Maps of Music

Flash Harry (1980)

Where the lyrics of Flash Harry take you, and where it was really made.

The album was first released only in a handful of countries and did not reach the United States until 2013, decades after its 1980 release.

Key places

Where the album was recorded (1980)

Recording site Cherokee Studios — The album was recorded at Cherokee Studios in Los Angeles, California, US. The studio is in the Hollywood area of Los Angeles. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• Flash Harry is the fifteenth studio album by Harry Nilsson
• Released in 1980
• Not given a worldwide release at first; issued only in the UK, Japan, Germany, France, Spain, the Netherlands, Australia, and Scandinavia
• Not issued in the United States until August 2013
• Track listing has ten songs, with co-writes by Eric Idle, Lowell George, Van Dyke Parks, Ringo Starr, and John Lennon

Background

• Shortly after the release of this album, Nilsson retired from recording
• He later reversed the decision and recorded songs for film soundtracks in the 1980s and 1990s
• He never issued another full album in his lifetime
• The album includes Nilsson's own recording of 'Old Dirt Road', co-written and performed with John Lennon for Lennon's album Walls and Bridges (1974)
• Walls and Bridges was Lennon's last album of original songs before a six-year hiatus

Recording

• Recorded at Cherokee Studios in Los Angeles, California, US
• Personnel includes Dr. John on piano and Ringo Starr and Jim Keltner on drums
• Bobby Keys plays saxophone and Lowell George plays guitar on the album

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Formation

• Harold Edward Nilsson III, born June 15, 1941 in Brooklyn, New York; known as Harry Nilsson.
• Moved to Los Angeles as a teenager; worked as a bank computer programmer while pursuing songwriting from 1962.
• Debuted on RCA Victor with Pandemonium Shadow Show (1967); collaborated with arranger George Tipton until 1971.

Career

• Known for a versatile tenor range, pioneering vocal overdubbing, Great American Songbook explorations, and Caribbean fusion sounds.
• Nine singles reached the US or UK top 40 between 1968 and 1974, including top 10 hits "Everybody's Talkin'", "Without You", and "Coconut".
• Won two Grammy Awards, for "Everybody's Talkin'" and "Without You".
• Nilsson Schmilsson and Son of Schmilsson were certified gold by the RIAA.
• Close friendships with John Lennon and Ringo Starr; Lennon produced Pussy Cats.
• Largely avoided touring and live concerts, a rarity among major pop-rock artists.
• Died of heart failure on January 15, 1994 in Agoura Hills, California, aged 52.
• Ranked 62nd in Rolling Stone's 2015 list of the 100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• Released only in the UK, Japan, Germany, France, Spain, the Netherlands, Australia, and Scandinavia
• No worldwide release at first, so the album was not available in many markets
• Received little promotion from Mercury at release
• No proper single was released from the album

Records

• Not issued in the United States until August 2013
• Nilsson retired from recording shortly after the album came out
• He later returned to record songs for film soundtracks in the 1980s and 1990s
• He never issued another full album in his lifetime, which makes this album his last full album
• The 2013 CD reissue added bonus tracks: an alternate version of 'Old Dirt Road' and three previously unreleased songs, 'Feet', 'Leave The Rest to Molly', and 'She Drifted Away'

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• The opening track 'Harry' was sung by Eric Idle and Charlie Dore and produced by Eric Idle, Trevor Jones, and Andre Jacquemin
• 'Old Dirt Road' was co-written with John Lennon and came from Lennon's Walls and Bridges sessions in 1974
• 'How Long Can Disco On' was co-written by Nilsson and Ringo Starr
• The album was recorded at Cherokee Studios in Los Angeles, a studio in the Hollywood area
• The album was Nilsson's last full studio album released during his lifetime

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

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