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 Wanna Be With You
Rick Nelson Lyrics
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And it's drivin' me insane
No matter how hard I try
To you it's all a game
I've got somethin' I wanna say
I've got somethin' I wanna do
When the sun shines
I haven't seen you in a week, it's true
We'd better get together 'fore we're through
'Cause I got somethin' I wanna say to you
Make it easy
Because I've tried so hard to forget
But that somethin' I'll never do
'Cause when the sun shines
I wanna be with you
I haven't seen you in a week, it's true
We'd better get together 'fore we're through
'Cause I got somethin' I wanna say to you
Make it easy
Because I got somethin' I wanna say
I got somethin' I wanna do
When the sun shines
I wanna be with you
When the sun shines
I wanna be with you
When the sun shines
I wanna be with you
The lyrics to Rick Nelson's song "I Wanna Be With You" are a depiction of the internal struggle of a person who is love-struck and wants to express their feelings, but is unable to do so due to the lack of response or perceived indifference from their lover. The song begins with the singer expressing frustration about something that is bothering them and driving them insane. This is most likely related to his feelings for the person he wants to be with, but he cannot get through to them.
The singer expresses his desire to be with the person he loves when the sun shines, indicating a feeling of joy and warmth affiliated with being around the person they love. The person being pursued seems careless and unaware of the singer's feelings, which is where the singer feels the pain of their relentless affection. However, the singer realizes that they must confront their love interest and make their feelings known, even if it is not reciprocated.
The chorus is repeated multiple times, representing a longing desire for the person the singer loves. The lyrics speak to a universal feeling of wanting to be with someone and finding the courage to express one's feelings regardless of the potential outcome.
Overall, the song captures the essence of unrequited love and the emotional turmoil that comes with it, and emphasizes the importance of honesty and communication in relationships.
Line by Line Meaning
I've got somethin' on my mind
I am preoccupied with something and need to share it with you.
And it's drivin' me insane
This concern is causing me a great deal of mental distress.
No matter how hard I try
Despite my best efforts,
To you it's all a game
you don't take this seriously and treat it like a trivial matter.
I haven't seen you in a week, it's true
We haven't met in a week, and this is factual and undeniable.
We'd better get together 'fore we're through
We should meet soon before our relationship ends.
'Cause I got somethin' I wanna say to you
I have a message that I want to convey to you.
Make it easy
Please listen to me without complicating things.
Because I've tried so hard to forget
I made an effort to suppress my feelings.
But that somethin' I'll never do
I will never forget about this matter entirely.
'Cause when the sun shines
I feel my best when the sky is bright and shining.
I wanna be with you
I want to spend time with you because it brings me happiness.
When the sun shines
During bright and sunny days,
I wanna be with you
I desire to be in your company at all times.
When the sun shines
During bright and sunny days,
I wanna be with you
I want to experience joy and be with you.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: KEMP, MEISNER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind