Everybody's Talkin'

The original version of this, by Fred Neil, sounds a bit desolate, like he's feeling alone--everybody's talking, but he can't hear them; people are everywhere, but they can't see him and he can't see them. Nilsson's version, with the orchestration, his rich voice, and some beautiful scatting, has a more a positive edge; to borrow a review, it's as if happiness is just around the corner; when he gets to "where the sun keeps shining through the pourin' rain", he'll be where he wants to be and life'll be better.

The lyrics of the song describe a first person account of one who is dying (i.e expiring) most likely amongst strangers. Our protagonist describes the literal fading of his senses; he is unable to see the faces of his audience but merely shadows, the ones who stop and stare as people are apt to do when happening upon someone who is dying, and he is unable to interpret what everybody's talkin at him this being represented by the wahhh, wahhh, gibberish. However, internally his mind continues to function albeit in declining fashion as the song progresses.As one dies the objects of external sense are silenced first the internal voice remains to turn out the lights if you would. At its most lucid his internal voice describes where he is going: where the sun keeps shining through the pouring rain and where the weather suits his clothes etc; his mind is giving him a happy send off as a parting gift. In the final lyric his internal voice also succumbs as its language morphs into the unintelligible. The song is a work of genius.

My impression is that a guy has fallen for a girl and as each day goes by, he falls even harder. The people around him see this happening and realize how hopeless he is and they are all "talking at him", but he just ignores them and can "only hear the echoes in his mind". He's basically consumed by this lover and it is the only thing that his mind will think about.

26 years as a search and rescue pilot... This is my favorite song when I am out over the water. "going where the sun keeps shining, in the pouring rain" taking off in the rain soaked fog, climeing up to the sun on top. "going where the weather suits my clothes" got my flight suit and can fly anywhere. "banking off the northeast wind" one hand on the throttles the other on the yolk in a turn. "sailing on summer breeze" clear day. "skip'n over the ocean like a stone" flying at 500 feet (or less) "Everybody's talking at me , I don't hear a word they are saying only the echo in my mind" Controlers and crew (till thay say something spoted) The thing I loved doing, tring to save someone, even when the odds were not in my favor, tring to find them anyway." I won't let you leave my love behind" This is what this song means to me!

I want to listen to this song when i feel disconcerted and the world is spinning madly around me. It makes me feel as though some-one out there is feeling the same

The Harry Nilson version of this song is the only one that I've really listened to and to me it has always represented someone who has just died, maybe unexpectedly in a public setting, and people are standing around talking about it and wondering what to do (Everybody's talkin' at me, I can't hear a word they're saying....) but the deceased person is now going to a better place and had no concerns for what is going on the world around him. This song is very emotional to me and has always brought up feelings a sadness but at the same time it has a fantastic harmony and melody. It had a very profound effect on me when I lost my father. The lyrics of the whole song really related to the situation. The verse at the end "I won't let you leave my love behind" represents me saying my last goodbye to him as he goes to better place and out of my life.

such a relaxing song..

this is such a great song. it has also been covered very well by a number of bands.

this song explains my life these days better than i can...plus it's just an awesome song. though it makes me think of midnight cowboy, and that's kind of depressing, heh.

This song plays through my mind sometimes when I've had enough of the civilized world we live in day to day....