Nelson began his entertainment career in 1949, playing himself in the radio sitcom series, The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet. In 1952, he appeared in his first feature film, Here Come the Nelsons. In 1957, he recorded his first single ("I'm Walkin' b/w "A Teenager's Romance", Verve 10047X4S), debuted as a singer on the television version of the sitcom, and released the No. 1 album titled Ricky. In 1958, Nelson released his first #1 single, "Poor Little Fool", and in 1959 received a Golden Globe nomination for "Most Promising Male Newcomer" after starring in Rio Bravo. A few films followed, and when the television series was cancelled in 1966, Nelson made occasional appearances as a guest star on various television programs. In his twenties, he moved away from the pop music of his youth, and began to perform in a more country rock style. After recording several albums with mostly session musicians, most of which flopped, he formed the Stone Canyon Band in 1969 and experienced a career resurgence, buoyed by the live album In Concert at the Troubadour, 1969 and had a surprise hit with 1972's "Garden Party", which peaked at number six on the Billboard Hot 100. His comeback was short-lived, however, as his record label was bought out and folded, and his followup albums were not well promoted by his new label. He continued to perform live and take small television roles through the 1970s, though his label dropped him by the end of the decade. He released two more albums, with unimpressive results, before his death in a plane crash on New Year's Eve, 1985.
Nelson was married once, to Sharon Kristin Harmon, from 1963 until their divorce in 1982. They had four children: actress Tracy Nelson, twin sons and musicians Gunnar and Matthew, and actor Sam.
Nelson was born on May 8, 1940, in Teaneck, New Jersey. He was the second son of entertainment couple Harriet Hilliard Nelson (born Peggy Lou Snyder; July 18, 1909 – October 2, 1994) and Ozzie Nelson (March 20, 1906 – June 3, 1975). His father Ozzie was of half Swedish descent. The Nelsons' older son was actor David Nelson (October 24, 1936 – January 11, 2011).
On May 8, 1961 (his 21st birthday), he officially modified his recording name from "Ricky Nelson" to "Rick Nelson". His childhood nickname proved hard to shake, especially among the generation who had watched him grow up on "Ozzie and Harriet". Even in the 1980s, when Nelson realized his dream of meeting Carl Perkins, Perkins noted that he and "Ricky" were the last of the "rockabilly breed".
In 1963, Nelson signed a 20-year contract with Decca Records. After some early successes with the label, most notably 1964's "For You" (#6), Nelson's chart career came to a dramatic halt in the wake of Beatlemania, The British Invasion, and later the Counterculture era. However, instead of dropping him, Decca kept him on board.
In the mid-1960s, Nelson began to move towards country music, becoming a pioneer in the country-rock genre. He was one of the early influences of the so-called "California Sound" (which would include singers like Jackson Browne and Linda Ronstadt and bands such as Eagles). Yet Nelson himself did not reach the Top 40 again until 1970, when he recorded Bob Dylan's "She Belongs to Me" with the Stone Canyon Band, featuring Randy Meisner, who in 1971 became a founding member of the Eagles, and former Buckaroo steel guitarist Tom Brumley.
Nelson died in a plane crash on New Year's Eve 1985, flying from Guntersville, Alabama, to Dallas, Texas, for a concert. The plane he was on, a Douglas DC-3, had a history of mechanical problems. All seven passengers, including Blair, died. Only the two pilots survived.
Nelson's funeral took place at the Church of the Hills, Forest Lawn Hollywood Hills Cemetery, on January 6, 1986, and he was privately buried in the Forest Lawn, Hollywood Hills Cemetery, in Los Angeles. His estate was bequeathed to his children.
Break My Chain
Rick Nelson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I got a body full of pain, I'm tired of being your clown
Oh there's a whole lotta fishes
In the deep blue sea, blue sea, blue sea
Baby don't keep 'em waiting, 'cause they're waitin' for me
At the drive-in-movie, every place in town
People see you with another, out runnin' around
Ain't gonna burn no more, no more, no more
Won't you break my chain, baby open that door
Oh won't you break my chain, baby set me free
'Cause I've had about enough of this misery
You've been spendin' my cash, talkin' that trash
All over town
Won't you break my chain, don't turn me down
Don't turn me down
Baby don't turn me down
The song "Break My Chain" by Rick Nelson speaks about the pain and misery that the singer is feeling in their relationship with someone. The singer is asking their partner to break their chain, to set them free from the endless cycle of hurt they are expereincing. The singer feels like they are being played by their partner and like they are just a clown in their eyes. The lyrics are raw and honest, expressing the pain that the singer is feeling, and the desperation for the partner to set them free.
The second verse reveals that the partner is cheating on the singer with another. The singer expresses their feelings of hurt and betrayal, using the metaphor of the fireplace not burning anymore to symbolize the diminishing sparks of their relationship. The singer is begging for the partner to open the door, to release them from the pain and misery that they are inflicted with.
Overall, the song conveys the raw emotions of heartbreak and serves as a reminder to speak up when you are being mistreated in a relationship. It encourages honesty and balancing power dynamics that exist within relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh won't you break my chain, don't turn me down
The singer is pleading to their lover to help them break free from the pain they've been enduring.
I got a body full of pain, I'm tired of being your clown
The singer is conveying the extent of the emotional distress they have been experiencing as a result of their lover's behavior towards them.
Oh there's a whole lotta fishes
The singer is expressing the idea that there are many other people out there who would be interested in being with them romantically.
In the deep blue sea, blue sea, blue sea
The singer is using the oceanic analogy to emphasize the vastness of the opportunities available to them and their desire to explore them.
Baby don't keep 'em waiting, 'cause they're waitin' for me
The singer is urging their lover to let them go so they can pursue those other opportunities that are out there waiting for them.
At the drive-in-movie, every place in town
The singer is describing how the whole town is familiar with them as a couple and how they are seen in public with their partner.
People see you with another, out runnin' around
The singer is implying that their partner has been unfaithful to them and has been caught engaging in romantic activities with someone else.
Oh well the coal in the fireplace
The singer is using a metaphor that symbolizes the end of a relationship, as coal in the fireplace is an image of the fire going out.
Ain't gonna burn no more, no more, no more
The singer is emphasizing the fact that the relationship is over and there is no chance of the fire reigniting.
Won't you break my chain, baby open that door
The singer is pleading with their lover to free them from the emotional strain of the dying relationship by ending it.
Oh won't you break my chain, baby set me free
The singer is continuing to plead with their lover to let them go and break the chain of a relationship that has been weighing them down.
'Cause I've had about enough of this misery
The singer is expressing their own emotional exhaustion in the relationship and their desire to move on from it.
You've been spendin' my cash, talkin' that trash
The singer is describing how their partner has been behaving selfishly and recklessly in the relationship, with no regard for the singer's well-being.
All over town
The singer is emphasizing that their partner's unfaithfulness and selfishness is not a secret and is known to many people in town.
Don't turn me down
The singer is imploring their lover not to reject their request for freedom and to allow them to break free from the chains of heartache.
Baby don't turn me down
The singer continues to urge their lover to let them go and leave the toxic relationship behind.
Contributed by Chloe S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.