Coconut – Nilsson | Top 40 Chart Performance, Story and Song Meaning
Chart Performance: Pop (#8); 1972
Story Behind The Song By Ed Osborne
In the grand tradition of the Clovers’ classic R&B rave-up Love Potion #9, Harry Nilsson released his own ode to an exotic love remedy, Coconut, in 1972. By that year Nilsson was already an established presence on the L.A. music scene.
The Ronettes recorded two songs he’d written with record producer extraordinaire Phil Spector, Paradise and Here I Sit, as did the Modern Folk Quartet (This Could Be The Night), in 1966. The following year Pandemonium Shadow Show was released to ecstatic reviews, and effusive praise from John Lennon, yet, little consumer interest.
In fact, his next few albums failed to make much of a sales impression despite a #6 hit from the Dustin Hoffman/Jon Voight movie Midnight Cowboy, Everybody’s Talkin’.
All that changed with Nilsson Schmilsson in 1971. Without You, the lead-off single, topped the Top 40 for 4 weeks, and Coconut snaked its way to #8. Unfortunately, Coconut marked Harry’s final appearance in the Top 10.
This content and all Song Meaning articles were created and written by Top 40 Contributing Editor Ed Osborne. © 2024 Ed Osborne. All Rights Reserved. In addition to these song meaning articles, Ed has written our “Year in Music 1960s-1990s” articles.
Produced by:
- Richard Perry
Lyrics Written by:
- Harry Nilsson
Ed Osborne
Hi. I got my first record at age two and never looked back, spending a decades-long career in radio and the music business. Even after years of reading about and listening to all types of music, I am still fascinated by it. Apart from that, I’m endlessly intrigued by art, nature, and the inner lives of people (and dogs).