...That's the Way It Is is the thirteenth album by American singer Harry Nilsson, released in 1976 on RCA Records. Aside from two original songs, the album consists of cover tunes.
The songs include "That Is All", written by George Harrison and originally released on Living in the Material World in 1973; America's "I Need You", from their eponymous 1971 album; Randy Newman's "Sail Away", from his 1972 album of the same name; and the Heartbeats' "A Thousand Miles Away". Harrison's song was recorded twice by Nilsson, to open and close the album.
Another cover version on ...That's the Way It Is, the calypso "Zombie Jamboree", had previously been recorded by Lord Intruder, Kingston Trio and Harry Belafonte, among others. Nilsson's medley of the Doris Troy hit "Just One Look" and Barbara Lewis' "Baby I'm Yours" was performed as a duet with singer Lynda Laurence. The latter, formerly of the Supremes, was the wife of Nilsson's producer, Trevor Lawrence.
Track listing
Personnel Credits per original album cover and Allmusic: Harry Nilsson – vocals Lynda Laurence – duet vocals on "Just One Look/Baby I'm Yours", backing vocals Tony La Peau – guest vocals on "A Thousand Miles Away" Danny Kortchmar, Jesse Ed Davis, Fred Tackett, Lon & Derrek Van Eaton, Keith Allison, Dennis Budimir, Peter Jameson, John Morell, David Wolfert, Mike Anthony – guitar Dr. John, Van Dyke Parks, Jane Getz, David Paich, James Newton Howard – keyboards Malcolm Cecil – synthesizer Klaus Voormann – bass Jim Keltner, Chili Charles – drums Tom Collier, Gene Estes – timpani Robert Greenidge – steel drums Doug Hoefer – percussion Bobby Keys, Gene Cipriano, James Roberts, Buddy Collette, Joe Darensbourg, William Green, Jim Horn, Johnny Rotella - saxophone Andrew Blakeney, Steve Madaio, Anthony Terran – trumpet Vincent DeRosa, David Duke, Henry Sigismonti - French horn Herbie Harper, Lew McCreary, Richard Taylor "Dick" Nash, Benny Powell - trombone Sid Sharp, Murray Adler, Israel Baker, Arnold Belnick, Assa Drori, Henry Ferber, Ronald Folsom, James Getzoff, Harris Goldman, Edward Green, Nathan Kaproff, William Kurash, Carl LaMagna, Joy Lyle, Leonard Malarsky, Ralph Schaeffer, Paul Shure, Polly Sweeney, Tibor Zelig - violin Meyer Bello, Samuel Boghossian, Louis Cievman, Rollice Dale, Allan Harshman, Harry Hyams, Michael Nowak, David Schwartz - viola Raphael Dramer, Jesse Ehrlich, Armand Karpoff, Ray Kelley, Jerome Kessler, Harry Shlutz – cello Jimmy Bond, Peter Mercurio, Mickey Nadel - double bass Charles Gould, Melvin Tax - bassoon Deidra Askey, Richard Glasser, Joseph Greene, Abigale Haness, Monalisa Harrington, John Lehman, Sherlie Matthews, Bill Thedford – backing vocals Richie Schmitt, Tommy Vicari - engineer
Charts Chart (1976)PeakpositionU.S. Billboard 200158
References