Eric Hilliard "Ricky" Nelson (May 8, 1940 – December 31, 1985) was an Ameri… Read Full Bio ↴Eric Hilliard "Ricky" Nelson (May 8, 1940 – December 31, 1985) was an American musician, songwriter and actor. From age eight he starred alongside his family in the radio and television series The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet. In 1957, he began a long and successful career as a popular recording artist. The expression "teen idol" was first coined to describe Nelson, and his fame as both a recording artist and television star also led to a motion picture role co-starring alongside John Wayne, Dean Martin and Angie Dickinson in Howard Hawks's western feature film Rio Bravo (1959). He placed 53 songs on the Billboard Hot 100, and its predecessors, between 1957 and 1973, including "Poor Little Fool" in 1958, which was the first number one song on Billboard magazine's then-newly created Hot 100 chart. He recorded 19 additional top ten hits and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on January 21, 1987. In 1996 Nelson was ranked No. 49 on TV Guide's 50 Greatest TV Stars of All Time.

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.

Red Balloon
Rick Nelson Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Got myself a red balloon
Got a blue surprise
Gettin' in the red balloon
Pinnin' up my eyes
Take a love light from my eyes
Blue, blue surprise

Played with toys for children

As a a child I got
Haven't any time for children
Although I got a lot
I took a love light from my eyes
Blue, blue surprise
We met as friends
And you were so easy to get to know
We'll see each other again
Oh my, I hope so

Played with toys for children
As a a child I got
Haven't any time for children
Although I got a lot
I took a love light from my eyes
Blue, blue surprise
Got myself a red balloon
Got a blue surprise

Everything's a red balloon
Fillin' up my eyes

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Rick Nelson's song Red Balloon are full of metaphorical references to childhood innocence and the loss thereof. The red balloon represents the joy and carefree nature of childhood, while the blue surprise symbolizes the realization that that time is fleeting and that innocence cannot be kept forever. The song begins with the singer getting a red balloon and a blue surprise, which could be interpreted as a sudden realization of adult responsibilities or the loss of something pure and unadulterated. He then pins up his eyes, which could signify a desire to revisit his childhood or a refusal to see the reality of growing up.

The second verse reveals more about the singer's attitude towards children. He played with toys as a child, but now has no time for them despite having a lot of them. This could be interpreted as a commentary on the pressures of adulthood or a reflection of societal expectations that people should outgrow their childish hobbies. The line "I took a love light from my eyes, blue, blue surprise" could indicate that the singer's experiences have left him disillusioned or that he has lost his optimism and idealism.

Line by Line Meaning

Got myself a red balloon
I purchased a red balloon for myself

Got a blue surprise
I also received an unexpected blue surprise

Gettin' in the red balloon
I am climbing into the red balloon

Pinnin' up my eyes
I am excitedly opening my eyes wide

Take a love light from my eyes
I am hiding my feelings of love and attraction

Blue, blue surprise
The blue surprise is still on my mind

Played with toys for children
When I was young, I played with toys for kids

As a child I got
I received toys during my childhood

Haven't any time for children
As an adult, I am busy and have no time for kids

Although I got a lot
Even though I have a lot of material possessions

We met as friends
We initially became acquainted as friends