Willard's Wormholes

Nilsson Sings Beatles
Harry’s Fab Covers 1968-1980

To highlight some new postings at For The Love Of Harry, we put together this little package called Nilsson Sings Beatles. As you may already know, the Beatles-Nilsson connection cannot be overstated. One of Harry’s very first records in 1964 was a Beatles’ homage 45, “Stand Up And Holler,” while his first charting single was a creative re-invention of the Fab’s “You Can’t Do That.” John and Paul practically launched the barely-heard-of Nilsson’s career when they mentioned his name at an Apple press conference and, in later years, John & (especially) Ringo were among Harry’s very best friends – routinely composing, recording and carousing together. We’ve re-upped this collection after scoring a much higher quality version of Harry’s unreleased “Blackbird” demo, below. Listen to how good Harry sounds in an apparently live, then overdubbed session with guitarist (composer/etc) Bill Martin. FYI: We left off a Nilsson/Starr composition from Flash Harry, since it’s really a Harry song, but we did include the 1980 Ringo/Harry remake of “Back Off Boogaloo” (thanks Johnny B) that features Nilsson harmonizing various Beatles’ melodies in the background, coming full circle from where the idea originated… 1967′s “You Can’t Do That.”

You Can’t Do That (Lennon/McCartney) Pandemonium Shadow Show, 1967
She’s Leaving Home (Lennon/McCartney) Pandemonium Shadow Show, 1967
Mother Nature’s Son (Lennon/McCartney) Harry, 1969
Blackbird (Demo) (Lennon/McCartney) Unreleased, 1970
Isolation (Lennon) Aerial Pandemonium Ballet Bonus, 1971
Mucho Mungo/Mt. Elga (Lennon/Nilsson) Pussy Cats, 1974
That Is All (Harrison) …That’s The Way It Is, 1976
That Is All (Reprise) (Harrison) …That’s The Way It Is, 1976
Old Dirt Road (Lennon/Nilsson) Flash Harry, 1980
Back Off Boogaloo (Starr) Stop And Smell The Roses, 1980
extras…
You Can’t Do That (Alternate) Aerial Pandemonium Ballet Bonus, 1971
Old Dirt Road (Alternate) Perfect Day: The Songs Of Nilsson 1971-1993, 2006
Mucho Mungo/Mt. Elga (Rough Demo) Unreleased, 1974