Customer Reviews

The Best of Rick Nelson 1963 -1975

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

After EMI's 2 repackages, this could have been called "Volume 3". It collects in short order the cream of Rick's time at Decca. One fabulous recording after another! Most of these were unavailable elsewhere, to boot. Recently, ACE Records has been reissuing Rick's complete Decca albums as "twofers", which is a joy for completist fanatics. But for the average listener, the songs HERE may be all that's needed. (Unless you're into Rick's country stuff-- then, definitely get BRIGHT LIGHTS AND COUNTRY MUSIC / COUNTRY FEVER, of which only "Mystery Train" appears here. And for his country-rock stuff, I recomend RUDY THE FIFTH-- none of which is repeated here!)

This 1990 compilation from Decca/MCA was a little outside the norm for that time in that it included 15 tracks, whereas with most at that time you were lucky to get 12. It also provides seven pages of background notes written by Todd Everett, and the AAD sound quality is excellent.

There is no discography provided, but I can tell you that tracks 5, 9, and 13 to 15 were not among the 15 Decca/MCA hit singles registered from 1963 to 1975 after moving over from Imperial. Nor were any of them flipsides. Also omitted are his first two hits for Decca in 1963 - the double-sided You Don't Love Me Anymore (And I Can Tell) b/w I Got A Woman, which reached # 47 and 49 Hot 100 respectively late that spring.

Other Decca/MCA hits overlooked are: There's Nothing I Can Say [# 18 AC/# 47 Hot 100 in September 1964], A Happy Guy [# 82 Hot 100 in December 1964], and Palace Guard which, billed to Rick Nelson & The Stone Canyon Band [as was Garden Party], topped out at # 65 Hot 100 in March 1973.

In that same 1963 to 1975 Decca/MCA period his old Imperial label continued to release material he had recorded there, including Old Enough To Love b/w If You Can't Rock Me [# 94 and 100 Hot 100 in April 1963], Today's Teardrops [# 54 Hot 100 that December], and Congratulations [# 63 Hot 100 in April 1964].

All in all, not a bad compilation of some of his Decca/MCA years, but one which could have been made better by the simple inclusion of those missing hits, which remain difficult to find for this Hall of Famer, inducted in 1987, two years after his tragic death on New Year's Eve 1985.

This album is underrated. It reveals his BEST in the "middle period". "Since I Don't Have You" and "There's Nothing I Can Say" display his outstanding voice and versitility as it was maturing.

Though it barely covers the surface; this is a nice collection of Rick Nelson's work. The guy could rock with the best of them, and the country/folk tunes ain't bad either. Many rock artists admired Rick from the time he was a teen idol up to his untimely death. He left a great legacy and this collection proves it.

As an old disc jockey who once interviewed Rick and Dion in the early 70's , here's the real story on Rick's Garden Party ordeal:

The night of the show in New York while he and the Stone Canyon Band were on stage , there was a disturbance in the section of seats just above where the guys were playing. When the hassle broke out , the security people went up to escort the offenders out of the Madison Square Garden show. At just the moment Rick was playing Honkey Tonk Woman , the "bad guys" were being escorted outside and the surrounding crowd started to "boo" the cops. At first ,Rick thought they were booing him , but the "hisses" were for the security people.

That's the truth. Sorry it doesn't match urban legend.

All that being said , I'll still enjoy any of Rick's greatest hits. Always have..always will.

David - Elk Grove ,Ca.

O.k. Not all of the song, with the exception of Garden Party, are nearly popular of Rick's early and rock-abily hits such as Hello Mary Lou and Traveling Man. In fact, he was booed from the stage by fans in Madison Square Garden when he tried to play his new song... Rick wrote Garden Party as the reflection of that incident.. He made points in Garden Party.. First, he didn't want to be part of rock&roll nostalgia. Second, he wanted to put forth his country. Third, he didn't want to please anyone by playing old tunes.. If you think that Rick can't please anyone, you have to please yourself..

I have reviewed all the "Best" or Greatest albums of Rick Nelson and do not care for any of the collection of tunes in any CD. The CDs are not of remastered originals but made from a time period later in his career when his voice and style changed.

I have reviewed all the "Best" or Greatest albums of Rick Nelson and do not care for any of the collection of tunes in any CD. The CDs are not of remastered originals but made from a time period later in his career when his voice and style changed.