Things that are good for me which nevertheless have caused me grief to varying degrees: spinach, love.

Before I ever saw this scene from Robert Altman’s Popeye, I discovered the audio recording of Shelley Duvall singing “He Needs Me,” one of the world’s most convincing love songs, for which we have the great songwriter Harry Nilsson to thank.

The soundtrack information on the film’s Wikipedia page offers this tidbit—utterly speculative, in true Wikipedia fashion, and none the less funny for it:

Everyone tried to dissuade Robert Altman from working with Harry Nilsson, claiming that Nilsson would be constantly drunk. Only Robin Williams supported him in this decision. As it turned out, Altman found Nilsson to be delightful to work with.

(Oh, Robin Williams, you ol’ shit-disturber, you!)

The official [Popeye] soundtrack version of the song was later used, if I recall, in Punch Drunk Love, about which I care to say nothing else whatsoever. I wouldn’t want to diminish the exquisite cartoonishness of Duvall’s Olive Oyl, the knee-buckling charm and simplicity of her voice. Enjoy: