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.
Do You Know What I Mean
Ricky Nelson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I just saw her with my best friend
Do you know what I mean?
Do you know, know what I mean?
I just saw her yesterday
I just saw her, asked her to stay
Do you know what I mean?
Her and Bobby were steppin out
Her and Bobby didn't know I found out
Do you know what I mean?
Do you know, know what I mean?
So I asked her if she still cared
She didn't hear me, she just stared
Do you know what I mean?
Lawd, Do you know what I mean?
And then she said
Lee you haven't loved me in nearly four years
You haven't noticed that I held back my tears
And now you have, but it's really too late
Better find yourself another girl
Better find another girl
Better find uh, another place
She just left me yesterday
She just left me, had nothing to say
Do you know what I mean?
Oh, do you know what I mean?
She's a dandy, yes indeed
She's a dandy, but now she's free
Do you know what I mean?
Lawd, do you know what I mean?
Been forty days since I don't know when
Do you know what I mean?
Lawd, do you know what I mean?
I just saw her yesterday
I just saw her, learn how to stay
Do you know what I mean?
Lawd, Do you know what I mean?
Yeah, here comes it now
Hoooo, help me
The song "Do You Know What I Mean" by Ricky Nelson tells a story of a man who discovers that his girlfriend has been cheating on him with one of his closest friends. The opening lines indicate that it has been a long time since the singer has seen his girlfriend - "Been forty days since I don't know when." However, when he finally does see her, he finds out that she has been seeing his friend Bobby. The repetition of the question "Do you know what I mean?" throughout the song highlights the singer's disbelief, shock, and sense of betrayal.
The singer confronts his girlfriend about the cheating, but she accuses him of not loving her for the past four years. She makes it clear that their relationship is over, stating bluntly "Better find yourself another girl, better find another girl, better find uh, another place." The song ends with the singer reflecting on the situation, still in disbelief, and repeating the opening line "Been forty days since I don't know when."
Overall, the song portrays the emotional turmoil of infidelity and heartbreak. It highlights the pain of being betrayed by someone you love and the struggle to come to terms with the end of a relationship.
Line by Line Meaning
Been forty days since I don't know when
It's been a long time since I last saw her or spoke to her.
I just saw her with my best friend
I saw her and my best friend together.
Do you know what I mean?
Do you understand the gravity of my situation?
Do you know, know what I mean?
Am I making sense to you?
Her and Bobby were steppin out
She was cheating on me with Bobby.
Her and Bobby didn't know I found out
She and Bobby did not know that I already knew about their relationship.
So I asked her if she still cared
I wanted to know if she still loved me.
She didn't hear me, she just stared
She ignored me and didn't respond to my question.
And then she said Lee you haven't loved me in nearly four years
She accused me of not loving her for almost four years.
You haven't noticed that I held back my tears
I've been hiding my sadness and pain from you for a long time.
And now you have, but it's really too late
You finally realized my pain, but it's too late to fix our relationship.
Better find yourself another girl
You should move on and find someone else.
She just left me yesterday
She ended our relationship just yesterday.
She just left me, had nothing to say
She left me without any explanations or reasons.
She's a dandy, yes indeed
She's attractive and charming.
She's a dandy, but now she's free
She's available now that she ended our relationship.
Been forty days since I don't know when
It's still been a long time since I saw her or spoke to her.
I just saw her yesterday
I saw her just yesterday.
Learn how to stay
I need to learn how to make someone stay with me.
Hoooo, help me
I need help getting over this heartbreak.
Lyrics © MUSIC SALES CORPORATION , THE SONGWRITERS GUILD OF AMERICA
Written by: EDDIE DELANGE, LOUIS ALTER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind