (And Why Is Everybody Talkin' About Him)? (Full Documentary) | Amplified 

I'm72 and discovering all the things I missed while busy living my young life. I missed Harry Nilsson somewhere along the way. And yet many of his songs have been wandering through my life all along. Finding all the things I've missed all these years is keeping me going. It's never too late for a good Harry Nilsson song.

I was 6 years old, sick with an respiratory illness in the LA County Hospital in 1971 and this cartoon came on , with Harry Neilson's, " Me And MY Arrow " , came on and I never seen it again . I had all these tubes in my mouth and in my arms, dying and his music and the cartoon lifted my spirit up. I played Heavy Metal music back in the 1980's, travel all over and that song , " Me and My Arrow ", came on , even though I was dying that time in the hospital .... that song put a smile on my face ... even to this day .

I must add, My Dad was born in the Caribbean, My Dad spoke very little English, He came to live in the USA after he fought the war in Vietnam. He had EVERYTHING Harry was involved with . And it shocked me to find out later that my Dad understood the lyrics but was embarrassed to try and speak English until he became a Police officer in a small New Jersey town. My old man is in his 80s and still has the albums and still loves Harry. My dad cried the day Mr. Nilsson passed away.

The fact that he never toured and did not like crowds makes Nilsson's story even more inspiring. Even without playing live, he still become one of the most influential and respected musicians of his era.

I'm having trouble watching this, because I keep having to pause it and wipe tears and deal with feelings and memories. I'm pretty old, and was peripherally involved in the music scene in SoCal in the 70's. This is brilliant, and I am so very thankful you've posted it. Thank you

I love that the Beatles embraced Harry and showered him with so much love.

I got really into the Nilsson Schmilsson album in 2021 or 22, and just this past week or so found myself completely enthralled in the rest of Nilsson's stacked catalog. He really is up there with Brian Wilson as far as great American songwriters go. And what a voice he had. This documentary is fantastic and I'm glad it exists. RIP Mr. Nilsson.

Did not know much about Harry Nillson except everybody's talking. I am glued to the screen. As a child of the 70's I only knew the name. Man this man is amazing. Found this documentary by accident and am glad i did

I grew up loving Harry's most popular songs, but knew nothing of this man's life and legacy. For good-or for bad- he *lived* life. There are many things to be learned from this man's story. Thanks, Harry...

I met my father when I was 48/9yrs old. I looked all my life up until the for him. After meet him it was like the weight of the world had been lifted off of my shoulders. I relaxed for the first time because I could see in the mirror who I was. We’re not in touch anymore and I’m so at peace with that, a lot of questions were answered and now when I smile I see both my mum and my dad.

Harry was a drinking buddy of mine around about 1990 (plus _and_ minus a couple of years). He was a very decent human being, something that we cannot say about most people these days. Thank you for this documentary. It's much fairer than documentaries usually are. Harry would show up at the bar of the Westwood Marquis hotel every so often and those of us who would show up every day admitted him into our group because we recognized that he had the same _Weltschmerz_ as us. I don't think we knew who he was when he first sat down but, after we found out, he refused to talk about his music: one direction was to say "no, I didn't make my money from music, I made it from real estate after that" and the other direction was to play us recordings on DAT (long before the CD) that only incidentally included some of his own work. In other words, he wanted us to see what other people were doing with technology more than he wanted us to see what he had been doing artistically. Harry Nilsson represented what any decent and honorable society should develop and promote. Exactly what nobility aspired to do many centuries ago. _Radix omnium malorum est cupiditas._

I know who he is. He was my childhood. I painted his album covers. I sang with him and tried to reach all his notes. I tried to play his songs on my guitar and antique piano. I loved and love everything he did. When the Beatles were asked who was their favorite band, they said , “Harry Nilsson!” His vocal range and vocal/songwriting humor - I agree with the Beatles.

The fact that Harry sat down and performed the vocal track on "Without You" in one, uninterrupted first take, is one of the most magical, astounding and infamous incidents in modern pop music.

