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.
Hello Walls
Ricky Nelson Lyrics
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How'd things go for you today?
Don't you miss her
Since she up and walked away?
Well, I bet you dread to spend
Another lonely night with me
Hello window
Well, I see that you're still here
Aren't you lonely?
Since our darling disappeared?
Well, look here, is that a teardrop
In the corner of your pane?
Now, don't you try to tell me that it's rain
She went away
And left us all alone
The way she planned
Guess we'll have to learn to get along
Without her if we can
Hello ceiling
I'm gonna stare at you a while
You know I can't sleep
So won't you bear with me awhile
We gotta all stick together
Or else I'll lose my mind
I've got a feelin'
She'll be gone a long, long time
The song "Hello Walls" by Ricky Nelson is a poignant and melancholic tune about a man who is feeling lonely and abandoned after the woman he loved left him. He speaks to his walls, windows, and ceiling, yearning for companionship despite feeling hopeless and helpless. The lyrics suggest that he is struggling to cope with his loneliness, and he fears that he may lose his mind if he does not have someone or something to cling to.
The walls, windows, and ceiling are personified throughout the song, and they serve as symbols of the singer's isolation and despair. They are his only companions as he tries to deal with the emotional pain of being left behind, and he turns to them for comfort and solace. However, even they cannot fully alleviate his sorrow, and he knows that he will have to keep soldiering on, even if it means spending many more lonely nights with just his thoughts and memories for company.
Line by Line Meaning
Hello Walls
The singer greets the walls of his room as if they were his companion for the night.
How'd things go for you today?
The singer is talking to the walls and is curious to know how their day went since he's going to spend his night with them.
Don't you miss her
The singer wonders if the walls miss his partner as much as he does.
Since she up and walked away?
The singer is confirming to the walls that his partner abandoned him, and he's feeling lonely in her absence.
Well, I bet you dread to spend
The singer thinks the walls are anticipating a boring and lonely night with him and are not looking forward to it.
Another lonely night with me
The singer confirms that he will spend another lonely night with the walls.
But, lonely walls, I'll keep you company
The singer assures the walls that he'll be there with them and will keep them company throughout the night.
Hello window
The singer greets the window of his room as if it were an old friend and continues to talk to it throughout the stanza.
Well, I see that you're still here
The singer notices that the window is still present in the room despite his loneliness and his partner's absence.
Aren't you lonely?
The singer asks the window if it's not feeling lonely after his partner has gone.
Since our darling disappeared?
The singer references his partner as their darling and confirms that she has gone, leaving the room dull and empty.
Well, look here, is that a teardrop
The singer notices a tear on the windowpane and assumes that it's the window's way of expressing sadness over his partner's absence.
In the corner of your pane?
The singer confirms that the tear is on the corner of the windowpane.
Now, don't you try to tell me that it's rain
The singer asserts that the tear isn't rain and that it's the window's way of displaying sadness.
She went away
The singer references his partner and confirms that she went away, leaving him alone in the room.
And left us all alone
The singer includes the walls and the window as part of the group she left behind, creating the impression that everyone in the room is feeling lonely and blue.
The way she planned
The singer suggests that his partner had planned her departure, implying that she had reasons to leave him.
Guess we'll have to learn to get along
The singer acknowledges that he and the objects in the room must learn to coexist and find a way to get through their loneliness together.
Without her if we can
The singer accepts the reality that his partner is gone and points out that they'll have to find a way to manage life without her.
Hello ceiling
The singer greets his ceiling, which he'll be staring at since he can't sleep.
I'm gonna stare at you a while
The singer confirms that he'll be spending some time staring at the ceiling and letting his thoughts drift off into the distance.
You know I can't sleep
The singer establishes that he's having trouble sleeping since his partner left him.
So won't you bear with me awhile
The singer requests the ceiling's company while he tries to get some rest without his partner.
We gotta all stick together
The singer recognizes the importance of supporting each other and sticking together in a time when things aren't going as planned.
Or else I'll lose my mind
The singer acknowledges that he'll go crazy if he doesn't have the company of the walls, the window, and the ceiling to help him cope with his current situation.
I've got a feelin'
The singer predicts that his partner will be gone for an extended period, and he'll need the company of the room's objects to help him manage his loneliness.
She'll be gone a long, long time
The singer foresees that his partner will be gone for an extended period and is preparing himself mentally to cope and manage his emotions.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: IVY J BRYANT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind