Harry Nilsson’s Ill-Fated Album ‘Pussy Cats,’ Produced by John Lennon, Was Released 50 Years Ago

This week marks the 50th anniversary of the release of Harry Nilsson’s studio album Pussy Cats. The ill-fated record was produced by Nilsson’s pal John Lennon during Lennon’s infamous “Lost Weekend.”

During the late 1960s and early ’70s, Nilsson enjoyed a successful and acclaimed music career that included hit singles, Grammy Awards, and the love and respect of The Beatles. As the 1970s progressed, however, Nilsson’s penchant for the excesses of the rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle started to take their toll on him.

Harry had developed a close friendship with Lennon, and when the Beatles legend temporarily separated from wife Yoko Ono in 1973, he relocated to Los Angeles, where he and Nilsson wound up sharing a house along with some other rock-star pals. This period in Lennon’s life became known as his “Lost Weekend.” During this time, Nilsson and Lennon partied heavily together.

[RELATED: Behind the Album: How Harry Nilsson Maximized His Incredible Talents on Nilsson Schmilsson]

At some point, Lennon decided to produce a new studio album for Nilsson. That record, Pussy Cats, was released on August 19, 1974.

Nilsson was known for his beautiful singing voice, but early on in the sessions, he ruptured a vocal cord. Fearing that if they stopped the sessions, he’d never get a chance to work with Lennon again, Harry kept his injury from John and soldiered on with the project. Unfortunately, Nilsson may have irreparably damaged his voice by continuing. His vocals are noticeably raspy and sometimes off-key on many of the tracks.

More About the Pussy Cats Album

Pussy Cats featured 10 songs, including five Nilsson originals and five covers. The originals included “Mucho Mungo/Mt. Elga,” which Lennon co-wrote, and the gem “Don’t Forget Me.” Among the covers were version of Jimmy Cliff’s “Many Rivers to Cross,” Bob Dylan’s “Subterranean Homesick Blues,” The Drifters’ 1960 chart-topper “Save the Last Dance for Me,” and the Bill Haley & His Comets classic “Rock Around the Clock.”

A variety of well-known guest musicians played on the album, including Ringo Starr, Keith Moon, and Jim Keltner on drums; guitarists Jesse Ed Davis and Danny Kortchmar; pedal-steel player Sneaky Pete Kleinow; bassist Klaus Voormann; and saxophonist Bobby Keys.

Lennon explained in an archival interview that because of the chaotic atmosphere in L.A., he decided to bring the tapes to New York City to mix.

A Partial Beatles Reunion Took Place During the Sessions

During the first night of the Pussy Cats sessions, on March 28, 1974, Paul McCartney and Stevie Wonder unexpectedly showed up at the studio. The various musicians, including Lennon and McCartney, proceeded to jam and goof around. The sessions were rather unproductive, likely affected by the amount of cocaine that reportedly was being consumed. Among the songs played during the gathering were covers of Little Richard’s “Lucille” and Ben E. King’s “Stand by Me.”

This marked the only known time that Lennon and McCartney recorded together after The Beatles broke up. A bootleg of the sessions, titled A Toot and a Snore, was released in 1974.

The Pussy Cats Album Cover

The cover of Pussy Cats features a pair of cat dolls whose heads are replaced with photos of Nilsson’s and Lennon’s heads. The cats are positions behind a table, underneath which are children’s toy blocks featuring the letters D and S on either side of a rug. The image is a rebus for “drugs under the table,” an inside joke that alluded to the indulgences in which the two rockers were partaking at the time.

Pussy Cats Chart Info

Pussy Cats was a commercial disappointment, peaking at No. 60 on the Billboard 200. That being said, Nilsson never released another studio effort that charted any higher.

Several singles were released from Pussy Cats, but the only one that charted at all was Harry’s cover of “Many Rivers to Cross,” which only reached No. 109 on Billboard’s pop singles tally.

The Legacy of Pussy Cats

Over the ensuing years, “Don’t Forget Me” probably is the one track from the album that has garnered the most attention. The song has been covered numerous times, including by Joe Cocker, Marshall Crenshaw, Neko Case, and Neil Diamond.

Pussy Cats Track List:

1. “Many Rivers to Cross”
2. “Subterranean Homesick Blues”
3. “Don’t Forget Me”
4. “All My Life”
5. “Old Forgotten Soldier”
6. “Save the Last Dance for Me”
7. “Mucho Mungo/Mt. Elga”
8. “Loop de Loop”
9. “Black Sails”
10. “Rock Around the Clock”