This has to be one of the best written, produced and edited music documentaries ever made. The fact that it brings light to one the geniuses of modern pop music makes it even better and more poignant. Lovely, just like Harry's music.

I was abandoned by everyone. Literally. Yet I have a fierce will to live, and help others, and make new friends. Im grateful, sad for Mr. Nilsson.

I discovered Harry Nilsson while I was in grade school. I fell in love with his music when he came out with the cartoon, "The Point". After that, I followed his music throughout my life. Thank You, Harry for being there for me while I grew up. You help shape my love of music.

"The Trouble with Harry" is that he left us too soon. What a fantastic talent. Nilsson's rendition of "Without You" makes me melt to this very day. Best performance ever!

Legend says everyone saw this random documentary on their RU-vid feed but now they’re hooked with Harry Nilson’s music

I still know all the words to Harry's music, and still to this day, I cry. His musical abilities were off the chart and the background music of my younger self.

I woke this morning with a Harry Hilsson song in my head and went to my computer to hear more. Found this documentary and cried, and laughed with an artist who so dearly touched my young life as he did for so many more. A true angel visited to us on earth. I had many of his albums, loved them all.

Harry Nillson was an absolute genius musician and song writer. His lyrics are so incredibly clever, and the range of his voice was mind blowing. Nillson Schmillson is still one of my favorite albums to this day, with NO bad tracks.

Many fathers underestimate how important they are to their children--how what might seem small, insignificant interactions with their children mean the world to their children. Not being there for your children can leave life-long scars.

Every song he made was different from any other song he made. No song he made sounded like any of the others. He made some of the biggest hits of my childhood. He was pure genius.

If you want a studio album to understand the immense talent of Harry Nilsson, it's "Nilsson Schmilsson". Hands down. Mastery of multiple genres and as fine of an LP as anything ever produced.

How many times do I find myself singing a Harry Nilsson song. My favorite has always been the sweet, melodic and tender Moonbeam. Can't help but gently sway to the beautiful music and his voice that always touched the heart. His songs always bring a tear to my eye. Harry Nilsson could feel everything he looked at through his voice, music and poetry....even a moonbeam.

My teenage years were in the late sixties, early seventies, and Nilsson was buried deep within the background noise of my own trials and tribulations. I had no idea he'd performed half the songs I heard on the radio, or that he was tearing thru the clubs with the likes of John Lennon and half of everybody having anything to do with music, or that just like me, he was dealing with being abandoned by his father. Discovering this documentary for the first time at the ripe old age of 66 has helped me with my own sense of mortality (I've had this feeling I'll never see 70, and the Russians and Chinese seem hellbent on fulfilling that prophecy). My barely lit singing career never got past the Karaoke stage, but I am back into vinyl, steaming everything I missed growing up (and that seems to be so much!), and am so thankful that this world was gifted with people like Harry. I wonder, did anybody ELSE hear the obvious influence on Billy Joel and others?

I was blessed to run across this documentary about Harry. It was with great sadness and joy that I listened and watched to its end. It brought back so many found memories of my life, now 74 years. Harry's " Land of Point," album brought back so many found memories of my daughter Jennifer and I driving across the west singing along to it. Harry's "Can't Live," and many other of his greats were so meaningful, and indeed, a blessing to us who experienced the era spanning his career. While it was painful to see the drugs and alcohol ravage his heart and voice, it will never take away his greatness and major contributions to music in America, England and all over the world. His love for family and his memories he created will live on for generations. I have been inspired to go buy a LP playing stereo and play my long kept "Land of Point" Album. So many of "Can't Live," without playing his music and listening to his wonderful voice. Thank You Harry Nillson!

I grew up listening to his music. Grew up in NY… am 64 and his songs were always being played in our house (seven of us kids - drove mom & dad crazy). My kids know the music today. Classics

I grew up with Nilsson's songs and I loved them all. He was magic

Big Harry fan here, strange to me that I've never once met someone of my generation (I'm 50) who's even heard of him. I sing songs from The Point to myself regularly. The Point is such a dear little piece.

What an excellent documentary about Harry Nilsson. What a talent, what a voice. I would sing his songs without really knowing the man, the artist and his life behind the music.

I just learned that Zak died from colon cancer in March last year at 52 years old. What an absolute tragedy. I wish the remaining Nillson children long and happy lives.

Got here by accident and I'm overwhelmed. What a wonderful documentary about a very special artist!

I was a teenager in the late sixties when introduced to Nilsson and loved him. In 1985 my son was born and 'The Point' then became a constant and I was forever hooked on the artist. We always seem to lose a greater amount of the best than that of the worst. I love Harry ...

Man this is such a fantastically produced music documentary! Is Harry the man or what! I was like 11 when everybody's talkin was happening and I remember being impressed by his voice, but it was when I had the great pleasure of catching the television premier of "The Point" that I became enthralled! Had to know everything about him after that! The more I learned, the more blown away I became! What a fucking incredible talent!! His loss has left the world of music with a void unfulfillable by anyone! Thank you Harry for giving me the opportunity of falling in love with you and your music RIP

I have been a fan of Harry Nilsson for fifty years. He was a brilliant, creative whose irreverent words, beautiful music, and soaring voice have been in my ears and my heart for half a century.

Yet one more performer that I don't understand why EVERYBODY doesn't know. RIP Harry, you left us too soon.

He was also known as Nilsson Schmilsson, one of the best singer-songwriters that ever was, rest in peace brother

I'm 75. I recognized every song, knew every word but never recognized ANY PHOTO OF HIM. WHY NOT? I heard his songs everywhere over those years as I worked 3 jobs and raised 2 children alone. There wasn't time to watch tv but the radios were in my car, kitchen, everywhere. Nilson was not promoted correctly.

I knew Harry and got to spend time with him in the mid-80s in NY. Until watching this documentary I had little clue he was and will always be the superstar talent he became. The times we spent together I will never forget. Harry did it his way and I was fortunate to have shared in his life, even for a short time. R.I.P. Schmils and thank you.

This is one of the best musician biographies I've ever seen.

Best tribute I could imagine, and I couldn't ... Just tremendous. He was a gift, he shared his so well.

The man who wrote every song you've ever heard. I discovered him a few years ago and was blown away at how well i knew his songs. Weren't you?

Nilsson was fantastic. As a guy he grew up in the 60s & 70s, I liked everything the man recorded. Versatility. He was so unique. His music is still relevant and timeless, like other story tellers who reach out to depths of the human heart----you can relate.

I wonder if Harry ever realised the effect his wonderful music & incredible talent had on ordinary everyday people . He was an enormous part of my youth, his music was played more than any other, (my father owned a record shop in Peckham London 1968-74). I was raised on Harry, Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone, Ray Charles, we had access to every album or 45rpm available even my grandfathers collection of jazz 78s. What musical treasure, I was a very lucky kid as music was all I cared about. My mother sent a letter to my father, working in Germany in the early 60s, telling of my first steps, I got up & toddled to the TV when the Beatles come on “Ready Steady Go” (BBC I think) my first steps were motivated by music. I’ve lived and breathed music my entire life, Harry Nilsson inspired me, educated me, he made me laugh, dance and cry, I still miss him. He was a part of my family, his records played at every party, (my parents had lots of party’s, they knew how to have a good time back then). Harry Nilsson gone but never forgotten. Especially with that wonderful catalogue of music he left behind for us to enjoy forever.

Thanks to everyone who had a hand in bringing Harry to life for a new generation of music lovers. He was perfect for his time, and musicolgists will be exaniming his work long into the future. A true original talent. Having grown up in the 50's, 60's, and 70's, I have always believed we got the best of it! Cheers Harry, !

I'm glad he popularized Fred Neil's song, Everybody's Talkin'. Few people realize Fred wrote this song, and recorded it, because Harry knew how to make it his own. He was a great talent, and is much missed.

One of the most tragic yet beautiful stories I've heard about a prolific artist. I never knew his name but his songs definitely echo from my childhood.

What a great Documentary. There are very few true "originals" and Harry Nilsson was definitely one of them.

Miss this man and his talents. Shame talent comes out of pain and creative people end up destroying themself because they don't know what else to do. TY Harry ❤

I am 64 yrs old and am amazed that i have no memory of this man and his talents. I knew the songs just not the singer. Good video about him and the talent and the sadness in his life from childhood. Simply amazing. Another commenter said to look up the Harry version of the song somewhere over the rainbow, it is astounding talent in that mind and voice.

When you live a life like Harry, you ain't never going to reach the age of 80, but is that such a bad thing? Without you, is one of my all-time favourite songs, and fifty years on, listening to Harry's beautiful voice still makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. Thanks very much for uploading, much appreciated.

Harry and I share the same Aunt. My father's brother married his brother's sister. My father and mother even babysat for baby Harry once. He was and still is such an amazing gift to this world. In more ways than one. I love you Harry. 🧡

My late-husband and I adored the animated movie *The Point* We named our first German Shepherd Arrow, what a wonderful dog he was. Great husband too, I miss them both so much. Harry has been gone now since January 15, 1994. I hope he has found his peace. ❤️

"Without You" was never sung so beautifully. But the tragic story of the songwriters needs to be a documentary in itself.

First heard the poetry in these lyrics back in 68 & never forgot them: “I'm going where the sun keeps shining through the pouring rain , Going where the weather suits my clothes. Banking off of the North East wind , sailing on a summer breeze & skipping over the ocean like a stone” Often sing them to myself on a miserable U.K. winter day …like today with the added downer of Covid travel restrictions!! ( Everyone Keeps Talking At Me 1968)

When we were kids,we used to play "Your breaking my heart" of his SON OF SHIMILSON ALBUM for all our friends!He had a great sense of humor as well as talent.

The candle that burns twice as bright, burns half as long. Harry Nilsson was the brightest light amongst so many of his era.

This has to be one of the best documentaries of a musician I have ever seen. Harry was a fantastic artist.

65 now and his album Nilsson Schmilsson made a huge impact on my life. A fun week-long road trip in a motor home when I was first introduced to his intriguing poetry, and remember it was the first time hearing swear words on an album as a kid. Thought it was pretty cool I was allowed to listen..lol. Have loved his music ever since...

Harry Nilsson needs to be in the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame.

As a songwriter for over 50 years and still doing it I appreciate Harry more than ever watching this fantastic documentary on him! I was surprised they left Badfinger's TOM EVANS and PETE HAM out here though as they wrote WITHOUT YOU and it would have been nice to hear how he decided to do the song. As I remember they had no idea he recorded it until it was out I think! I love their version just as much as his! I received a letter from him and still have it as I sent him my lyrics to a song I wrote following LENNON'S death and his reply was genuine and mainly he appreciated what I wrote but he could not deal with all the lyrics about it that he received. RIP HN!

Had no idea he wrote "One." I had the Three Dog Night Album from the early 70s as a young teen, this was one of my favorites!

An amazing individual. Clearly he was very intelligent and observant, with a wonderful voice, a gift for poetry and perfect pitch. His "musicality" was off the charts - rhythm, melody, timbre. He had an innocence and curiosity and obvious open-mindedness. Sadly broken and hurt inside...he relived his childhood pain a second time as an adult. Alcohol of course made it worse - a cycle of shame and the self destruction. With his wife and family he found some stability at last.

When a new song came on the radio, often you knew right away who the artist was. You couldn't tell right away which songs were Harry Nilsson's. It surprised me to find that the artists behind The Courtship of Eddies Father, Everybody's Talkin' at Me, Lime in the Coconut, and Jump Into the Fire are the same man. Such a range of creativity.

Harry the sixth Beatle, perhaps? Billy Preston, the seventh. The talent was baked in to Harry’s bones. He saw and found music everywhere and In everyday life. He was a gift to all of our ears. In Earth’s billions of years lifespan, I feel very fortunate to be here in the same window of time as all the wonderful music that came out of the last 70 years or so - and prior. There’ll never be another time like it.

So fortunate discovered his music right away, kept telling people about his voice, his songs, bought every album, such a great talent.

I love this documentary. Made me dig deeper into Nilsson's albums than the handful of hits I already knew. Thanks for putting this up.

My dad was friends with Harry. I met him when he came to my house back in the early 90's. A true gentlemen.

This is really special. I could not take my eyes off the whole movie. He was so talented. Miss him.

The talent actively surrounding the talent is off the charts! Jimmy Webb. Van Dyke Parks. John Lennon. Randy Newman. My gosh, what a pantheon of greatness!

One of the most brutally honest and best documentaries about musicians ever. We miss you Harry.

Ever since I was a child I loved the sound track to "The Point" which is a Cartoon Movie about a young boy that grew up in a world where everyone had a pointed head until the boy was born with a round head. The song "Me and my Arrow" stuck to me like glue. I would sing what little I could remember of the song over and over so I wouldn't forget it. Of course there wasn't any way of watching the movie more than the two times I caught it on TV in a year. I discovered and loved so many of his songs yet I really didn't know who he was. Just an amazing voice and writer! As I slowly learned more about him it was like unwrapping a new present each time I discovered that "Wow you mean he did THAT TOO?!" "One" The Theme for Midnight Cowboy - "Everybody's Talkin' (Echoes)" Now I can watch the movie any time I want as I own it. Along with Nilsson's whole catalog.

Wow!!! This man was a truly free spirit!! He’s flying still!! The cleaver Lyricist!!! With sweet voice! Thanks for your music/ good sir!!! ❤️❤️❤️

I've been a Harry Nilsson fan since 1972. I can't describe the parallels in my own life without tears streaming down my face. I watched The Point with my dad in 1972 on the ABC movie of the week when Dustin Hoffman narrated and didn't understand the totality of the message. After my sister related the pain of losing a child20 years later, I was totally changed, and after losing my own child through family law court, I never saw The Point the same way again. I can't hear "Think about your troubles" without breaking down now. My mother knew Una Nilsson in Los Angeles, and conveyed her frustrations to me. Harry's life is a gem despite the manic depression he exhibited.

I'm 50 African American with a wide range of music 🎶 favorites from Motown to Country, RocknRoll Beatle's Lynyrd Skynyrd Didn't know his (Harry)songs that I found myself loving to sing, was the creation of this genius Harry Nilsson.RIP MR. HARRY NILSSON

What a great Document/Bio. Even tho Harry died young, it seems like he lived an extremely full life. And what a beautiful family.

I am 85..I found Harry N during the 60's along with Fred Neil and Tim Hardin..When I have trouble sleeping I listen to his work on a digitized player w/ ear buds : his wonderful vocal instrument will lull me to a comforting sleep...a magic personal relationship ..I thank him every time.

Harry Nilsson has always been one of those artists that has been there in the background of life. I never knew much about him and only ever knew those two or three of his most famous songs. I felt I at least owed it to myself and his artistry to watch this documentary. I'm now so glad I did. He was definitely a unique soul that did things his way and always stayed true to himself and his own feelings. RIP Harry.

I also am 72, and in these dark times, RU-vid has provided safe harbor and an incredible tool for exploring and connecting all the dots. This one was particularly haunting. Thanks for doing this.

Nilsson has always been an" enigma wrapped in a riddle " for me. Blessed with overflowing gifts to share with the world. I agree. gone way too soon and so many gone. Thank you so much for the undeniable insight. Invaluable

I'm 72 now but everyone in my rooming house in Boston back in 1968, most of us poor young musicians, had very few albums in possession... but we had Harry Nilsson's first album and we were all fans. We would sit around in the communal living room listening to it, amazed, playing along. He was in that same strata among CSNY, Joni Mitchell, Dylan, the Band, I'm talking top tier people... but different... instructional. Yes. His premature death was a tragedy for all of us but his music will never be forgotten... truly magical.

I thank you for this message about Harry’s life. I have loved his music since the 70’. He’s truely one of the best of all time., in my humble opinion better than ALL of his contemporaries. I appreciate the interviews with everyone here, especially Jimmy Webb and his wife and children. May God rest his soul.

