RICKY WAS ROBBED

I bet there's more than a few of you who think that Ricky Nelson had some sort of cushy life. As far as hardships, financial and otherwise, he probably did. I mean, c'mon, he was teen idol personified, on television and on record. With his looks, there's no doubt that he had more than his share off stage friskiness. Though, consider the fact that in his late teens, all he wanted to do was sing rock 'n' roll. Unlike the non-show biz kids who could bang it out in the garage, and flirt with all of the JD stuff, he had to start his musical career on TV, under the watchful eye of an old school bandleader, the aw-shucks sweater wearing Ozzie Nelson. Sure, his dad wasn't Murray Wilson, but he did forbid suggestive lyrics, and would drop in on recording sessions. Can't you imagine hearing an eighteen year old Ricky mumble "Aw fuck, here he comes again. Bug off would you?"

Of course, fame does have it's perks. He was able to have his pick of songs by songwriters itching for the exposure, including Gene Pitney, who wrote "Hello, Mary Lou," and seventeen year old Sharon Sheely, the girlfriend of Eddie Cochran, who wrote "Poor Little Fool." He had his pick of musicians too, notably guitarist James Burton who was eighteen when he began playing with him. He also employed the Jordanaires (Elvis's backup singers), Johnny and Dorsey Burnette, and Joe Maphis (who is refusing to leave this blog). He did do some good music, but it's rather unfortunate that he wasn't let off the leash earlier. Had he not had the fame, the teen idol looks, the comfortable life, or the presence of a parental figure, who knows what he would have been like? He could have been a wild man. We'll never know. Yessir, it is one of life's biggest mysteries.

"Anyone who knocks rock 'n' roll, either doesn't understand it, or is prejudiced against it, or is just plain square," said Ricky Nelson, son of square, in 1958.

I have to start with his version of Gershwin's "Summertime." Topical, it is, but I really like the sound of it. The Yardbirds must have been over drinking Nelson Kool-Aid.

~ NOTE: ALL MEDIA IS HOSTED BY THE BLOGS & SITES NAMED BELOW ~

Listen:
Ricky Nelson - Summertime mp3 at Crud Crud
Ricky Nelson – Lonesome Town mp3 at The Audio Muffin
Ricky Nelson - Be-Bop-Baby mp3 at Rocky-52
Ricky Nelson - Waitin' In School at Diddy Wah
Ricky Nelson - Hello Mary Lou mp3 at SMU
Ricky Nelson - Stop Sneakin' 'Round mp3 at Probe is Turning-On the People