Twentysix years have passed since singersongwriter harry nilsson died at the age of 52. At we believe that every life has a story that deserves to be told and preserved is the online source for current local and national obituary news and a supportive community where friends and family can come together during times of loss and grieving to honor the memories of their loved ones with lasting personal tributes. Animated by fred wolf, it tells the story of a young boy named oblio who is banished from the uberconformist pointed village for the misfortune of being born with a round head in a society of coneshaped domes. I dont listen to the point as often as my other nilsson albums, because the story line makes it more like watching a movie or reading a book.
The story itself is a charming lesson for us all, and the music is a. The story itself is a charming lesson for us all, and the music is a stand alone masterpiece as an album. Harry nilsson is a master of lyrics and harmonies, music you cant get out of your head. It was accompanied by an animated film adaptation directed by fred wolf, which aired a few weeks after the albums release in early february 1971 on the abctv network. The story in the movie is a book that a father is reading to his son, whod. Its lead single, me and my arrow, peaked at number 34 on the billboard hot 100. Harry nilsson story, carole beers story as carole a. The point was harrys animated parable about oblio, his dog arrow and the land of point. A thread about nilssons the point steve hoffman music.
As a little girl in the 1980s, one of my favorite movies was the weird and wild animated adaptation of harry nilssons folk rock concept album the pointi had a well worn vhs copy that my mother had recorded off of the tv when she saw they were airing one of her favorites from the 70s. Harry nilsson covered feet, easier for me, over the rainbow, so you think youve got troubles and other songs. Its hard to say why now, since ive heard this album before, but something about it has really grabbed me here in 2007. No matter what youre looking for or where you are in the world, our global marketplace of sellers can help you find unique and affordable options. This timeless story of the trails of being different is full of fun for the whole family. Directed by academy awardwinner fred wolf, the point tells the story of oblio, a roundheaded boy living in the land of point, where everything and everybody has a point. The point is the sixth album by singersongwriter harry nilsson, and was released in 1971 on the rca label. My only negative is that me and my arrow inexplicably cuts off at the end in a place where it clearly shouldnt. Written and produced as a companion piece to his 1971 album of the same name, harry nilssons the point is a slightly seussian, slightly psychedelic fable. Book awards book club selections books by author books by series coming soon kids books new releases teens books this months biggest new releases. Harry edward nilsson iii june 15, 1941 january 15, 1994, known mononymously as nilsson, was an american singersongwriter who achieved the peak of his commercial success in the early 1970s. The point was best thing fred wolf ever did, with or without harry nilsson. Not so coincidentally, shes been working on a book called a song. The first disc concentrates on his 60s work, chronicling the rise of nilsson the maverick interpreter and songwriter.
Harry nilsson was a genius singer song writer with a truly outstanding voice. This is an original print from the films first release and features the dustin hoffman narration. Oblio, along with his trusty dog, arrow, is banished to the pointless fores. Harry nilsson biography the official harry nilsson site. Etsy is the home to thousands of handmade, vintage, and oneofakind products and gifts related to your search. The entire story of the point in 7 chapters as narrated and sung by harry nilsson. Especially at this stage of his career, harry nilsson was uniquely suited for writing and recording childrens music, given his sweet melodicism and love of. Loopyjoe was kind enough to donate these stunning scans of the lps original comic book, shown below. A year before harry nilsson achieved commercial success with 1971s nilsson schmilsson, the late singersongwriter released the point. At the beginning of the 1970s, harry nilsson born 75 years ago, on june 15, 1941 was enjoying. For me, he was someone that was around, but never the focus on any scene.
The album consists of harry narrating the story dustin hoffman narrated. There was a huge thorny barrier with a small sign at its base which. Over the last week or so, ive become totally enamored with the soundtrack album of harry nilssons the point. Inside the gatefold album cover is a comic book illustrated by gary lund. Especially at this stage of his career, harry nilsson was uniquely suited for writing and recording childrens music, given his sweet melodicism and love of whimsy. Or maybe he was a scheming genius whose monastic devotion to idiosyncrasy made him a visionary in ways that have not yet been fully revealed. On one hand he had direct contact with the beatles who admired harrys work greatly as well as a friend and on the other he was very much in tuned with the pop music market. A folkloric ode to the outsider archetype, the point. Nilssons genius and creativity were cut short january 15, 1994, when at the age of 52, he died quietly in his sleep at his home in agoura hills, california. Psychedelicatessenharry nilsson the point special21708.
Harry nilssons the point is simply one of the best animated tales of my or any generation. Oblio, along with his trusty dog, arrow, is banished to the pointless forest. The point by harry nilsson overdrive rakuten overdrive. Thats precisely what the 20 compilation essential harry nilsson provides. A missing element in harry nilssons catalog is an excellent doubledisc retrospective. Still, it is an impressive album that is historically significant because it closed out the first part of nilsson s career, just before he moved into the more adult themes of the schmilsson albums. The harry nilsson anthology is a comprehensive overview of nilssons varied career, including all of the hits and many significant album tracks, yet it offers too much material for the casual fan, who would be better served by. Nilsson schmilsson is the seventh album by american singer harry nilsson, released by rca records in november 1971. Harry nilsson was a ramshackle musical savant with a weakness for misbegotten life decisions and careersabotaging swerves. Finally the two travellers reached what appeared to be the entrance to the pointless forest. Narrated by ringo starr, harry nilssons the point gets digital. Oblio and arrow are discovering the many aspects and perspectives shared respectivelly by the denizens of the pointless forest. Like skidoo, i saw this once when i was about 7, i think it probably made more sense to me than skidoo.
By combining skepticism and sentimentality with a taste for the absurd, 70s west coast singersongwriters randy. When listened to this way, the point demonstrates that nilsson. The idea for the point came to cult singersongwriter harry nilsson during an acid trip and inspired both a concept album and the first primetime featurelength animated special to be televised in the u. And that is because everything in the land of point had one.
Tie on the robe, fumble for the coffee mug, the ketchupy bloody mary, and the initial pipe pull, and clumsily drop the needle onto the crackly, burnt first side of the record that remains glued. Harry nilsson lyrics 178 song lyrics sorted by album, including rock around the clock, without you, everybodys talkin. Although nilsson didnt select the tracks for this twocd collection drawn from his 60s and 70s work for rca, personal best generously touches on the many sides of his musical personality. Narrated by ringo starr, harry nilssons the point gets. Directed by academy awardwinner fred wolf, the point tells the story of oblio, a roundheaded boy living in the land of point, where everything and everybody has one. Sit beside the breakfast table, think about your troubles pour yourself a cup of tea and think about the bubbles. With interviews from friends, family, and associates, and material drawn from an unfinished. Not rated 1h 14min animation, adventure, family 1 january 1972 uk a father tells his son a bedtime story about young oblio mike lookinland, who believes that having no point in the fantastical kingdom of pointed heads and things, still has a point. Nilsson explained his inspiration for the point i was on acid and i looked at the trees and i realized that they all came to points. Regardless of what the many pointed or better yet the pointless man. Harry nilssons concept album the point about a roundheaded boy in a world where everything is pointy turns 50 this year.
Three or four of these tracks are certified harry classics, while the remainder are a pleasure due to the high flying vocal and orchestrations. The documentary explores the enigmatic life and music of harry nilsson in an attempt to answer the question, who is harry nilsson. His work is characterized by pioneering vocal overdub experiments, returns to the great american songbook, and fusions of caribbean sounds. On the life and afterlife of harry nilssons fabulous animated feature. It was nilssons most commercially successful work, producing three of his bestknown songs. Although harry nilsson is gone, he is anything but forgotten, with his phenomenal musical legacy continuing to. All of the music is fantastic, its a magical story. Harry nilsson originally did at my front door, easier for me.
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