Van Dyke Parks singled out Harry Nilsson as the only musical genius he had met, praising his intelligence and creative ability. The judgement carries weight because Parks is known for his work with acclaimed musicians, including Brian Wilson on *Pet Sounds* and *Smile*, and Joanna Newsom on *Ys*.

In a 2013 interview with *Uncut*, Parks described Nilsson as working at the highest creative level and said he had redefined what a song could do through intimacy, beauty and clarity. The two worked together on several of Nilsson’s 1970s albums, including *Nilsson Schmilsson* and *Duit on Mon Dei*; Parks also released his own orchestral pop album, *Song Cycle*, in 1967.