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 โ October 2, 1994) and Ozzie Nelson (March 20, 1906 โ June 3, 1975). His father Ozzie was of half Swedish descent. The Nelsons' older son was actor David Nelson (October 24, 1936 โ 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.
It's Late
Ricky Nelson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
We gotta get on home
It's late, it's late
We've been gone too long
We shoulda checked our time
Can't phone, can't phone
We done spent every dime
It's late, it's late
We're 'bout to run outta gas
It's late, it's late
We gotta get home fast
Can't speed, can't speed
We're in a slow-down zone
Baby, look at that clock
Why can't it be wrong
If we coulda left home at a quarter to nine
Woulda had fun and plenty of time
We got started just a little bit late
Hope this won't be our last date
Look up, look up
Is that the moon we see?
Can't be, can't be
Looks like the sun to me
It's late, it's late
I hate to face your dad
Too bad, too bad
I know he's gonna be mad
It's late, it's late
We gotta get on home
It's late, it's late
We've been gone too long
It's late, it's late
We're 'bout to run outta gas
It's late, it's late
We gotta get home fast
Can't speed, can't speed
We're in a slow-down zone
Baby, look at that clock
Why can't it be wrong
If we coulda left home at a quarter to nine
Woulda had fun and plenty of time
We got started just a little bit late
Hope this won't be our last date
Look up, look up
Is that the moon we see?
Can't be, can't be
Looks like the sun to me
It's late, it's late
I hate to face your dad
Too bad, too bad
I know he's gonna be mad
It's late, it's late
We gotta get on home
It's late, it's late
We've been gone too long
It's late
Ricky Nelson's song "It's Late" is a classic rock and roll track that captures the feeling of youth culture in the 1950s. The song deals with themes of youth rebellion and the pressure to conform to societal expectations. The lyrics tell the story of a young couple who have been out too late and are worried about facing the consequences of their actions. They are running out of gas and time, and are struggling to get home before it's too late.
The opening lines of the song, "It's late, it's late, we gotta get on home," set the tone for the rest of the song. The urgency and anxiety in the lyrics are palpable, as the couple worry about being caught out after curfew. The lines, "Can't phone, can't phone, we done spent every dime," show the audience that they are completely cut off and alone, with no way to ask for help.
The lyrics also touch on other themes of teenage life, such as the desire to rebel and break free from constraints. The lines, "If we coulda left home at a quarter to nine, woulda had fun and plenty of time," highlight this desire to live life on their own terms, without the pressure of social expectations.
Overall, "It's Late" is a powerful and relatable song that captures the spirit of the youth culture of the 1950s, while also continuing to remain relevant in modern times.
Line by Line Meaning
It's late, it's late
We realize that it is getting late and we should head home immediately.
We gotta get on home
We need to go back to our respective homes.
We've been gone too long
We have already spent a lot of time outside and it is time for us to go home.
Too bad, too bad
It is unfortunate that we did not check the time before heading out.
We shoulda checked our time
We regret not checking the time before going out for an extended period.
Can't phone, can't phone
We cannot call anyone because we have already spent all our money.
We done spent every dime
We have used up all our money and cannot make a call to anyone.
We're 'bout to run outta gas
Our vehicle is running out of fuel and we need to reach home before it stops abruptly.
We gotta get home fast
We need to reach home as quickly as possible.
Can't speed, can't speed
We cannot drive too fast because we are driving through a slow-down zone.
We're in a slow-down zone
We are driving through a location where we cannot drive too fast.
Baby, look at that clock
We are asking our partner to check the time on the clock.
Why can't it be wrong
We hope that the clock would show a time that is later than the actual time.
If we coulda left home at a quarter to nine
If we had left home earlier, we would have had more time to spend outside.
Woulda had fun and plenty of time
If we had left earlier, we could have enjoyed ourselves for a longer period.
We got started just a little bit late
We started our journey a bit late and that has resulted in us being out for too long.
Hope this won't be our last date
We hope that this incident will not result in the end of our relationship.
Look up, look up
We are telling our partner to look up at the sky.
Is that the moon we see?
We are confused as to whether the celestial object we see in the sky is the moon.
Can't be, can't be
We believe that it cannot be the moon since it is still too bright outside.
Looks like the sun to me
We think that the celestial object in the sky is the sun.
I hate to face your dad
We are dreading the thought of meeting our partner's father.
I know he's gonna be mad
We are fully aware that our partner's father will be angry with us for being out so late.
Lyrics ยฉ Kanjian Music, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DORSEY BURNETTE
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@bonkeydollocks1879
Still one of the coolest, short, simple, effective non ageing guitar solos
@tomrucco6490
That's James Burton the master of the Telecaster
@bonkeydollocks1879
@Tom Rucco correct, fave of elvis and the big 'o' too
@tomrucco6490
@bonkey dollocks and also the chairman of the board! Francis Albert Sinatra
@bonkeydollocks1879
@Tom Rucco never knew that, thanks
@tomrucco6490
@bonkey dollocks a little piece of History James Burton wasn't able to play what Elvis on the 68 Comeback because he had prior commitment with Sinatra recording studio album
@b3nchur
This song is only 1:30 and it tells a whole story. How does not even a little bit of this music still get made today. It's literally so well made.
@nolanhanson6172
It's like CCR, it's short and you wish it was longer, but they're great songs either way.
@muffs55mercury61
He skipped a little. The 45 rpm version is a little over 2 minutes.
@johndownes4136
All British guitarists waited for Rick's latest record to see how good the guitar solo was. Still love these great songs and solos.