The long-hoped-for reissue of Harry Nilsson’s final full-length solo album would be big enough news. How about an all-new version of his John Lennon collaboration “Old Dirt Road”?
Produced by Steve Cropper of Booker T and the MGs fame, Flash Harry hasn’t been available for some 30 years — and was never issued in North America. Varèse Sarabande Records rights both wrongs with its August 13, 2013 reissue, which includes all 10 original tracks — performed with the likes of Donald “Duck” Dunn, Klaus Voormann, Jim Keltner, Ringo Starr, Lowell George, Bill Payne, Van Dyke Parks, Mac Rebennack and Bobby Keyes, among others — as well as four new bonus tracks.
This alternate version of “Old Dirt Road” is among them. Co-written with Lennon for the former Beatle’s 1974 solo effort Walls and Bridges, the track was developed out of a leftover demo from their earlier collaboration on Nilsson’s Pussy Cats album, also issued in ’74.
Flash Harry is bolstered by new interviews from Eric Idle (who performs on the album’s opening track, “Harry”), Rick Christian, Parks and Keltner. The reissue will be available on a limited-edition vinyl, with the original notes from Derek Taylor, as well. Only, 2,500 copies of this version will be created.
Starr, of course, was Lennon’s bandmate in the Beatles; Voormann was a solo collaborator and also did the cover illustration for Revolver. Payne and George were then members of Little Feat. Parks collaborated on the Beach Boys’ SMiLE project. Dunn was a member of the MGs with Cropper.
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This alternate version of “Old Dirt Road” was actually released 7 years ago, in 2006 – on a Nilsson promotional CD called Perfect Day: The Songs Of Nilsson 1971-1993