Unlimited Streaming
Listen to this album in high quality now on our apps
Start my trial period and start listening to this albumEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
SubscribeEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
Digital Download
Purchase and download this album in a wide variety of formats depending on your needs.
Well, what do you expect from an artist who's reading Penthouse, surrounded by liquor bottles and cigarettes, on the cover of his album? Perfection? Accessibility? Sanity? Well, you ain't gonna get that from Nilsson, a man who left sanity behind shortly after he entered the mainstream with Nilsson Schmilsson. Instead, you get a record from an artist who's just at the fringe of popular culture, not really caring if he has a hit, but not really wanting to be so weird that he's just a cult. Realizing all of this, the artist also knows that he doesn't need to try so hard -- he can be as lazy as he looks on the cover. So, that means That's the Way It Is is essentially a covers record, with songs ranging from material penned by longtime favorite Randy Newman ("Sail Away") to longtime fan George Harrison ("That Is All") to oldies ("Just One Look/Baby I'm Yours") to obscurities ("She Sits Down on Me" and "Zombie Jamboree"). Only two original songs then: the faux-reggae "Moonshine Bandit" and "Daylight Has Caught Me," co-written with Dr. John. Everything's given a rather lush, but not particularly sleek treatment, placing it closer to soft rock than to the unabashed cult rock that Nilsson was producing at this point. So, this winds up being an album that's not as gleefully weird and funny as its predecessors and yet is stranger because of that. Because, for chrissake, who wants this album? It doesn't have enough perversity or indulgence for those who treasure his weirdness, but it's way too idiosyncratic and odd for anyone who might like the L.A.-style vibe. Not a bad record, really, but certainly not a very good one, even by latter-day Nilsson standards.
© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo
You are currently listening to samples.
Listen to over 100 million songs with an unlimited streaming plan.
Listen to this playlist and more than 100 million songs with our unlimited streaming plans.
From $10.83/month
Harry Nilsson, Associated Performer, Main Artist - Trevor Lawrence, Producer - George Harrison, Composer, Lyricist
(P) 1976 RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Harry Nilsson, Associated Performer, Main Artist - Doris Payne, Composer, Lyricist - Gregory Carroll, Composer, Lyricist - Trevor Lawrence, Producer - Van McCoy, Composer, Lyricist
(P) 1976 RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Harry Nilsson, Associated Performer, Main Artist - Trevor Lawrence, Producer - Nilsson, Composer, Lyricist - Kortchmar, Composer, Lyricist
(P) 1976 RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Harry Nilsson, Associated Performer, Main Artist - Trevor Lawrence, Producer - Gerry Beckley, Composer, Lyricist
(P) 1976 RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Harry Nilsson, Associated Performer, Main Artist - Trevor Lawrence, Producer - James Sheppard, Composer, Lyricist - William H. Miller, Composer, Lyricist
(P) 1976 RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Harry Nilsson, Associated Performer, Main Artist - Randy Newman, Composer, Lyricist - Trevor Lawrence, Arranger, Conductor, Producer, Saxophone - Jim Keltner, Drums - Klaus Voorman, Bass - Dennis Budimir, Guitar - Fred Tackett, Guitar - Jane Getz, Piano - Thomas Collier, Piano - Carl LaMagna, Violin - Harris Goldman, Violin - Henry Ferber, Violin - James Getzoff, Violin - Joy Lyle, Violin - Murray Adler, Violin - Ralph Schaeffer, Violin - Tibor Zelig, Violin - William Kurasch, Violin - Allan Harshman, Viola - Rollice Dale, Viola - David Schwartz, Viola - Samuel Boghossian, Viola - Armand Kaproff, Cello - Harry Shlutz, Cello - Jerry Kessler, Cello - Jesse Ehrlich, Cello - Raphael Kramer, Cello - Raymond J. Kelly, Cello - Peter Mercurio, Bass Guitar - Anthony Terran, Bass - Benjamin Powell, Bass - James Bond Jr., Bass - Steven Madaio, Bass - Lew McCreary, Trombone - Johnny Rotella, Clarinet, Saxophone - William Collette, Flute, Saxophone - Charles Gould, Clarinet - David Allan Duke, Clarinet - Gene Cipriano, Clarinet - Vincent DeRosa, Clarinet - Robert Keys, Saxophone - Sidney Sharp, Associated Performer - Bill Lacey - Dennis Ferrante - Eddie Tallia
(P) 1976 RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Harry Nilsson, Associated Performer, Main Artist - Trevor Lawrence, Producer - TALBOT, Composer, Lyricist
(P) 1976 RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Harry Nilsson, Associated Performer, Main Artist - Trevor Lawrence, Producer - Nilsson, Composer, Lyricist - Rebennack, Composer, Lyricist
(P) 1976 RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Harry Nilsson, Associated Performer, Main Artist - Trevor Lawrence, Producer - Conrad Eugene Mauge, Jr., Composer, Lyricist
(P) 1976 RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Harry Nilsson, Associated Performer, Main Artist - George Harrison, Composer, Lyricist - Trevor Lawrence, Producer
(P) 1976 RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Album review
Well, what do you expect from an artist who's reading Penthouse, surrounded by liquor bottles and cigarettes, on the cover of his album? Perfection? Accessibility? Sanity? Well, you ain't gonna get that from Nilsson, a man who left sanity behind shortly after he entered the mainstream with Nilsson Schmilsson. Instead, you get a record from an artist who's just at the fringe of popular culture, not really caring if he has a hit, but not really wanting to be so weird that he's just a cult. Realizing all of this, the artist also knows that he doesn't need to try so hard -- he can be as lazy as he looks on the cover. So, that means That's the Way It Is is essentially a covers record, with songs ranging from material penned by longtime favorite Randy Newman ("Sail Away") to longtime fan George Harrison ("That Is All") to oldies ("Just One Look/Baby I'm Yours") to obscurities ("She Sits Down on Me" and "Zombie Jamboree"). Only two original songs then: the faux-reggae "Moonshine Bandit" and "Daylight Has Caught Me," co-written with Dr. John. Everything's given a rather lush, but not particularly sleek treatment, placing it closer to soft rock than to the unabashed cult rock that Nilsson was producing at this point. So, this winds up being an album that's not as gleefully weird and funny as its predecessors and yet is stranger because of that. Because, for chrissake, who wants this album? It doesn't have enough perversity or indulgence for those who treasure his weirdness, but it's way too idiosyncratic and odd for anyone who might like the L.A.-style vibe. Not a bad record, really, but certainly not a very good one, even by latter-day Nilsson standards.
© Stephen Thomas Erlewine /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 10 track(s)
- Total length: 00:32:30
- Main artists: Harry Nilsson
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: RCA - Legacy
- Genre: Pop/Rock Rock
(P) 1976 RCA Records, a division of Sony Music Entertainment
Improve album information
Why buy on Qobuz?
-
Stream or download your music
Buy an album or an individual track. Or listen to our entire catalog with our high-quality unlimited streaming subscriptions.
-
Zero DRM
The downloaded files belong to you, without any usage limit. You can download them as many times as you like.
-
Choose the format best suited for you
Download your purchases in a wide variety of formats (FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AIFF...) depending on your needs.
-
Listen to your purchases on our apps
Download the Qobuz apps for smartphones, tablets, and computers, and listen to your purchases wherever you go.
Playlists