I’m sorry I just discovered Nilsson, I think he was in the background of most of my life but I never realised. He is a true original and a real talent that he was unable to reconcile. What a great shame he could not cope with the god given talent he had.

Thank you for making this. Schmillson was such a huge part of my childhood. It was one of the first records I had where I would sit my friends down and said... "listen to this"...

His version of Without You is a masterpiece and one of the best vocal performances of all time.

I'm having a adventure just learning about someone i never gave a thought about but never realised how much of a impact he had on my life. I relate to his childhood as mine was similar. His music is inspirational a bleesing to listen to. Your never to old to learn. Harry Nilsson i wish i had met you as you may have changed the direction in my life.

It got my attention the title of this video, and yes Harry Nilsson has not been very well known, especially by people born since the '90s, but I am sure that for the ones that lived as teenagers in the late sixties and seventy, like myself, he was if not the best, one of the most admired singers of the time. As a matter of fact his version of "without you" has been all of these years my favorite song. It always gets me emotional whenever I hear it, and I always go back to it, whenever I have the need. And what to say about "Everybody is talking", part of one of the finest movies of all time that iI knew about, precisely because of its soundtrack back at the time in Bogotà. I have to add to this comment, that back in 1972 when "Without You" came out, my English was very basic, and all the emotions that I felt were only because of Harry`s interpretation. Of course, my admiration increased when I was able to understand the lyrics.

I had no idea that actually he'd had such a fantastic life- truly, truly blessed to find the love of his life, his beautiful children & all those wonderful friends!

I CANNOT thank you enough for this gem! I have been waiting to see uploaded online forever and a month of Sundays.

A slightly longer version of this documentary, when it still hadn't found a distributor, screened at the York Theater in San Francisco. A deleted story about Nilsson's pre-fame years involved him being shown a multi-track recording system. He was amazing to learn he could record something, have the tape rewound, and then lay down another vocal track. He asked to try it out, then asked how many times he could lay down vocal tracks. I believe the interviewee - Perry Botkin, Jr, if memory serves - said it was an eight track board. So, the answer was eight times. Without having rehearsed and almost effortlessly, Nilsson laid down one accompanying vocal track after another. No problem, just like that. 😮 !

Thanks for posting this wonderful doc. Harry was very special. I have EVERYTHING he’s ever recorded. I’ve seen the documentary 7-8 times but enjoyed viewing again like the first time. It’s just great seeing Harry finally getting his props..So well deserved..

It`s nice he found genuine happiness with a his wife and lots of children. They all look like a happy bunch. Sorry to hear of his oldest son Zak`s early death from colon cancer.

When I’m explaining who Harry is i just say he’s the guy that wrote all those songs that are stuck in your mind. When you hear a song and you think “i wonder who wrote that” Harry wrote it.

"Without You" brings tears to my eyes every time I hear it. The beauty of his voice. I hope all young fathers that saw this now realize how important they are to their children - especially to sons. The ignored child may not even know why he's so tortured once he is a young adult. It usually manifests itself in drugs and alcohol.

I'd never heard of this talented man but I definitely recognised his voice and his story was enthralling from beginning to end. He had such an impact on so many lives.

The best voice ever to come out of America by far. A touch of schmillson in the night one of the greatest albums.

Im 61, and I listened to alot of music growing up. But, Harry Nilsson, I loved and still love his music. Without You is my favorite. He was a gift. His music will always live on. Thank you for this tribute to a wonderful and talented man.

What a great story about an amazing man. So sad but so eye opening, and makes me wonder why we all are so limited with our love. Share your love with everyone you love, today, don’t wait. Love them now! Thank you Harry for all you sand for us! Everybody’s Talking Bout You!

YES YES YES I remember him well. He was a huge part of my life. Most of his song take me back to memories growing up. Where I was, what I was doing, his song were there. Like he knew me, my feelings and my heart. He truly made growing up much more than a casual memory. He will be sorely missed. Prayers go out to his family and closest friends. We were all very privileged to have him touch our lives