Customer Reviews

Greatest Hits (CD + DVD)

5 star:		(70)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

At long last a Ricky Nelson DVD of some of his performances from Ozzie and Harriet. For Baby Boomers a nice reminder of the early days of Rock & Roll and for younger viewers a chance to see some of Rick's great performances. Thus some of the problems! First song out of the gate is "Hello Mary Lou." A Rock Classic with one of the definitive guitar solos in Rock history. Except, they cut out the guitar solo. Saving 19 seconds! The next quibble is talking during the solo of "It's Late" and than on "You Tear Me Up" utilizing a version which doesn't even have James Burton but a fake guitarist hidden behind James Kirkland's Stand Up Bass. There are at least 3 versions of this song available with James playing. One last song complaint is "A Teenagers Romance" a song Rick hated when they could have used "Sweeter Than You" or "Just A Little Too Much."
The interviews are heartfelt by the Nelson Family, Kris Kristofferson and its great to see James Burton talking about Rick instead of Elvis. Playing with Rick was James best guitar solo years. The Three Part Singing by The Nelson Boys on Garden Party is GREAT! Another nice aspect is that all songs are complete before interviews come in. No talking over the songs. Refreshing!!

The bonus material with the Twins playing with James Burton on "It's Late and "Believe What You Say" is just awesome to see.

So yes, it would have been nice to have a few things corrected but this is for most Rock & Roll Golden Era/Rick Nelson fans a GREAT BUY!! Hopefully, in the future we will get some of Rick's great Rockabilly songs, "My Babe", "Milkcow Blues", "Good Rockin' Tonight", "Just A Little Too Much" "Down The Line" and more in another release.

ROCK ON RICK!!

Let me tell you.This is a great album.Ricky,sings most of his top 10 hits,and a few lesser known tracks...I am a fan of fifties music,and television shows...When i saw the dvd release for sale,i jumped at ordering it...I got to see the pre-release,and had seen the videos on pbs...I wish i had ordered the pbs version,as i would have had this dvd a few months ago.Both versions are identical!!!..The sound and video quality,could be a little better...and maybe,a fully restored release might be in the offering in the future...All in all 5 star rated...!!A must have for fifties music collectors.!!Enjoy!Thank you stewart L.

I am a heavy metal fan, have no love for "teen idol" singers, and didn't grow up listening to Ricky Nelson, though I'm sure I caught a few Ozzie & Harriet episodes in syndication. I'm probably the last guy who should be raving about a Ricky Nelson Greatest Hits album, but I'm doing it just the same. I've developed an appreciation for 50's rock and rockabilly, and despite Nelson's "teen idol" status, he was a big part of that era's rock scene. Beyond having one of the absolute warmest and steadiest voices in rock, you have to admire the way Nelson took the wilder rock sounds of the era and brought them to mainstream America's living rooms. Admittedly his material was a lot "safer" than that of Gene Vincent or Buddy Holly, but I'd argue that a rockin' song like "Hello Mary Lou" comes pretty close.

There is no shortage of Ricky Nelson "Greatest Hits" packages out there (at least two dozen available on Amazon), but Capitol's 2005 compilation jumps straight to the head of the pack. In terms of sound quality, song selection, and price, you just can't beat this one. You get a whopping 25 songs, including hits like Travellin' Man, I'm Walkin, It's Late, and many more. There are so many great singles, I almost feel like I should list them all.

If you're a Ricky Nelson fan and have one of the earlier "hits" compilations, you may want to consider upgrading to this version. The difference in sound quality is very noticeable. If you're not a Nelson fan, but enjoy early rock & roll, I encourage you to give this disc a try. You might be surprised.

NOTE: The deluxe (translation: more expensive) version of this album that comes with a DVD featuring Ricky's musical performances on the Ozzie & Harriet Show. It's well worth the higher price tag.

The PBS station in St. Louis broadcast this documentary last night. I have been looking for a video/DVD of the Ricky Nelson song performances on 'Ozzie and Harriett' for some time and this documentary was worth the wait. I wasn't born until 1960, so I missed the era when these were performed - plus, the show has never been shown in syndication where I've lived. As a result, I'm seeing all of these for the first time.

There is a treasure trove of clips of Ricky's performances on the classic television show. It also features current interviews with all of Ricky's children who reflect fondly on their late father with great sincerity. It was also nice to have interviews with James Burton and Kris Kristofferson. The special ends with a great rendition of 'Garden Party' by the Nelson children. I plan on purchasing the DVD and look forward to the extra performances. Nice job!

Ricky Nelson was one of the all time greats in Rock & Roll history. A lot of folks don't remember him, and alot have forgotten what a big star he was. He sold lots of records, but his television singing was somewhat limited. His dad, Ozzie, refused Ed Sullivan's offer, and only allowed him to sing on The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet. Nevertheless, Ricky was a big star, and this collection showcases some great songs. He always had a great band behind him that featured Rock & Roll Hall of Famer James Burton himself.
Only buy this DVD if you like REAL rock & roll!

I just finished watching this DVD for the third time. It was great!!! However....while watching it for the third time, I REALLY got tired of watching his kids. It was good to hear all of their stories and to let them "vent" their feelings, but after a while I got the feeling that they had as much film time as their father, and I didn't purchase this to see them. Their interviews might have been better as the bonus extras, or maybe not as long. Even with this as a negative, it did my heart good to watch Ricky. Oh, how I've missed him. 5 stars for the amazing talent of Ricky Nelson.

If you are like me and grew up watching the Nelsons on TV then you just have to get this DVD. This DVD is great....... The picture quality is superb and the sound is crystal clear...... What a great trip down memory lane and a nice visit with the Nelson family. I would have paid ten times as much to get this treasure.

As a kid, I had two favourite singers.... Elvis Presley and Ricky Nelson. Actually, nothing has changed, they are still my two favourite singers. Until this DVD, it was hard to find vintage Rick Nelson video and I had to be content with audio Cds.

Over the years I have bought Rick Nelson records, 8 tracks, cassettes, and now Cds and this DVD. My favourite music memories are, as a child, watching and listening to Ricky Nelson on TV and Radio and recently, as an adult, I think one of my best memories was cruising with my kids in my 63 T-Bird while we were listening to Ricky.

Well, I am rambling on here,.............. Just get the DVD and have some fun.

Mike

Having grown up with "Ozzie & Harriet" and Rick being my "teenage idol," this DVD is by far the best! I saw most of the clips as they originally aired and it was wonderful to see them all again. I learned of James Burton when he played and toured with John Denver and as he said, if you go back and listen to Rick's music, you will "fall in love with it all over again!" I love the bonuses and especially Rick's three sons singing "Garden Party" at the end! Thank you to all the Nelson family for this treasure!

The 50s were a dream: each time you found a new rock'n'roll singer you entered a new world with it's own magic. Elvis Presley, Gene Vincent, Jerry Lee Lewis, Eddie Cochran and Ricky Nelson were the five best, no question about that, and each one of them had a unique and astounding sound. They had great voices, great talent, great bands but the mysterious and fascinating sound they got in the recording studio was the ultimate reason they were ahead of their fellow rock'n'rollers. The Ricky Nelson sings DVD proves that the magic is still burning, featuring two rockin' Burnette brothers songs Ricky's twin sons proudly recorded in 2005 with guitarist Jimmy Burton; Gunnar plays the drums with a big smile, Matthew plays the bass and the guitar and sings with an exciting fresh drive, and instantly you are in rock'n'roll heaven, in a 50's mood sublimate by an incredibly crystal clear sound that could make you climb the walls out of excitment and happiness. Of course this DVD could have been better, it could have been a box set including ALL the songs Ricky performed on the Ozzie and Harriet show (fans would gladly pay twice or three times the price for such a feast), it would have been great to see Lorrie Collins duet with Rick, but as it is Ricky Nelson sings is a must, thanks for the recording engineer in charge of that roaring V8 engine made of James and the twins (who also peform a very, very touching Garden Party with their brother Sam).
PS 1: more Ricky Nelson songs from the TV shows are available on two DVDs somewhere else
PS 2: some underrated rock'n'roll greats, very dear to our heart, had also an astonishing sound: Bill Haley, Tommy Sands, Slim Harpo... American friends, don't forget your rock'n'roll heroes!

I grew up watching Ozzie & Harriet and always enjoyed the shows when Ricky sang. I watched him mature in his stage performances as he grew up. I am not an audiophile nor a videophile but I know what I like. This DVD was a very enjoyable experience and a trip back to the fabulous '50s for me. For anyone who is a Rick(y) Nelson fan, this DVD will take you back to those great times.