Day 339: Harry Nilsson – Pussy Cats
I’ve been making my way through the discographies of a few of my favourite new discoveries throughout this project, and today it’s time to listen to my fifth Harry Nilsson album. I don’t know what it is about him but I just can’t get enough, if you asked me what my favourite song of his is, I don’t really have a strong top contender, but I love listening to his albums.
Album cover courtesy of RCA Records
Harry Nilsson’s Pussy Cats was released in 1974 as his tenth studio album. It was produced by John Lennon during their infamous months-long drinking binge that ensued when Lennon broke up with Yoko Ono for 18 months. Harry Nilsson had also recently separated, so the two were on a tear, drinking their troubles away around Los Angeles. It got famously messy, with the most infamous incident happening at the Troubadour hotel: the pair were heckling the Smother Brothers while they were doing a comedy show, so security came to kick Lennon and Nilsson out. A fight ensued at the table, and then another scuffle happened outside – unfortunately for them, there was also a photographer outside to capture it, and so their misadventure became international news.
It was at this time that Nilsson made another drunken mistake that almost cost him his career: he was having some sort of a playful screaming competition with Lennon while doing a recording session after a long night of drinking, and he ruptured his vocal cords. He also didn’t seek medical attention or tell anyone about it until the damage was properly done. You can actually hear it on the album, his previously smooth voice is rougher and raspier, and he’s struggling to hit some notes.
As much as the whole thing sounds like a recipe for disaster, the resulting album is still pretty lovely. You can hear the difference in Harry Nilsson’s voice, but it doesn’t necessarily sound bad, just a bit more rough around the edges. There’s still his trademark humour on it, but it’s not necessarily as full-on as some of his previous albums. It’s mostly consisting of original Nilsson songs, along with a few covers of songs like Dylan’s “Subterranean Homesick Blues”, "Save the Last Dance for Me" by the Drifters and the children’s song “Loop de Loop.” I can’t help it, there’s just something about Harry Nilsson that’s so charming, which translates so well into his writing that I end up loving all of his stuff. He’s very underrated as a lyricist, and I say that as someone who was a part of the problem – before I started this project I also thought he was just some guy who sang a version of “Without You.”
Pussy Cats isn’t my favourite album of his, but it’s still something I see myself returning to. It’s playful, liquor-soaked and fun, the idiotically obtained raspiness almost just adds to its charm. I’m giving Pussy Cats an 8.5/10.
By the way, I’ve just noticed that for some reason yesterday’s post hadn’t uploaded and was still in the drafts. Gutted! First time I missed a day, and so far into the project. I don’t know how that happened, I blame technology.