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.
So Long
Ricky Nelson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I wonder what did I do wrong
I've been so sad and blue
Since you said "Baby, we're all through"
If you leave me in this mood
I fear I'm bound to come unglued
Oh to hold you in my arms again
Well maybe I've been a bad boy baby
Yes and I've told my share of lies
But baby please forgive me
'Cause it's so hard to realise
You may be gone, never to return
Oh what a bitter lesson to learn
There's only one thing left to do
Baby say so long to you
Baby say so long to you
So long
Ricky Nelson's "So Long" is a lamentation of a lover's departure, and an attempt at reconciliation. The song begins with Nelson expressing his confusion about what went wrong, suggesting that he has been left without any warning or clear reason. He then proceeds to appeal to his lover to come back to him, expressing his sadness and his desire to hold her again, with the implication that her departure has left him feeling lonely and incomplete. In the second verse, Nelson acknowledges that he may have been at fault, admitting to bad behavior and lies, and asking for forgiveness. He contrasts his own imperfections with the difficulty of understanding what has happened, suggesting that it is easier to pin guilt on oneself than to understand why love can end so abruptly. The song ends with a resigned acceptance that the lover may never return, but also with a final plea for closure and a farewell.
Overall, "So Long" is a poignant meditation on the fragility and uncertainty of love, and the pain of its loss. It speaks at once to the universal experience of heartbreak and the particular world of teenage romance, reflecting the themes and tone of much of Nelson's music. At the same time, it is a testament to his talent as a songwriter and performer, with its simple yet effective melody and the emotional honesty of its lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
It's been so long, so very long
It has been a very long time since we last saw each other
I wonder what did I do wrong
I am unsure of what mistake I made that made you leave
I've been so sad and blue
I have been depressed and unhappy since you left
Since you said 'Baby, we're all through'
I have been feeling upset and hopeless since you told me that we are over
If you leave me in this mood
If you continue to leave me feeling this way
I fear I'm bound to come unglued
I am afraid of losing control of my emotions and breaking down
Oh to hold you in my arms again
I long to be able to hold you close to me once more
I'll be so lonely until then
I will continue to feel lonely and isolated until that time comes
Well maybe I've been a bad boy baby
It is possible that I have not been the best partner
Yes and I've told my share of lies
I admit to having told some lies
But baby please forgive me
I am asking you to please forgive me for my mistakes
'Cause it's so hard to realize
It is difficult for me to fully understand the extent of my actions
You may be gone, never to return
It is possible that you will never come back
Oh what a bitter lesson to learn
It is a bitter, painful lesson for me to learn that you may be gone forever
There's only one thing left to do
The only thing left for me to do is to say goodbye
Baby say so long to you
I am saying goodbye to you, my baby
Baby say so long to you
I am saying goodbye to you, my baby
So long
Farewell
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
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