Maps of Music

Spotlight on Nilsson (1966)

Where the lyrics of Spotlight on Nilsson take you, and where it was really made.

Nilsson's debut album is mostly a collection of singles he had already released on the Tower label, with only two tracks added as new material.

Place unknown

Do you know where this album was recorded, or where its cover was shot? Tell us and we will add it to the map.

Spotlight on Nilsson: debut album by Harry Nilsson
Essentially a compilation of four singles and their B-sides from his Tower label years (1964–1966)
Adds two previously unreleased tracks
Released 20 December 1966 by Tower Records
Ten tracks in total

Nilsson recorded for the Tower label from 1964 to 1966
Each of the four singles was issued on 45 rpm before this album
So You Think You've Got Troubles and Do You Believe were not previously released on singles
Outside writers credited include Marvin Rainwater, Merle Travis, Johnny Cole, and J.R. Shanklin
Nilsson co-wrote Born in Grenada with John Marascalco

The Path That Leads to Trouble and Good Times feature The New Salvation Singers
Perry Botkin Jr. arranged and conducted The Path That Leads to Trouble and Good Times
George Tipton arranged I'm Gonna Lose My Mind and Sixteen Tons

1	The Path That Leads to Trouble	2:08
2	Good Times	1:51
3	So You Think You’ve Got Troubles	2:22
4	I’m Gonna Lose My Mind	2:06
5	She’s Yours	2:02
6	Sixteen Tons	2:32
7	Born in Grenada	2:16
8	You Can’t Take Your Love (Away From Me)	2:03
9	Growin’ Up	2:50
10	Do You Believe	2:19

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.

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.

Good Times was later covered by the Monkees, who used it as the title track of their 2016 reunion album
The later cover links this early Tower-era single to a much later release by a different group

The album has been re-issued numerous times over the years with different sleeves, attempting to capitalize on Nilsson's later success at RCA Victor
Reissues repackaged the same material under different titles, so the sleeve and title changed while the core tracks stayed largely the same
Its 1969 8-track release on Pickwick used the title Rock 'N' Roll and omitted The Path That Leads to Trouble
Its 1972 UK release on EMI's One-Up label used the title Early Years and kept the original tracklisting
The album is therefore known under several titles, and the original 1966 Tower release is the reference version

The track Good Times was later covered by the Monkees as the title track of their 2016 reunion album.
Good Times and The Path That Leads to Trouble are the two tracks sung with The New Salvation Singers.
Sixteen Tons was written by Merle Travis.
Born in Grenada was co-written by Nilsson and John Marascalco.