RICK NELSON
Greatest Hits (Capitol)
Reviewed by DJ Johnson

---

There are plenty of Rick Nelson collections to choose from, ranging from ultra-cheap, ten song, no frills CDs to box sets that get into the studio patter and minutia that only the most ardent Nelson fans are likely to shell out the big bucks for. This is a single disc collection of twenty songs, well chosen to represent his most important moments, ranging from 1957's "I'm Walkin'" to his final hit, 1972's "Garden Party."

For the casual fan, this is probably all the Ricky Nelson you're going to need. The liner notes, written by actor/writer and Nelson friend James Ritz, give an entertaining overview of Nelson's career and a lot of insight into a legend who never saw himself as one. If you've done any reading on the subject of Nelson's character you already know he was one of the nicest people in show biz, but Ritz's liner notes remind us and give us some new examples. For some of us (me included), it makes the songs even more likeable, if it's possible to like "Travelin' Man," "Hello Mary Lou" or "Believe What You Say" any more than we already do. The liners also give us insight into recording sessions, reasons for certain songs were put on the same 45, and other interesting trivia, some of which might shock you a bit. I, myself, nearly fell out of my chair when I learned that the songwriter's demo tape of "Travelin' Man" was rescued from Sam Cooke's manager's trash can by Nelson's bass player. A song so timeless and we very nearly missed hearing it. Yeesh. What a business.

So in the end this is one more hits package to weigh against the others. Several will let you down; this won't. With the extra incentives of the excellent liners and all the classic photographs within, the scale tips this way.

Track List:

I'm Walking * Be-Bop Baby * Stood Up * Believe What You Say * Poor Little Fool * Lonesome Town * I Got a Feeling * Never Be Anyone Else But You * It's Late * Just a Little Too Much * Sweeter Than You * Travelin' Man * Hello Mary Lou * Everlovin' * Young World * Tennage Idol * Fools Rush In * For You * She Belongs to Me * Garden Party

© 2002 - DJ Johnson