BILLBOARD TOP 40 HITS 1971: #244: ‘WITHOUT YOU’- NILSSON

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Nilsson – Without You (1977, Vinyl) - Discogs

Billboard Top 40 Hits 1971: #244: ‘Without You’- Nilsson. December 18, 1971.

  • Single: ‘Without You’- Nilsson
  • Record Company- RCA
  • Genre: Pop
  • Written by Tom Evans and Pete Ham
  • Time: 3:20
  • B-side: ‘Gotta Get Up’
  • Album-Nilsson Schmilsson
  • Grade: A+
  • Peaked at #1 4 weeks in Billboard Hot 100.

Harry Nilsson was born in Brooklyn in 1941. Died of a heart attack in 1994 at 52. The Beatles in 1968 when asked their favorite American band said- Nilsson. Harry would become great friends with them. Nilsson had 11 Hot 100 hits and 7 Top 40 hits- this was his only #1. A great songwriter- his two biggest hits were written by others- ‘Everybody’s Talkin’- from the movie Midnight Cowboy- by Fred Neil- and this one- written and first performed by Badfinger20’s favorite power pop band- Badfinger.

9 responses to “BILLBOARD TOP 40 HITS 1971: #244: ‘WITHOUT YOU’- NILSSON”

  1. I believe he and John had an uproarious time being obnoxious drunks at others expense when Yoko and John were apart. Seems Harry couldn’t put the glass down. Shame, he had a great voice.

    • From what I remember reading- Harry blew out his vocal cords while recording the Pussy Cats album with John Lennon.. it was never the same. Sad. Self destructive.

  2. I always remember hearing Mariah Carey say on TV,’Thank you Harry Nilsson for this song’ and being SO mad at her, especially in light of what went off with Badfinger lads.
    (Nilsson’s version is classic, mind.)

    • well, that’s valid but someone like her likely never heard the original nor bothered looking much at the credits to find he didn’t write it. Either way, her take on it was a poor imitation!

  3. excellent song and fantastic record… as I said not long back elsewhere, it was probably the best song Badfinger wrote but Nilsson’s version was far superior to their own or anyone else’s.

  4. Man, what a crazy voice! And even though Nilsson’s delivery is a bit melodramatic, it’s just an incredible song.

    Also a good reminder the tune was penned by Badfinger’s Pete Ham and Tom Evans. I like the original as well, but after you’ve listened to Nilsson’s rendition, it does sound a bit tame.

  5. His voice and this song effect a direct interface with what’s most human in us. To think that Nilsson and Badfinger both have passed on makes me feel quite sad.

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