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.
I Shall Be Released
Rick Nelson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Say every distance is not real
That I can remember every face
Every man who's put me here
I've seen my life go shinin'
From the west down to the east
And any day now, any day now
They say every man needs protection
Say every man must fall
That I swear I see my reflection
We're so high above this wall
I've seen my life go shinin'
From the west down to the east
And any day now, any day now
I shall be released
Yonder stands a man in this lonely crowd
And he swears he's not to blame
All day I long I hear him cryin' out
That he was framed
I've seen my life go shinin'
From the west down to the east
And any day now, any day now
I shall be released
And any day now, any day now
I shall be released
The lyrics to Rick Nelson's I Shall Be Released express themes of redemption, hope, and perseverance through personal struggles. The opening line, "They say every man can be replaced," speaks to the idea that individuals are interchangeable parts in society, but the following line, "Say every distance is not real," asserts that everyone is unique and their experiences cannot be replicated. The lines "That I can remember every face/Every man who's put me here" are a reference to the personal struggles and obstacles that the singer has faced in their life.
The next verse again reflects on the struggles of life, with the lines "They say every man needs protection/ Say every man must fall," suggesting that no one is immune to the difficulties of life, and that everyone will experience pain and hardships at some point. However, the singer counters this with the line "That I swear I see my reflection/We're so high above this wall," implying that while it is easy to feel trapped or limited by life's challenges, people have the ability to rise above them and overcome them.
The final verse introduces a new character, a man in a lonely crowd who insists he is innocent of wrongdoing. This suggests a broader societal context to the song, as the singer connects their own struggles to those of others who feel trapped or victimized. Overall, the song expresses a hopeful optimism that even in the midst of hardship and pain, release and redemption are possible.
Line by Line Meaning
They say every man can be replaced
It's believed that everyone can be interchanged
Say every distance is not real
The physical separation between them is not significant
That I can remember every face
The singer is good with names and faces
Every man who's put me here
Those who have caused pain and led to present position
I've seen my life go shinin'
The artist has a good life, quite splendid
From the west down to the east
From one end of the world to another
And any day now, any day now
At any moment, the barrier will be lifted
I shall be released
The artist will be set free from this blockage
They say every man needs protection
Every person needs a safeguard
Say every man must fall
It's inevitable that every person will make mistakes
That I swear I see my reflection
The singer sees themselves in someone else
We're so high above this wall
Refers to the barrier previously mentioned
Yonder stands a man in this lonely crowd
In that distant, separate group of people is someone
And he swears he's not to blame
He insists his innocence over the incident
All day I long I hear him cryin' out
For the entire day, his mournful shouts are heard
That he was framed
He was set up to take the fall
And any day now, any day now
At any moment, the anticipated release will occur
I shall be released
The distressful time is almost over
And any day now, any day now
The release could happen soon
I shall be released
The impact of the obstruction will soon be over
Contributed by Connor V. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@sherrieevatt6011
I always loved Rick! He was so talented. His music lives on
@fatimadossantoslima7488
😢😮❤❤🎉🎉 música lindíssima boa gosto Rick Nelson cantor faz muito sucesso até hoje faz muito sucesso até hoje faz muito sucesso até hoje faz muito
@fatimadossantoslima7488
❤🎉❤🎉❤😢 musica lindíssima boa gosto Rick Nelson cantor faz muito sucesso até hoje faz muito sucesso até hoje faz muito sucesso até hoje faz muito sucesso até hoje faz muito sucesso
@JustMe-es9ww
God, I miss this man and his music.
@ricardobraden9415
I know it is kinda off topic but does anybody know a good site to stream newly released tv shows online?
@JimColyer
Great talent.
@IanAKAKeith
Very sweet version of a classic - it's hard to get near The Band's version but Rick always did things in great style. :) Thank you for the upload!
@djdavemick
#102 in May 1970. Decent cover.
@endangtrimartini2582
Nice cover...