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 Wanna Be Loved
Ricky Nelson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I wanna be loved starting tonight
Instead of merely holding conversation
Hold me tight
Those kisses of yours, I'd gladly share
I want your eyes to shine in my direction
Make me care
I want the kind of romance that should be strong
And equally as tender
I only ask for the chance to know the meaning
Of the word ?surrender?
I wanna be thrilled by only you, dear
I wanna be thrilled by your caress
I wanna find each dream of mine come true
Dear, I wanna be loved
I wanna be loved with inspiration
I wanna be loved starting tonight
Instead of merely holding conversation
Hold me tight
I wanna be kissed until I tingle
I wanna be kissed, starting tonight
Embrace me till our heartbeats intermingle
Wrong or right
I'm in the mood to adore
I'm ready for that well known turtle doving
I'm in no mood to resist
And I insist the world owes me a loving
I wanna be thrilled to desperation
I wanna be thrilled starting tonight
With every kind of wonderful sensation
I wanna be loved
In the song "I Wanna Be Loved", Ricky Nelson expresses his desire for love and affection. He craves to be loved with inspiration, to not only have conversation but to be held and embraced. He wants to be kissed until he tingles, to have his heartbeats intermingle with his lover's. Nelson wants to surrender himself to the kind of romance that is both strong and tender. In short, he wants to be thrilled by the person he loves.
The lyrics of the song suggest that the singer is ready to commit himself to a relationship but needs reassurance in order to do so. He is willing to surrender himself to the one he loves but he also wants to be loved back with equal passion. The singer is in the mood to adore and ready for the “turtle doving” that comes with falling in love. The lyrics express the complicated emotions and desires anyone in love may experience and Ricky Nelson's rendition of the song adds to its charm and beauty.
Line by Line Meaning
I wanna be loved with inspiration
I want to be loved passionately and creatively
I wanna be loved starting tonight
I want to start receiving love and affection immediately
Instead of merely holding conversation
I don't want just idle talk, I want emotional connection
Hold me tight
I want physical closeness and intimacy
I wanna be loved, I crave affection
I desire constant acts of love and tenderness
Those kisses of yours, I'd gladly share
I am willing to give and receive affection equally
I want your eyes to shine in my direction
I want to feel seen, admired and desired
Make me care
I want to feel emotionally invested in the relationship
I want the kind of romance that should be strong
I seek a passionate and intense love affair
And equally as tender
But also with kindness, gentleness and compassion
I only ask for the chance to know the meaning
I humbly request the opportunity to experience
Of the word ?surrender?
Letting go of control and fully giving in to love
I wanna be thrilled by only you, dear
I would be excited and captivated by your love and presence only
I wanna be thrilled by your caress
I desire physical touch that makes my heart race and my body respond
I wanna find each dream of mine come true
My deepest desire is for a love that fulfills all of my hopes and aspirations
Dear, I wanna be loved
I genuinely want to experience love and all that it brings
I wanna be kissed until I tingle
I desire long, slow and passionate kisses that make my whole body buzz with excitement
Embrace me till our heartbeats intermingle
I want an embrace so close and lingering that our hearts beat as one
Wrong or right
I don't care about consequences, I just want to feel loved
I'm in the mood to adore
I am feeling particularly passionate and loving
I'm ready for that well known turtle doving
I am ready for intimacy and closeness with a partner
I'm in no mood to resist
I am open and welcoming to love
And I insist the world owes me a loving
I believe that I deserve to receive love and affection
I wanna be thrilled to desperation
I desire a love that is so intense and overwhelming that I feel desperate for it
With every kind of wonderful sensation
I want to experience all the joys and pleasures that come with love
I wanna be loved
In summary: I want to be loved deeply, passionately, and without reservation.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BAKER, Baker Knight
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind