How Harry Nilsson became John Lennon’s favourite songwriter
Where does the greatest songwriter of all time get their inspiration from? Well, if you were able to ask John Lennon, he would probably say his Lost Weekend buddy Harry Nilsson.
John Lennon was murdered on December 8th, 1980. Despite having passed away over 40 years ago, you’d be hard-pressed to find anyone who doesn’t still refer to him as one of the greatest wordsmiths, melody men, and general songwriters of all time.
Lennon’s creative instinct produced work which was fun to engage with but equally challenging to get your bonce around. You could nod along to the songs, obviously, but they also gave you a window into the kind of bloke Lennon really was – his thoughts, his views, his struggles. Striking that balance isn’t easy, but he pulled it off brilliantly.
Finding that balance wasn’t always easy for Lennon. When he was in the Beatles, he found himself being constantly censored by record labels who pushed more for sales as opposed to creative endeavour. He had to cut his hair shorter, wear clothes he wouldn’t necessarily pick out for himself, and write generic songs about love and longing where he would rather write about something more introspective.
You heard it trickle through in the Beatles every now and then. For instance, Lennon once called the track ‘Help!’ one of his favourites that he ever wrote for the group because he felt as though it was one of his most honest offerings. A few other songs reflected those unwavering feelings, and yet, Lennon couldn’t wholeheartedly embrace his honest side within his music until he left the Beatles and began his solo career.
If you want to better understand the range of influences that Lennon drew from throughout his career, there is no better place to look than his solo work. Here, you hear both his range of lyricism and instrumentation on full display. Songs are catchy, with beautifully worked choruses and great melodic lines attached; however, they also don’t pull any punches with their lyrics. Songs talk about society, Lennon’s emotions, his upbringing, all hiding nothing from the listener, giving them previously unavailable access to one of their favourite songwriters.
You can hear a range of Lennon’s influences play a part in his music at this point. You can hear touches of Bob Dylan, Chuck Berry, and Jerry Lee Lewis in Lennon’s music – their distinct styles clearly left a mark. But one of his all-time favourite writers was Harry Nilsson, likely because Nilsson leaned into the same instrumental, melodic, and lyrical qualities that mattered so much to Lennon.
“Oh yeah, let me think – Nilsson. One of Nilsson’s,” said Lennon during a radio interview when he was asked if there were any songs that he was listening to at that moment. When probed for specifics, Lennon mentioned his favourite and then started strumming his guitar in a similar rhythm to the track. “Yes, oh, let me think,” he said, “Uhh, ‘River Deep Mountain Dew’.”
The fact Lennon started playing the guitar as soon as he started thinking of the song shows that Nilsson had a rhythmic quality he was fascinated by. However, it was also the lyrics that played a big part for him. Nilsson wrote from the heart, and in such an honest way that they could be applied to different scenarios. Lennon picked up on this when he spoke about men and women fighting for a more tolerant and understanding society.
“Society should be more supportive and understanding,” said Yoko Ono, as the two of them were interviewed on the plight of modern humanity. “It’s true,” affirmed Lennon, “The saying, ‘You’ve come a long way, baby’, applies more to me than to her. As Harry Nilsson says, ‘Everything is the opposite of what it is, isn’t it?’ It’s men who’ve come a long way from even contemplating the idea of equality.”
