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.
Again
Ricky Nelson Lyrics
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This is that once in a lifetime
This is the thrill divine
What's more, this never happened before
Though I have prayed for a lifetime
That such as you would suddenly be mine
Mine to hold as I"m holding you now and yet never so near
Mine to have when the now and the here disappear
This doesn't happen again
We'll have this moment forever
But never, never, again
Again, this couldn't happen again
This is that once in a lifetime
This is the thrill divine
What's more, this never happened before
Though I have prayed for a lifetime
That such as you would suddenly be mine
Mine to hold as I"m holding you now and yet never so near
Mine to have when the now and the here disappear
What matters, dear, for when
This doesn't happen again
We'll have this moment forever
"Again" is a song by Ricky Nelson that speaks of a once in a lifetime moment. The lyrics depict a lover who can't believe they're in a relationship with someone they've prayed for, and they cherish the present moment, knowing that it's something they'll never experience again. From the line “this is that once in a lifetime”, the singer acknowledges that what he is experiencing now is very rare and he can't help but be grateful for it. He acknowledges the divine thrill he gets from being with his lover by referring to it as “the thrill divine”. The singer further emphasizes the uniqueness of this experience by constantly reiterating that such a thing has never happened before.
The singer goes on to say that he wished for such a moment for his entire lifetime, which indicates that he has been searching for something like this for a long time. As he holds his lover close, enjoying the "now and the here", he knows that it will pass, and they will never get to experience the same moment together again. However, he is consoled by the fact that they'll always have the memory of the beautiful moment they shared together. The last line of the song, “We'll have this moment forever, but never, never again”, emphasizes the bittersweet nature of the experience - it's a beautiful and rare moment that they'll carry with them forever, but at the same time, it can never be replicated.
Overall, "Again" is a poignant reminder that beautiful moments are fleeting, and we should cherish them while they last.
Line by Line Meaning
This couldn't happen again
It seems impossible that this moment could be repeated.
This is that once in a lifetime
This moment is special and rare, likely to only happen once.
This is the thrill divine
The feeling of excitement and joy is beyond words.
What's more, this never happened before
There is no precedent for this experience, it is completely new.
Though I have prayed for a lifetime
The singer has wished and hoped for this moment for many years.
That such as you would suddenly be mine
The singer has desired to be with someone like the person they are currently holding.
Mine to hold as I'm holding you now and yet never so near
The singer is cherishing the moment of holding the person close, knowing that they may never feel this close again.
Mine to have when the now and the here disappear
Even when this moment is over, the singer will always have the memory.
What matters, dear, for when
No matter what happens in the future, this moment will always be cherished.
This doesn't happen again
It is unlikely that this moment will be recreated in the future.
We'll have this moment forever
The memory of this moment will last forever.
But never, never, again
Even though the memory will last, it is unlikely to happen again.
Again, this couldn't happen again
Once again, the singer emphasizes that this moment is very unique and unlikely to happen again.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: JEFF LYNNE, TOM PETTY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind