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.
In My Heart
Ricky Nelson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yes, my bucket's got a hole in it
Yes, my bucket's got a hole in it
I can't buy no beer
I looked down in the sea
I seen the crowds and the fishes
Doing the be bop beep
Cause my bucket's got a hole in it
Yes, my bucket's got a hole in it
Yes, my bucket's got a hole in it
I can't buy no beer
Well, I'm standing on the corner
With a bucket in my hand
I'm a waitin' for a woman
That ain't got no man
Cause my bucket's got a hole in it
Yes, my bucket's got a hole in it
Yes, my bucket's got a hole in it
I can't buy no beer
Well, me and my baby
We bought a Ford
And now we sit together
On the running board
Cause my bucket's got a hole in it
Yes, my bucket's got a hole in it
Yes, my bucket's got a hole in it
I can't buy no beer
The song "My Bucket's Got a Hole in It" by Ricky Nelson is a classic country-blues tune that tells the story of a man who cannot afford to buy beer because his bucket has a hole in it, and therefore cannot hold any liquid. The lyrics are simple yet effective in portraying his predicament, with the repetition of the line "Yes, my bucket's got a hole in it" emphasizing his frustration. The song paints a picture of a man who has to wait for a woman to buy him beer, standing on a corner with his bucket, and watching crowds of people dancing and having fun - things that he cannot enjoy. The line "I went upon a mountain, I looked down in the sea, I seen the crowd and the fishes doing the be bop beep" is particularly striking, as it conveys a sense of loneliness and separation from the world.
The song is ultimately about poverty and the inability to enjoy life's pleasures because of financial hardship. It speaks to the experiences of countless people who have had to struggle to make ends meet and cannot afford to do the things they love. The song's bluesy sound adds to its emotional resonance, making it a classic that remains popular to this day.
Line by Line Meaning
Yes, my bucket's got a hole in it
The singer's bucket has a literal hole in it.
Yes, my bucket's got a hole in it
The singer repeats that their bucket has a hole in it.
Yes, my bucket's got a hole in it
The singer repeats again that their bucket has a hole in it.
I can't buy no beer
The artist cannot buy beer due to the hole in their bucket spilling out any beer they try to carry.
Well, I went upon a mountain
The artist went up a mountain.
I looked down in the sea
The singer looked down at the ocean from the mountain.
I seen the crowds and the fishes
The singer saw crowds of people and fish in the ocean.
Doing the be bop beep
The crowds and fishes were making a lot of noise and commotion.
Cause my bucket's got a hole in it
The artist explains that the reason they cannot buy beer is because their bucket has a hole in it.
Yes, my bucket's got a hole in it
The artist restates that their bucket has a hole in it.
Yes, my bucket's got a hole in it
The singer continues to repeat this fact about their bucket.
I can't buy no beer
The artist reiterates that the hole in their bucket prevents them from purchasing beer.
Well, I'm standing on the corner
The singer is standing on a street corner.
With a bucket in my hand
The singer is holding a bucket.
I'm a waitin' for a woman
The singer is waiting for a woman.
That ain't got no man
The woman the artist is waiting for does not have a male partner.
Cause my bucket's got a hole in it
The artist says that their inability to buy beer is due to the hole in their bucket.
Yes, my bucket's got a hole in it
The singer reiterates that their bucket has a hole in it.
Yes, my bucket's got a hole in it
The singer repeats again that their bucket has a hole in it.
I can't buy no beer
The artist confirms that their bucket's hole prevents them from buying beer.
Well, me and my baby
The artist and their significant other.
We bought a Ford
The artist and their significant other purchased a Ford car.
And now we sit together
The singer and their significant other now sit together.
On the running board
The artist and their significant other are sitting on the running board of the Ford car.
Cause my bucket's got a hole in it
The singer connects their inability to buy beer with the hole in their bucket.
Yes, my bucket's got a hole in it
The singer emphasizes once again that their bucket has a hole in it.
Yes, my bucket's got a hole in it
The singer repeats yet again that their bucket has a hole in it.
I can't buy no beer
The artist concludes by confirming that their ability to purchase beer is still hindered by the hole in their bucket.
Lyrics © Kanjian Music, BMG Rights Management
Written by: CLARENCE WILLIAMS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind