I wanted to post Neil Young’s Sugar Mountain so bad for this week’s prompt but decided to look for something else, and I kept scanning until this one clicked. It is a song on a celebrated album of excellent tunes.
Harry Nilsson had more talent in his pinky than most have in their entire bodies over multiple reincarnations. I’m not sure if it is his voice or his lyrics, his melodies or his mantric repetitions that do it for me. He’s a complete package. It’s a gut-felt tragedy that he passed on at the young age of 52. I read in wiki that “he was one of the few major pop-rock recording artists to achieve significant commercial success without performing major public concerts or touring regularly.” I liken Nilsson’s repertoire to Harry Chapin’s with less personalized narrative and more universality about the human condition.
“Jump into the Fire” is a song from 1971 album, Nilsson Schmilsson. It was also issued as the album’s second single, after “Without You”, and peaked at number 27 on America’s Billboard Hot 100 chart and number 16 in Canada.
Places you can find this song:
In 1972, Nilsson’s musical horror film, “Count Downe.”
In a Ray Liotta scene in the Scorcese film, “Goodfellas.”
Notable covers:
LaVern Baker’s on “Everybody Sings Nilsson” tribute album
LCD Soundsystem’s documentary “Shut Up and Play the Hits” and their 2012 live album.
Hollywood Vampire’s self-titled debut album (with Alice Cooper, and Dave Grohl on drums)
Robin Zander’s first solo album
Chris Cornell on his 2020 album, Nobody Sings Like You Anymore, Vol. 1
and others…
I listened to all of the covers. LCD Soundsystem edges out the others a little for best to my ears. Of course Chris Cornell is right behind them.
Personnel:
Harry Nilsson – vocals, electric piano
John Uribe – lead guitar
Chris Spedding – rhythm guitar
Klaus Voormann – rhythm guitar
Jimmy Webb – piano
Herbie Flowers – bass
Jim Gordon – drums, percussion
Jump into the Fire
You can climb a mountain
You can swim the sea
You can jump into the fire
But you'll never be free
You can shake me up
Or I can bring you down
Whoa-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Whoa-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
We can make each other happy
Oh, we can make each other happy
We can make each other happy
We can make each other happy
You can climb a mountain
Swim the sea
You can jump into the fire
But you'll never be free
No, no, no
You can shake me up
Or I can bring you down
Whoa-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Whoa-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
We can make each other happy
Oh, we can make each other happy
Oh, we can make each other happy
We can make each other happy
Whoa-whoa-whoa-whoa-whoa
You can climb a mountain
Swim the sea
You can jump into the fire
But you'll never be free
No, no, no, no
You can shake me up
Or I can bring you down
Whoa-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Whoa-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Whoa-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Ooh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
We can make each other happy
We can make each other happy
We can make each other happy
We can make each other happy
Whoa-whoa-whoa-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh-oh
Whoa-whoa-whoa-whoa-whoa-whoa
Written by: Harry Edward Nilsson
I think “jump into the fire” means have the courage to [insert something you’re afraid to do.] “You’ll never be free” here makes me think of Bob Dylan’s song, “Serve Somebody.” Would love to hear your thoughts on the song.
Jim Adams is the host of Song Lyric Sunday. This week we are looking for a song that mentions either a Hill or a Mountain, as suggested by Di of pensitivity101.
Tao Talk 
this was an amazing track Li :-) one I did not know before hearing it this morning! I guess I’m too young, as I was only born in 1980!
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Wow, Carol Anne, you are just a youngster! Happy to introduce the song to you :)
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Great song Lisa, very sad he died so young – to me the song is saying all the lengths we might go to to achieve success does not guarantee we will achieve inner freedom or contentment but that true freedom and happiness comes from our meaningful relationships ❤️
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Ange, glad you like the song and I love your take on it. Thank you <3
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Haven’t heard this in 50 years or more! My sister had the album and this was one of my favourites on it.
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Clive, glad you remember it, and that you heard the whole album via your sister’s good musical taste :)
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Her taste was usually awful but I did like that album 🤣
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LMAO
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As old as I am one would think I would be more familiar with Nilsson- but I am not. This one I have heard- and it was an excellent choice for today’s prompt! I can always count on you to produce a banger!
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V, thanks so much. I learned something else last night while looking for those different scenes and covers: there is a whole community of YouTube videographers dedicated to filming themselves listening to music for the first time. They get a lot of views also! Many people have grooved to their first listen of this song. Hope you have a wonderful day, and I think you would enjoy the whole album if you get a chance to hear it. Most of the songs are gentler though.
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I have seen some of those! I can’t believe some of the music they’ve never heard before!
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Oh! Lisa I have a great deal of respect for Harry Nielsen he has indeed so much talent and I love this song … album… Harry!! 💜💜💜
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Willow so pleased to hear you have mad love for Harry <3
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I really do think he’s ace 💜😅
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:)
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Great choice Li, yes a great loss. I note that half the backing band had worked with the Beatles in their solo endeavours.
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Paul, I knew about Klaus but not the others. Thanks for the info!
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I used to read the album covers back then, I lived the high life, lol.
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“Miller’s, the champagne of bottled beer…” Hey, getting toasted and reading album covers ain’t half bad, Paul.
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Great choice from a great album which was nice to hear again Lisa. Jim Gordon did some great drumming on this song which turned it into a real rocker.
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Thanks, Jim. I love that bass line also. The echo chamber too.
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My main exposure to Nilsson was his children’s album, “The Point”. It is the story of a kid in a kingdom of pointy-headed people and he is the only one who doesn’t have a point. Songs, narration, and all voices by Harry Nilsson.
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Steve, thanks for bringing that movie up. I saw it on TV as a kid when there were only 3 or 4 channels. Oblio and Arrow on an adventure. I wonder if he saw himself as Oblio? And… looky what I found:
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I’d never seen the movie. Just heard/have the album. I’ll take Harry Nillson over Alan Thicke.
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I only know Thicke as the narrator of the movie but think he was on a sitcom or something at one point?
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Freaking awesome! It’s been so long since I’ve heard this song and it sounds just as fabulous as it did the first time. Major flashbacks, Lisa. Great choice.
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Thanks much, Nancy, and glad you enjoyed the music :)
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Very welcome, Li. It was so great to hear again.
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This is new to me. I enjoyed it, and I will look for more of his music.
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Glad you did, and hope you do :)
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Harry is not new to me, Lisa…but this song didn’t sound nearly as familar. I also listened to the LCD cover for comparision’s sake. Pretty cool song, and you can understand why it would have been covered by all those folks.
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Bruce, glad you spent some time with it and listened to the LCD cover, which was new to me. Makes me want to listen top more of LCD music. Yes, it is one of those tunes that sounds good whoever plays it :)
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This one’s a banger- I didn’t know LCD Soundsystem covered it. You’re Breaking My Heart off the next record is another good one.
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Ah! from Son of Schmilsson! That continuing refrain reminds me of Adam Sandler’s Bad Boyfriend. I also found a Christmas song by LCD Soundsystem that I thought you were talking about at first:
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I love this one…I first found it in the movie Goodfellas….I had to know who it was. I was surprised it was by Harry because I knew his pop songs. This one jumps. Harry is hard to top.
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Agree that this one jumps more than the others on the album. The bass drives this song. I love it!
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I meant to say this…Harry could jump into any kind of music and make it work. From the Badfinger song “Without You” to Jump in the Fire to Coconut.
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I agree. I remember some kind of story with Harry and John Lennon but can’t remember it right now.
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Oh…Lennon produced his Pussycats album…they got into…what could be called as a shouting contest…not mad at each other…probably drunk….and Harry messed up his voice.
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Oh no!
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Yep…it was stupid and it really messed with his voice from then on. They ran around drunk during that time with Ringo, Moon, and Alice Cooper.
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That’s what I call a Rat Pack.
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I’d forgotten about Sugar Mountain! The Nilsson one is pretty good though
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Yes, it is. I wrote about Sugar Mountain here:
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Whoa, I knew this song but for some reason, did not realize it was Harry’s! Great song choice, Lisa. He certainly was a very talented soul, gone way too soon.
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Glad to connect Harry with the song, Steve.
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🙂
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I didn’t know this song Li but I was aware of Harry Nilsson and his huge hit Without You. He was quite diverse, wasn’t he? I love your choice today. Thanks for introducing me to this side of him 🥰
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Christine, yes he was, and happy you enjoyed what you heard <3
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I did Li ☺️
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No “Coconut”?🤣
On a more serious note, apart from “Coconut,” I only knew the incredible “Without You” from that album. “Jump Into the Fire” was all new to me. It sounds pretty cool. And going from putting ‘the lime in the coconut’ to ‘I can’t live if living is without you’ to ‘You can jump into the fire, but you’ll never be free’ illustrates Nilsson’s remarkable versatility!
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Dang, Christian, I think you just wrote a new song by combining his lyrics :) Yes, he was a talented guy. Remember that song from Midnight Cowboy, “Everybody’s Talkin At Me.” Another fine one.
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New song to me. Maybe not for me but it definitely goes well this week!
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Awesome, Christine. Thanks for giving it a chance :)
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His name is only vaguely familiar to me and this song not at all. Thank you for the introduction.
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Remember the theme song from Midnight Cowboy? Oh dang, just found out Fred Neil wrote the song!
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I LOVE that song. Told you he sounded familiar… and you know what? I never saw Midnight Cowboy!
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Oh my goodness, Dale, please see it if you get a chance. Just watching those clips brought it all back to me.
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It’s on my list. You know sometimes you think you have seen something but then realise… nope. Just saw lots of snippets, not the whole thing! I will keep a look out.
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I’m watching it as we speak. Man oh man, do I ever see Angelina Jolie in her father as a young man!
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So glad you found it and are watching it, Dale. I agree on their resemblance.
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All in the lips!
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p.s. You’re welcome, Dale.
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😊
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