Ricky / Ricky Nelson [Original recording remastered, Import]

Ricky Nelson | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (July 23, 2001)
• Number of Discs: 2
• Format: Original recording remastered, Import
• Label: EMI Europe Generic
• ASIN: B00005BJ9Z
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #172,088 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

This CD is an out of print collectible! It is the 2001 Capitol release. Catalog 72435-32449-2-7. There is a white mark through the UPC.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Ricky's 1st, July 6, 2001

By 

B. Baldwin - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Ricky / Ricky Nelson (Audio CD)

This cd contains Ricky Nelson's first two Imperial Records Albums, and finds his interest rooted firmly in Rockabilly. On his initial outing, "Ricky", we find what we can come to expect during his entire tenure at Imperial Records ('57 - '62), quality production, great material, and an outstanding band. Joe Maphis handles the lead guitar on this album nicely. On the 2nd album, "Ricky Nelson", we find more maturity in Rick's vocals and well as the development of his band, helmed by legendary rock-n-roll hall of famer, James Burton. Ricky's band, James Burton (Guitar), James Kirkland (Bass) & Richie Frost (Drums), should be counted among the best of the best. They became a unit that could stand-up next to, if not put to shame, any of their contemporaries

As with the other releases in this series, 4 cd's with 2 original albums on each, Capitol has done a great job with remastering. They have included several bonus tracks, original artwork and an outstanding essay by Jim Ritz.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Young Nelson!, September 22, 2005

By 

Morten Vindberg (Denmark) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Ricky / Ricky Nelson (Audio CD)

This is a CD containing Ricky Nelson's first two albums both released in 1957. Nelson was only 17 at the time, and considering his young age, he sounds musically surprisingly mature on many of these early recordings. On the first album Nelson is backed by seasoned, but excellent studio-musicians like guitarist Joe Maphis and with the Jordanaires backing him vocally on several tracks. The songs are a mixture of Nelson's own rockabilly favourites and softer ballads to please a larger audience and his father Ossie, who played a big role during Nelson's early years as a recording artist. The bubblegum rocker "Be Bop Baby" which was his first Imperial hit-single is one my favourite early Nelson recordings; especially the slightly rougher single version. The Carl Perkins cover "Boppin'the Blues" is also quite good. Among the ballads "I'm Confessin" and "Honeycomb" stand out.

On his second album "Ricky Nelson", Rick is backed by a bunch of younger talented musicians with guitar legend James Burton as the most prominent; most solos though, were still played by Joe Maphis.

It contains a handful of pretty wild rockers featuring great playing by Nelson's "house band"; unfortunately Rick's voice often sound strained or even shrill. This may be due to poor production, but could also indicate that his voice wasn't yet ready for this kind of material. Interesting that one of these rockers, "There Goes My Bay", was written by guitarist James Burton and bassist James Kirkland.

Among the ballads "Someday" has become an all-time Nelson favourite. It was later released as a single and became a no. 9 hit in 1958. Sharon Sheeley's up-beat pop ballad would also be released as a single, and to Rick's big surprise become his first no 1 hit-single. Another outstanding track is Rick's own song "Don't Leave Me This Way" ( my personal favourite on the album ). This was the first recording of a Rick Nelson original and it's interesting that his song-writing is so close to that of Baker Knight's, who would contribute many songs to Nelson's later singles and albums; among them hits like "Lonesome Town", "Never Be Anyone Else" and "Sweeter Than You". A great melodic acoustic guitar-solo from Burton makes this track an even greater recording.

The song-writing Burnette brothers, who also were regular song contributers to Nelson, appear here as writers of the two bonus-track rockers "Waiting in School" and "Believe What You Say"; both hit-singles in 1958. On "Believe What You Say" Rick sounds much more confident than on the album's rockers, and the song features a terrific Burton guitar-solo.

All in all a fine release with informative 12 pages booklet.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Really Great, September 24, 2001

By 

K. Coyle (Chapel Hill, NC USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Ricky / Ricky Nelson (Audio CD)

It's really about the collection of four cds, which contain all of Ricky's work for Imperial. I'm suprised they weren't released as a boxed set. The re-mastering was absoutely perfect. If these same people produce Rick's Decca work on CD, I'll buy it, even though I already have a cd version. The re-mastering is just that good. I have another cd of "Rick is 21", and it's not even close. An absoute MUST HAVE for Ricky/Rick Nelson fans!