Mike Bennett writesFriday iPod/MP3 Shuffle—Happy Birthday Harry Nilsson Edition

Today, we pay tribute to one of the master of early ’70s pop. Harry Nilsson. He first tasted success as a songwriter, working with everyone from Little Richard to Phil Spector to The Monkees. Little Richard allegedly told Harry that he “sing good for a white boy.” In the second half of the ’60s, he signed with RCA and began releasing acclaimed records that caught the attention of John Lennon and Paul McCartney, who both declared Nilsson to be a favorite. A couple of years later, he hit it big when his cover of Fred Neil’s “Everybody’s Talkin’” was used in the movie Midnight Cowboy and Three Dog Night covered his tune “One”. From that point, Nilsson’s career had its ups and downs, marked by bouts of brilliance. He was just as liable to do some old rock and roll covers, but he had an ability to pen and sing wonderful soft pop classics. He battled with addictions, which ground he career to a halt, but he has become an influential figure in some circles. In honor of Harry, grab your iPod or MP3 player, hit shuffle and share the first 10 songs that come up. 

1. Cheap Trick — Taxman, Mr. Thief (Cheap Trick): Only Cheap Trick would take a riff that sounded like a sinister John Lennon and marry it to a song that clearly pays tribute to George Harrison’s classic opening number on The Beatles’ “Revolver”. Heck, they name check The Beatles before the first chorus. But it’s this cheekiness that makes the song work so well. An homage that works, because they play with such conviction.
2. Ava Luna — Down Right (Ice Level): The more I hear this post-punk funk band from New York, the more I like them. This song has bit of Prince, a bit of ’70s funk, a bit of Tom Tom Club, and a bit of jazzy sheen in the backing vocals. A familiar sound, but put together in a distinctive way.
3. Wondermints — Carnival Of Souls (Yellow Pills, Volume 2): A really sharp song by the band who has become the core of Brian Wilson’s touring band. This is from earlier in their career, and so the song is more power pop, with killer vocals, rather than their later material, which was certainly more in the vein of The Beach Boys and other ’60s soft pop. Wish they had recorded more in their early years, this is damn good.
4. Augustus Pablo Meets The Upsetter — Vibrate On (Arkology): A cool song from the 3 CD Lee Scratch Perry anthology. This sets a suitability hallucinogenic reggae sound, with lots of effects on the guitars while the basic riddims percolate.
5. Iron & Wine — Your Fake Name Is Good Enough For Me (Kiss Each Other Clean): Sam Beam’s expansion of Iron & Wine’s sound has generally been successful. On this song, a horn section and an energetic rhythm section give this song some pop. While Beam’s voice is best suited for the quieter material, he acquits himself well on this song that melds his wispy vibe with aspects of swamp rock and Steely Dan, with the song eventually becoming a rocking mantra.
6. Big Star — In The Street (#1 Record): This song was immortalized as the theme from That ’70s Show (as performed by Cheap Trick). It takes a nice boogie riff and then juxtaposes a sublime slice of melody, and then tops that with splendid middle eight. This is a great early power pop song.
7. UB40 – Riddle Me (Geffery Morgan): An urgent reggae track from one of the last good UB40 albums before they tilted a bit too much to MOR. This has some overt funk aspets, but they don’t overwhelm the groove. Unfortunately, the processed ’80s production almost does this track in, but not quite.
8. Hepcat — Goodbye Street (Right On Time): Wow, my iPod is on a reggae kick today. This is a nice mid-tempo skank from this terrific L.A. ska band from the late ’90s.
9. The Swingin’ Neckbreakers — Saturday’s Best (Live For Buzz): Perhaps the best of the garage rock revival bands, this New Jersey trio really captured the best of ’50s rock and ’60s R & B that underpinned the fuzztoned riff rock, and with Tom Jorgenson on sandpapery lyrics and jumping bass, things really swing. This song pays tribute to the best day of the week, and it’s a well written tune.
10. Chris Isaak — Big Wide Wonderful World (Mr. Lucky): A smoky number with a Hammond organ that shows off Chris Isaak at his crooneriffic best. Back when he started, he looked like Elvis and sang a lot like Roy Orbison and that holds true here. While his earlier material tended more towards rockabilly, he is a terrific singe of blues based material.