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.
You Are The Only One
Rick Nelson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You are the only one
My one and only one
Together we've had a lot of fun
But what'll I do if you leave me?
If someone else should come along
And take your love from me
How lonely I would be
[Chorus]
I tried to be the kinda guy
You'd want to call your own
So please don't go and throw away
The truest love you've known
[Chorus]
What'll I do if you ever take your love from me?
'Cause in your arms is where I always want to be
If you should ever go away
My eyes would fill with tears
And the heartaches I would feel
Would last a thousand years
[Chorus]
What'll I do if you leave me? [Repeat x 4]
The lyrics to Rick Nelson's song You Are The Only One are about the fear of losing the one you love. The chorus of the song repeats the line "You are the only one, my one and only one" and highlights how much the singer's partner means to them. They've had a lot of fun together, but the thought of being without them is a terrifying notion. The singer imagines the possibility of someone else coming along and stealing their partner's love, which would leave the singer feeling incredibly lonely.
The second verse focuses on the effort the singer has put into being the kind of person their partner wants to be with. They plead with their partner not to throw away the love they've built. The bridge of the song reveals the singer's true desires, as they wonder what they would do if their partner were to leave them. The sadness that would result is hard to bear, and the idea of being without their partner terrifies the singer.
Overall, the lyrics to You Are The Only One showcases the vulnerability and fear that comes with being in love. The prospect of losing the one you love is a difficult thought, and this song captures that insecurity elegantly.
Line by Line Meaning
You are the only one
You are the one person I want and need in my life
My one and only one
You are the only person I will love and be with
Together we've had a lot of fun
We have shared many happy times together
But what'll I do if you leave me?
I don't know how I will cope without you in my life
If someone else should come along
If another person tries to win your love
And take your love from me
If they succeed to win your heart and affection
Darlin', you could never know
My love for you is beyond measure and impossible to fully express
How lonely I would be
I would feel incredibly lonely and heartbroken without you
I tried to be the kinda guy
I've done my best to be the man you want in your life
You'd want to call your own
The kind of guy you would choose to be with and love
So please don't go and throw away
I'm asking you not to end our relationship
The truest love you've known
The deepest and most sincere love you have ever experienced
What'll I do if you ever take your love from me?
How would I handle it if you decide to leave me?
'Cause in your arms is where I always want to be
I feel safe, loved, and content when I'm with you
If you should ever go away
If you ever decide to end our relationship
My eyes would fill with tears
I would cry a lot and feel very sad
And the heartaches I would feel
The emotional pain I would experience
Would last a thousand years
It would feel like the emotional pain would never go away
What'll I do if you leave me?
I'm still uncertain how I would live my life without you by my side
[Repeat x 4]
This line repeats four times as a reminder of the song's core message
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: BAKER KNIGHT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
TFS
You are the only one
My one and only one
Together we've had a lot of fun
But what'll I do if you leave me?
If someone else should come along
And take your love from me
Darlin', you could never know
How lonely I would be
You are the only one
My one and only one
Together we've had a lot of fun
But what'll I do if you leave me?
I tried to be the kinda guy
You'd want to call your own
So please don't go and throw away
The truest love you've known
You are the only one
My one and only one
Together we've had a lot of fun
But what'll I do if you leave me?
What'll I do if you ever take your love from me?
'Cause in your arms is where I always want to be
If you should ever go away
My eyes would fill with tears
And the heartaches I would feel
Would last a thousand years
You are the only one
My one and only one
Together we've had a lot of fun
But what'll I do if you leave me?
What'll I do if you leave me? [Repeat x 4]
tropicwave1
You Are the Only One
Ricky Nelson
You are the only one
My one and only one
Together we've had a lot of fun
But what'll I do if you leave me?
If someone else should come along
And take your love from me
Darlin', you could never know
How lonely I would be
You are the only one
My one and only one
Together we've had a lot of fun
But what'll I do if you leave me?
I tried to be the kinda guy
You'd want to call your own
So please don't go and throw away
The truest love you've known
You are the only one
My one and only one
Together we've had a lot of fun
But what'll I do if you leave me?
What'll I do if you ever take your love from me?
'Cause in your arms is where I always want to be
If you should ever go away
My eyes would fill with tears
And the heartaches I would feel
Would last a thousand years
You are the only one
My one and only one
Together we've had a lot of fun
But what'll I do if you leave me?
What'll I do if you leave me? [Repeat x 4]
Songwriters: Baker Knight
You Are the Only One lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Succourtash
Ricky Nelson will always be a teenager to us. We love him so much and still listen to all his songs that will never grow old with us.
Patricia Peres
I love the music.... Amazing Ricky Nelson.
St Pauli
what's really bizzare is nobody talks about how much Rick did or how tragic his death was.I just have all his tunes on vinyl and was fortunate enough to see him in a small venue in 1972.he was great!
Arkadeep Chakraborty
Very lucky, where are you from?
Mystery
Oh, how sad to have lost him in such a tragic way!!!.....He sings beautifully....I really feel he puts his all into all his songs, and this one is a favorite of mine...Thank you for sharing.
Daniel Moroff
I had all but forgotten this song. Can you see the tears well up in my eyes?? I've never met another like her!!! Ever!!
Frederick Fung
I always sing this song to my wife at every festive occasion.
Smickle
This man was brilliant sad he went too soon.
Maureen McGovern
He never got the credit he deserved.
Ryan Cheney
The Oldies never get old. They are like wine gets better as it ages. I'll always LOVE this song in particular though. First time I heard it. All I can think about is that I was truly in 1 relationship. And it seems my heart will never want to be with another.