HARRY NILSSON

Let everyone ya know know that I’m finally back doing regular postings! It feels good —

HARRY NILSSON (w/ PAUL BUCKMASTER) – “SON OF DRACULA” soundtrack (1974)

Just caught the new Harry Nilsson doc (“Who Is Harry Nilsson? And Why Is Everybody Talkin’ About Him”); I enjoyed it greatly, although I think it focuses a little too much on his family life, and needs a little more critical analysis. But that’s just me. It also has one of the coolest pieces of found footage I’ve seen in a while: a TV commercial for Harry’s “Duit On Mon Dei” (1975) album, in which he casually makes a half-court shot in a deserted basketball stadium, while Ringo Starr cheers away on the sidelines. Check the TV spot out here!

Right after, I went through the entire Nilsson catalogue, and completely forgot that this one was in there. “Son Of Dracula” is the 1974 film starring Nilsson and Ringo, as a vampire and a wizard, respectively. I remember trying to watch it about 10 years ago, when the VHS bootleg thing was still a reality. Unfortunately, boredom was a still a reality too, and I switched it off after about half an hour of fuzzy, 4th-generation cinematic meanderings (perhaps I was bummed that it didn’t have the zippiness and zaniness of “Son Of Schmilsson”. Whatever — no one else I know has ever been able to finish the thing either.) The film’s never been on VHS or DVD, so the world of torrents and gray-market DVD-Rs is your only hope, if you wanna see it.

The film’s soundtrack is pretty rad; it’s a combo of previously released Nilsson songs, some orchestral film score bits, and the song “Daybreak”, which might possibly be the best Harry song you’ve never heard! A hell of a catchy melody, and a hint of the calypso/island sound that blossomed full-force on “Duit On Mon Dei” (likely an influence imparted by longtime Nilsson friend Van Dyke Parks, whose “Discover America” (1976) album is awash with the sound.)

Harry Nilsson & Paul Buckmaster – “Son Of Dracula” soundtrack LP (ZIP file)