Enjoy. I love that song. It's on the NILLSON/SCHMILSON album if you
want it on a CD.
Sally
Some years ago I started compiling a list of "perfect albums"...to qualify, an
album had to contain not one song that could be considered "filler"; you could
imagine yourself listening to any one of them as a standalone piece, or listen
to the entire thing straight through without once thinking "I wish this song
would hurry up and end so we can get to the one I *really* want to
hear"..."greatest hits" collections were disqualified, as were (more de facto
than de jure) live albums (because extracting a single track doesn't work well
in the presence on continuous crowd noise)....
I ended up with a list of a dozen albums, of which "Schmilsson" was the second
oldest...the one that inspired the project in the first place was older by eight
months....
Incidentally, the song you mention is officially listed as "Remember
(Christmas)"....r
--
A pessimist sees the glass as half empty.
An optometrist asks whether you see the glass
more full like this?...or like this?
**************************************************
Correct spelling is "Nilsson", to assist searching.
And it's actually on the follow-up album, "Son of Schmilsson"...(the one that
followed *that* was called "A Little Touch of Schmilsson in the Night")....
I've screwed up on that series myself, on eBay, when I lost out on one copy of
"Son of Schmilsson" and quickly did a buy-it-now on what I thought was another
copy listed by the same seller...ended up with a second copy of a CD I already
had....r
Blondie's "Parallel LInes" belongs on such a list. Offhand, I'd add
Ian Hunter's
first solo album after Mott the Hoople, The Kinks's "Lola vs. Powerman
and
the MoneyGoRound", and "Revolver" (US Capitol release).
What's are others on your "perfect albums" list, R.H.?
>
> I ended up with a list of a dozen albums, of which "Schmilsson" was the second
> oldest...the one that inspired the project in the first place was older by eight
> months....
>
> Incidentally, the song you mention is officially listed as "Remember
> (Christmas)"....r
This song is actually on the singer's following album, "Son of
Schmilsson".
That album's other side includes a false start of this song where the
haunting
first line is followed by a huge belch. As that might suggest, the
sequel album
has even more extremes of beauty and black humor from track to track
than Nilsson's rightly more famous album. For example, rhyming "fuck
you"
with "now I'm blue" in "You're Breaking My Heart".
--James
It must be on both Nilsson/Schmilsson and Son of Schmilsson, then,
because I knew I got that right. Sorry about my speelingh errors. I
knew it was "Remember, (Christmas)" as the full title, but not once in
the song itself is Christmas mentionned. If you check out the N/S
album, you'll see that it's on that album, too.
Very good idea to compile a list of albums with no clunkers in them,
r. I've sometimes thought of doing something like that, but only you
would actually get around to doing it. On the other hand, I've been
keeping up a book of good website addresses, as opposed to merely
keeping them as favorites. That habit started ages ago, when I first
learned to surf the web. I have a book of sites and passwords, too.
LOL. I don't consider that anal-retentive. I call it organized. I
actually am pretty organized (pay my bills on time, but hate doing
dishes.)
In "When Harry Met Sally," Meg Ryan listed her videotapes on index
cards in alphabetical order, which blew Billy Crystal's mind. I adore
Billy. I'm so glad I know you, r.
Ooh, I'm getting ideas for a list like your'n. I see in James's next
post that he wants to see your list. I'd like to, too. :)
S.
The actual list is in the other room, and if I try to recreate it from memory
I'll leave out something important...I can tell you right now that "Parallel
Lines" *is* on it....
>> I ended up with a list of a dozen albums, of which "Schmilsson" was the s=
>econd
>> oldest...the one that inspired the project in the first place was older b=
>y eight
>> months....
Any trouble guessing which one *that* referred to?...r
Albums from 1971... Hmmmm (as I consult a list)...
Who's Next?
Sticky Fingers?
Blue?
Perhaps "Thick As A Brick"? That certainly qualifies on the
point of a listener of never thinking, "I wish this song would hurry
up and end so we can get to the one I *really* want to hear."
--James
I'm just going to turn over *all* the cards and post the complete list...bear in
mind that this is all subject to amendment on my whims, but I *have* considered
and rejected a lot of really well-known albums to get to this point:
"A New World Record" - Electric Light Orchestra
"Destroyer" - KISS
"Thriller" - Michael Jackson
"Band on the Run" - Wings
"Eliminator" - ZZ Top
"Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player" - Elton John
"Schmilsson" - Nilsson
"Rumours" - Fleetwood Mac
"Parallel Lines" - Blondie
"Bat Out of Hell" - Meat Loaf
"Tapestry" - Carole King
"Dark Side of the Moon" - Pink Floyd
I now expect much picking apart to ensue....r
> I'm just going to turn over *all* the cards and post the complete
> list...bear in
> mind that this is all subject to amendment on my whims, but I *have*
> considered
> and rejected a lot of really well-known albums to get to this point:
>
> "A New World Record" - Electric Light Orchestra
> "Destroyer" - KISS
> "Thriller" - Michael Jackson
> "Band on the Run" - Wings
> "Eliminator" - ZZ Top
> "Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player" - Elton John
> "Schmilsson" - Nilsson
> "Rumours" - Fleetwood Mac
> "Parallel Lines" - Blondie
> "Bat Out of Hell" - Meat Loaf
> "Tapestry" - Carole King
> "Dark Side of the Moon" - Pink Floyd
>
> I now expect much picking apart to ensue....r
"Hotel California" --Eagles
I'm glad to see Carole King is on the list.
This time of year I enjoy,"Pleasant Valley Sunday" by Gerry Goffin & Carole
King.
Carole King also wrote "Pierre." A song that had a major influence on my
life.
Mark
Mark, as a child were you attacked by a lion, similar to how I was
stalked by a pet puma (yes, a real puma) in a San Francisco flat when
I was two? Other than that possibility, in what way was the song
"Pierre" so important to you?
--James
Here's some more albums that I think would make the cut to my ears:
"Who's Next" - The Who
"Striking It Rich" - Dan Hicks & The Hot Licks
"Ian Hunter" - Ian Hunter
"More Songs About Buildings And Food" - Talking Heads
As a parallel among comedy records, I'd nominate
George Carlin's "Take Offs and Put Ons" as an
album that is consistently funny in its parts, but you
want to hear it all.
--James
It can't be on Nilsson/Schmilsson because that's also one of my
favorite albums and I know it's not there.
>
> Mark, as a child were you attacked by a lion, similar to how I was
> stalked by a pet puma (yes, a real puma) in a San Francisco flat when
> I was two? Other than that possibility, in what way was the song
> "Pierre" so important to you?
>
I'm not sure about Mark, but Pierre had a great philosophy of life, and a
mantra that could carry him through just about any ordeal.
"James Langdell" wrote
>
> Mark, as a child were you attacked by a lion, similar to how I was
> stalked by a pet puma (yes, a real puma) in a San Francisco flat when
> I was two? Other than that possibility, in what way was the song
> "Pierre" so important to you?
>
> --James
I believe there is a subliminal message in "Pierre" that compels me to
follow instructions.
Or I'll be eaten by a lion.
Mark
I'm in full agreeance with "Tapestry" and "Thriller". Especially
"Tapestry." I think it's a perfect collection of songs.
I must add Leontyne Price's "blue album" as it's called. All gorgeous
opera arias, done early in her career, probably her first album. Never
heard anything so breathtakingly beautiful in my life.
Sally
At this point, I may as well list a few albums that you almost certainly don't
have, if you *do* have them they're almost certainly on vinyl, and that you're
missing out on a real treat if you've never heard them:
"The Ballad of Calico" - Kenny Rogers and the First Edition
"Loving and Free" - Kiki Dee
"Dreams" - Grace Slick
"Where To Now?" - Charlie Dore
"Seven" - Bob Seger
r,
Did you know that Grace Slick is a fabulous artist as well as a
terrific singer? She did a drawing of "Sting" that was sold at
Wentworth Galleries in Boca Raton, and she showed up for the
exhibition of her work. (Unfortunately, I was sick and missed meeting
her.) I couldn't afford the "Sting" portrait, but it was done in blue,
with his face only, looking down, and it was brilliant.
She's a very good artist, and her work will gain in value over the
years. Right now it's not in my budget, but some people who can afford
it ought to buy up.
http://www.limelightagency.com/Grace-Slick/Press/malibu-arts-journal.html
The above link will take you to an interview with Grace Slick, and if
you scroll all the way down in a hurry, on the left you'll see the
blue/purple sketch of "Sting" that I'm referring to. I think it's very
soulful and powerful. I'm sure "Dreams" by Grace Slick is as listen-
worthy as you say it is.
Sally
Found the title track from the album; Joe Bob says check it out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=llLZNUu3dKo