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.
I'm A Fool
Ricky Nelson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'll be a waiting by the telephone girl
While you're out running around, yeah
I'm sittin' here all alone
And I'm a fool
Just a silly fool to be in love with you
You can't be kind to me girl
But I can't let you go, I know
It would only make me sad
Well I'm a fool
Just a silly fool to be in love with you
You treat me just like dirt
You have all the fun I stay at home and hurt
Baby I wish I knew, yeah
How to get you off my mind girl
To put you down and say we're through, yeah
I think about you all the time
And I'm a fool
Just a silly fool to be in love with you
Baby I'm a fool, to be in love with
Well, I'm a fool, to be in love with
The lyrics to Ricky Nelson's song "I'm a Fool" capture the feelings of someone who is hopelessly in love with someone who does not treat them well. The song begins with the singer explaining that he can always be found waiting by the telephone for the person he loves, even though he knows that she is out "running around." He acknowledges that he is a fool for being so deeply in love with someone who does not reciprocate his feelings or treat him kindly.
The second verse continues in a similar vein, with the singer lamenting that the person he loves always treats him badly and makes him feel unimportant. Despite this mistreatment, he cannot bring himself to let her go because he knows it would only make him sad. He acknowledges that he is a fool for staying in a relationship that makes him unhappy.
The final verse sees the singer admitting that he wishes he could get the person he loves off his mind, but he cannot seem to do so. He knows he should let her go and move on, but he is unable to do so because he is still so in love with her. The repetition of the phrase "I'm a fool" throughout the song emphasizes the singer's feelings of self-doubt and foolishness for putting up with a relationship that is clearly not working.
Overall, "I'm a Fool" is a poignant song about unrequited love and the pain of holding onto a relationship that is no longer working. It captures the conflicting emotions of someone who knows they should move on from a bad relationship but cannot seem to let go of the person they love.
Line by Line Meaning
You know where I can be found, don't you know
You are aware of my location and can reach me any time.
I'll be a waiting by the telephone girl
I'll be waiting for your call, hoping that you will contact me.
While you're out running around, yeah
While you are engaging in various activities outside.
I'm sittin' here all alone
I am sitting alone, isolating myself from the world.
And I'm a fool
I am foolishly in love with you.
Just a silly fool to be in love with you
It is foolish to love you, but I still do.
You can't be kind to me girl
You are not capable of showing kindness towards me.
Ya always treat me bad girl
You always treat me poorly, without any consideration.
But I can't let you go, I know
I cannot let go of you, despite being aware of your mistreatment.
It would only make me sad
It would only bring me sorrow if I let you go.
Well I'm a fool
I am a naive person who cannot see the truth about you.
You treat me just like dirt
You treat me with contempt and disrespect.
You have all the fun I stay at home and hurt
You enjoy yourself while I suffer alone at home.
Baby I wish I knew, yeah
I wish I knew a solution to this problem.
How to get you off my mind girl
How to eliminate thoughts of you from my mind.
To put you down and say we're through, yeah
To end our relationship and declare it over.
I think about you all the time
You occupy my thoughts constantly.
And I'm a fool
I am blinded by love and cannot see your faults.
Just a silly fool to be in love with you
It is a foolish decision to be in love with you.
Baby I'm a fool, to be in love with
I am a foolish person to be in love with you.
Well, I'm a fool, to be in love with
It is a foolish decision to love you, but I still do.
Contributed by Maria B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
M L
A very good version.
Sam Christie
What Date that I'm a Fool, i Tried, I'm taking about you, yesterday's love, a happy guy, from a distance, stop, look listen, don't breathe a word, that's why i love you like i do, in my dreams, just relax, live and learn recorded
Ricky Nelson Teenage Idol
@Sam Christie "I'm A Fool, I Tried September 17, 1964" "I'm Talking About You, Yesterday's Love August 26, 1964" "A Happy Guy August 25, 1964" "From A Distance, Stop Look and Listen September 17, 1964" "Don't Breathe A Word August 26, 1964" "That's Why I Love You Like I Do August 25, 1964" "In My Dreams August 26, 1964" "Just Relax June 30, 1964" "Live and Learn September 1, 1964"
boxerfan2
Elvis presley body guard red west partly wrote this song. Correct me if im wrong.
Ann Russell Ross
Sad
Carl Rudd
...girl