Greatest Hits

Nelson, Ricky

album cover

Wise Men Never Fall in Love, So How Are They to Know?

In 1963, Ricky Nelson (1940–1985) sang "Fools Rush In" with the besotted rashness of a teenager in love. A galloping ballroom samba tricked out with electric guitars, "Fools" is one of Nelson's most accomplished singles. Its lead vocal arrives bursting with promise, yet as it goes along, Nelson introduces little shrugs of sadness. He communicates the self-consciousness of one who has been the fool before, is happy to be the fool for this wonderful girl, and knows that, inevitably, he will be again.

In 1972, this same singer, now billed as Rick Nelson, had his last chart hit with a song he wrote himself, called "Garden Party." It's his recollection of a 1971 oldies show at Madison Square Garden, where he was booed off the stage. The incident apparently rattled him: All youthful exuberance is drained from his voice, and in its place is barely disguised bitterness. The former showbiz kid, who as the son of Ozzie and Harriet appeared weekly on national television, has arrived at a life lesson: "You can't please everyone, so you've got to please yourself."

There are lots of points on the spectrum between the wild passion of "Fools Rush In" and the jaded awareness of "Garden Party." In the years after his 1957 debut—"I'm Walkin'," a song he recorded to impress a date who was an Elvis Presley fan—Nelson visited many of them. His singles share the anxious musings of hormonal teenagers ("Hello Mary Lou"), as well as more mature thoughts on devotion ("Everlovin'"), ponder the overwhelming hurt of a romance's end ("Lonesome Town"), and the heart-racing feeling of a flirtation that's just beginning ("Waitin' in School").

As these became hits, Nelson grew into a pop star whose runaway fame eclipsed the musicality of his records. That's a shame, because Nelson's work easily towers over that of other media-driven teen idols. His records are musically smart and sonically expansive, with carefully manicured rhythm tracks and just a hint of sweetening. And many of them are greatly enhanced by the presence of James Burton, the guitarist whose sparkling leads are part of classics by Elvis Presley, Dale Hawkins, and others. This anthology catches all the big hits, and arranges them in a nonchronological, musically logical sequence—a nice touch.

Genre: Rock
Released: 2003, Capitol (Reissued 2000)
Key Tracks: "Hello Mary Lou," "Travelin' Man," "Fools Rush In," "Garden Party."
Catalog Choice: Ricky Sings Again
Next Stop: The Everly Brothers: Cadence Classics: Their Twenty Greatest Hits
After That: Chris Isaak: Heart Shaped World
Book Page: 544