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.
Waitin' in School
Rick Nelson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
A-waitin' on the bell to ring so I can go home
Throw my books on the table, pick up the telephone
"Hello, baby, let's get somethin' goin'"
Headin' down to the drugstore to get a soda pop
Throw a nickel in the jukebox, then we start to rock
My school gal baby, gonna tell ya some news
Well, it's a-one, two, a-pull off my shoes
Three, four, get out on the floor
Five, six, come get your kicks
Down on the corner of Lincoln and a-forty-six
Yeah
I've been a-waitin' in school all day long
A-waitin' on the bell to ring so I could go home
Throw my books on the table, pick up the telephone
"Hello, baby, let's get somethin' goin'"
Headin' down to the drugstore to get a soda pop
Throw a nickel in the jukebox, then we start to rock
My school gal baby, gonna tell ya some news
You sure look good in them baby-doll shoes
Well, it's a-one, two, a-pull off my shoes
Three, four, get out on the floor
Five, six, come get your kicks
Down on the corner of Lincoln and a-forty-six
Yeah
Well, let's go now
Well, it's a-one, two, a-pull off my shoes
Three, four, get out on the floor
Five, six, come get your kicks
Down on the corner of Lincoln and a-forty-six
You gotta move, start rockin' baby
A rockin', rockin' baby
Gonna rock all night, rock all night
Just wait 'n' see
Yeah
The lyrics of Rick Nelson's "Waitin' in School" capture the feeling of being trapped in school and waiting for the bell to ring. The singer is eager to leave school and blow off some steam with his school gal baby. He heads to the drugstore to get a soda pop, throws a nickel in the jukebox, and they start to rock. The singer's attention is captured by his school gal baby's baby-doll shoes, and they dance together until the night's end.
Overall, the lyrics emphasize youth and rebellion, as the singer seems to be more interested in having fun than in attending school. The song is upbeat and energetic, with a catchy hook that is easy to sing along to. While the lyrics themselves are relatively simple, they are effective at capturing the sense of youthful exuberance and impatience.
Line by Line Meaning
I been a-waitin' in school all day long
I have been anxiously waiting in school all day long.
A-waitin' on the bell to ring so I can go home
I am waiting for the bell to ring so I can leave school and go home.
Throw my books on the table, pick up the telephone
As soon as I get home, I'll throw my books on the table and grab the telephone to make a call.
"Hello, baby, let's get somethin' goin'"
When I call, I'll be looking to make plans with my sweetheart.
Headin' down to the drugstore to get a soda pop
I'll be walking to the drugstore to buy a soda pop.
Throw a nickel in the jukebox, then we start to rock
After putting a nickel in the jukebox, we'll start dancing to the music.
My school gal baby, gonna tell ya some news
By the way, my school girlfriend has some news to tell you.
You sure look good in them baby-doll shoes
I must say, you look great in those baby-doll shoes you're wearing.
Well, it's a-one, two, a-pull off my shoes
I'm going to count to three and take off my shoes.
Three, four, get out on the floor
I'll be ready to dance after taking off my shoes.
Five, six, come get your kicks
So let's get out there and have some fun!
Down on the corner of Lincoln and a-forty-six
We'll be dancing on the corner of Lincoln and 46th street.
I've been a-waitin' in school all day long
Just to reiterate, I've been waiting anxiously in school all day long.
A-waitin' on the bell to ring so I could go home
I've specifically been waiting for the bell to ring so I can go home.
Throw my books on the table, pick up the telephone
When I get home, I intend to put my school books on the table and pick up the telephone again.
"Hello, baby, let's get somethin' goin'"
I'll say hello and then express my desire to make plans again.
Headin' down to the drugstore to get a soda pop
I'm walking back to the drugstore because I want another soda pop.
Throw a nickel in the jukebox, then we start to rock
Once again, I'll put a nickel in the jukebox and we'll start rocking out.
My school gal baby, gonna tell ya some news
By the way, my school girlfriend has some news to share with you.
You sure look good in them baby-doll shoes
Like I said before, you look amazing in those shoes you're wearing tonight.
Well, it's a-one, two, a-pull off my shoes
Once again, I'm going to count to three and take off my shoes.
Three, four, get out on the floor
After taking off my shoes, I'm ready to get back onto the dance floor.
Five, six, come get your kicks
So let's rock and roll and have a great time together!
Down on the corner of Lincoln and a-forty-six
We'll be dancing on the same corner as before - Lincoln and 46th street.
You gotta move, start rockin' baby
Don't be shy - get out here and start dancing like nobody's watching!
A rockin', rockin' baby
Rock and roll all night, baby!
Gonna rock all night, rock all night
We're going to dance and have a great time all night long!
Just wait 'n' see
So, let's get started and you'll see just how much fun we can have!
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management
Written by: Dorsey Burnette, Johnny Burnette
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind