Because he was getting it done at such a young age, it can be tempting to downplay some of the hit singles laid down by Ricky Nelson as a product of teen fandom. But when you hear those songs today, you realize those tracks hold up as well, if not better, than the other high-charters of the era.
Let’s look back at some of those songs, as well as one memorable Nelson hit that came a little bit further down the road. When considering these, it’s likely you’ll recognize one of the strongest artists of that era, regardless of his tender years at the time.
“Poor Little Fool” (1958)
Nelson received a lot of exposure as a television star to help launch his recording career. His first few hits were kind of trifles, but “Poor Little Fool” was the song where he started to define his gentle rockabilly sound with more of an adult approach. Which was a bit ironic, because the song was written by a teenager named Sharon Sheeley, who was still reeling from a breakup with Don Everly of The Everly Brothers. (Stardom must have been a small world even back then.) This was Nelson’s first No. 1 single.
“Lonesome Town” (1958)
Baker Knight wrote this all-time ballad, and it’s one you might expect to sound better coming from a veteran. After all, it tells the tale of a metaphorical location that’s a kind of last-stop refuge for all the brokenhearted souls out there. You wouldn’t think a kid who was still in his teens could make you believe he belonged where streets are filled with regret. But Nelson possessed a natural, haunting quality to his voice that emerged in songs like this. That’s why he’s able to put this across without any over-emoting whatsoever.
“Travelin’ Man” (1961)
We think of listening tastes being fickle today, but it was just as hard to sustain success back in the late ‘50s and early ‘60s. For young artists, it wasn’t that unusual for the train to pass them right by before they could regain their footing. It seemed like Nelson was in danger of that happening, as two years of middling results followed his big hits of 1957 and 1958. “Travelin’ Man,” a song meant for Sam Cooke, helped right the ship. Nelson massages the melody with a veteran’s touch on a song that’s a kind of amorous-travelogue prototype for The Beach Boys’ “California Girls.”
“Hello Mary Lou” (1961)
After “Travelin’ Man” returned him to the top of the charts, Nelson came right back swinging in 1961 with this Top-10 smash. It was written by Gene Pitney, who knew a thing or two about recording hit singles. There’s also a killer part from the legendary James Burton on guitar. A song like this isn’t trying to deliver any deep messages, but that doesn’t mean it has to be slight. Nelson’s performance, sure-handed and suave, lends it heft. Although “Hello Mary Lou” only made it No. 9 on the charts, it became over the years one of Nelson’s signature tracks.
“Garden Party” (1972)
To his everlasting credit, Nelson chose to follow his artistic instincts as the ’60s progressed, and he became a pioneer of sorts in melding country and pop/rock. That didn’t earn him many hits, nor did it please all the fans who wanted to hear the old hits when he played live. A Madison Square Garden gig that allegedly included more than a few boos thrown his way when he tried to play the new stuff got far enough under Nelson’s skin that he responded with this defiant, albeit still easygoing, track. You see, you can’t please everyone, Nelson memorably opined. So you got to please yourself.
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