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.
Believe What You Say
Ricky Nelson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You're goin' steady with nobody else but me
I believe what you say when you say
You don't kiss nobody else but me
Yeah, I believe, pretty baby
Believe you're goin' steady
With nobody else but me
Well, there's one thing, baby that I wantcha to know
When you're rockin' with me, don't rock too slow
Move on in, get toe-to-toe
We're gonna rock till we can't rock no more
I believe, do believe, I believe
Yeah, I believe, pretty baby
Believe you're goin' steady
With nobody else but me
Well, let's dig it now
Well, I believe what you say when you say
You don't miss nobody else but me
I believe what you say when you say
You don't kiss nobody else but me
I believe, do believe, I believe
Yeah, I believe, pretty baby
Believe you're goin' steady
With nobody else but me
Well, when you kiss me, baby then you roll your eyes
I get a funny feelin' that I'm hypnotized
Chills run all up and down my spine
I'm tellin' everybody that you're mine, all mine
I believe, do believe, yeah believe
Oh, believe, pretty baby
Believe you're goin' steady
With nobody else but me
Oh, yeah, well, I believe, do believe
Yeah believe, well, believe, pretty baby
Believe you're goin' steady
With nobody else but me
In "Believe What You Say" by Ricky Nelson, the singer reassures his love interest that he trusts her when she tells him she is only going steady with him and no one else. He believes that she is faithful and dedicated to their relationship, and he enjoys rocking out with her. When they are together, he says, he wants the tempo to stay high and he wants to be close to her. The singer is smitten with his love interest and he wants to stake his claim on her.
The song expresses the emotions of an intense and youthful romance, where both parties are deeply committed to each other. The singer is confident that his love interest is genuine and sincere, and he is willing to trust her. However, the singer also wants to feel secure in their relationship, and he reinforces his ownership of her by asking her to move in closer and "get toe-to-toe" with him. As the song concludes, the singer reflects on the depth of his feelings for his love interest, experiencing a sense of euphoria as he proclaims that she belongs to him and no one else.
Line by Line Meaning
I believe what you say when you say
You're goin' steady with nobody else but me
I trust you when you tell me that you are only in a committed relationship with me, and no one else.
I believe what you say when you say
You don't kiss nobody else but me
I have faith in your words when you tell me that you only share romantic or intimate moments with me and no one else.
I believe, do believe, I believe
Yeah, I believe, pretty baby
Believe you're goin' steady
With nobody else but me
I confidently believe that you are committed to me, and only me, and our relationship is going to last forever.
Well, there's one thing, baby that I wantcha to know
When you're rockin' with me, don't rock too slow
Move on in, get toe-to-toe
We're gonna rock till we can't rock no more
I hope you understand the tempo I want to keep our relationship at, and to enjoy our partnership with enthusiasm and high energy.
Well, let's dig it now
Let's fully embrace our relationship and enjoy each other's company with all we've got.
Well, I believe what you say when you say
You don't miss nobody else but me
I believe what you say when you say
You don't kiss nobody else but me
I completely believe in the truthfulness of your words when you tell me that you only miss and kiss me, and no one else.
Well, when you kiss me, baby then you roll your eyes
I get a funny feelin' that I'm hypnotized
Chills run all up and down my spine
I'm tellin' everybody that you're mine, all mine
Every time you kiss me and roll your eyes, I get a sensation of being hypnotized, and it sends shivers down my spine. I want everyone to know that you belong to me, and no one else.
I believe, do believe, yeah believe
Oh, believe, pretty baby
Believe you're goin' steady
With nobody else but me
Oh, yeah, well, I believe, do believe
Yeah believe, well, believe, pretty baby
Believe you're goin' steady
With nobody else but me
I have complete faith in our relationship, and believe that you are committed to me, and only me, as we continue to grow and evolve together.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: DORSEY BURNETTE, JOHNNY BURNETTE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Raiana Câmara
I believe what you say when you say you're goin' steady with nobody else but me
I believe what you say when you say you don't kiss nobody else but me
I believe (I believe), do believe (do believe), I believe (I believe)
Yeah, I believe, pretty baby, believe you're goin' steady with nobody else but me
Well, there's-a one thing, baby, that I wantcha to know
When you're rockin' with me don't rock too slow
a-Move on in, get toe-to-toe
We're gonna rock till we can't rock no more
I believe (I believe), do believe (do believe), I believe (I believe)
Yeah, I believe, pretty baby, believe you're goin' steady with nobody else but me
[spoken:] Well, let's dig it now.
[instrumental break]
Well, I believe what you say when you say you don't miss nobody else but me
I believe what you say when you say you don't kiss nobody else but me
I believe (I believe), do believe (do believe), I believe (I believe)
Yeah, I believe, pretty baby, believe you're goin' steady with nobody else but me
Well, when you kiss me, baby, then you roll your eyes
I get a funny feelin' that I'm hypnotized
Chills run all up and down my spine
I'm tellin' everybody that you're mine, all mine
I believe (I believe), do believe (do believe), yeah believe (yeah believe)
Oh, believe, pretty baby, believe you're goin' steady with nobody else but me
[spoken:] Oh, yeah!!
Well, I believe, do believe, yeah believe
Well, believe, pretty baby, believe you're goin' steady with nobody else but me
I believe what you say when you say you're goin' steady with nobody else but me
I believe what you say when you say you don't kiss nobody else but me
I believe (I believe), do believe (do believe), I believe (I believe)
Yeah, I believe, pretty baby, believe you're goin' steady with nobody else but me
Well, there's-a one thing, baby, that I wantcha to know
When you're rockin' with me don't rock too slow
a-Move on in, get toe-to-toe
We're gonna rock till we can't rock no more
I believe (I believe), do believe (do believe), I believe (I believe)
Yeah, I believe, pretty baby, believe you're goin' steady with nobody else but me
[spoken:] Well, let's dig it now.
[instrumental break]
Well, I believe what you say when you say you don't miss nobody else but me
I believe what you say when you say you don't kiss nobody else but me
I believe (I believe), do believe (do believe), I believe (I believe)
Yeah, I believe, pretty baby, believe you're goin' steady with nobody else but me
Well, when you kiss me, baby, then you roll your eyes
I get a funny feelin' that I'm hypnotized
Chills run all up and down my spine
I'm tellin' everybody that you're mine, all mine
I believe (I believe), do believe (do believe), yeah believe (yeah believe)
Oh, believe, pretty baby, believe you're goin' steady with nobody else but me
[spoken:] Oh, yeah!!
Well, I believe, do believe, yeah believe
Well, believe, pretty baby, believe you're goin' steady with nobody else but me
Laura Hamilton
Absolutely right! Rick Nelson was fantastic and hugely under-appreciated and acknowledged.
Door Kicker
This song is the definition of Rock n Roll. With the master James Burton on lead guitar 🎸. The father of the Stratocaster.
Charlie Vance
Tele was his main axe! Don't know what he is playing in this video. It is not a Fender
gtrjames1
Gretsch
Garret Dean
Master of the Telecaster. Although he is not playing a Telecaster here, however a very talented and successful musician.
Jesse Burton
You mean the Telecaster. ☺️
Lynette Palecek
@Door. I liked Richie Frost on the drums 🥁 too.
MikeBlitzMag
Absolute, utter jaw dropping perfection. One of rock and roll's finest moments, bar none.
redneck44056
One of the greatest of all time. Was very sorry when he died in a plane crash on New Years eve in 1985. He never received the credit that was due him. R.I.P. Rick Nelson and thanks for all the great memories.
deniel edwards
AGREED.