After releasing his first two singles, "A Teenager's Romance"/"I'm Walking" and "You're My One and Only Love," on Verve Records, Ricky Nelson switched to Imperial Records in the fall of 1957 for his third single, "Be-Bop Baby"/"Have I Told You Lately That I Love You?," and his debut album, Ricky. The result was even greater success: the single's A-side reached the top five and its B-side the Top 40, making for a gold record, and the LP topped the charts. Heard at length for the first time on the 12-track album, the 17-year-old continued to display the combination of natural pop instincts and genuine rock & roll feel that set him apart from the burgeoning pack of Elvis Presley imitators. He was derivative, to be sure, a TV star from a celebrity family who attended Hollywood High School and whose life had been scripted for public consumption since he was eight years old, making him a far cry from the Hillbilly Cat. But he also sang rhythmically in his smooth voice, negotiating the rock & roll beat with far greater ease than Pat Boone. Two songs were borrowed from Carl Perkins and one from Jerry Lee Lewis, and Nelson covered Jimmie Rodgers' recent hit "Honeycomb." All of his covers were more relaxed, less frantic than the originals, but the band, pushed way back in the mix, kept up a steady guitar combo sound. There were also several updates from what could have been the Ozzie Nelson catalog: "Have I Told You Lately That I Love You" (1945), "Am I Blue?" (1929), and "I'm Confessin'" (1930), plus a version of the recent Cole Porter hit "True Love." In Nelson's hands, these songs sounded more like Elvis Presley than Bing Crosby, though the older generation was never quite forgotten, and that was the idea.

RICK NELSON
RICKY

(Imperial LP-9048)

November/1957


1.
HONEYCOMB
(Bob Merrill)
« © '57 Golden Bell Songs, ASCAP »

Well it's darn good life and it's kinda funny
How the bee was made and the bee made the honey
And the honeybee looking for home they called honeycomb
And they combed the world and they gathered all
Of the honeycomb into one sweet ball
And a honeycomb from a million trips made my baby's lips
Oh honeycomb won't you be my baby well honeycomb be my own
Just a hanka hair and a piece of bone and made a walking talking honeycomb
Well honeycomb won't you be my baby honeycomb be my own
What a darn good life when you got a wife like a honeycomb

Now have you heard tell how he made a bee
Then he tried a hand at a green green tree
So the green was made I guess you heard up in well he made a little bird
Then they waited all around till the end of spring
Gettin' every note that the birdie sing
And he wrote it up in one sweet tone for my honeycomb
Oh honeycomb won't you be my baby...

In a little while when he made that girl they looked around for a little word
Sounds as sweet as turtle dove so they called it love
And when he went around looking everywhere
Gettin' love from here love from there
And he started up in a little ole part for my honey's heart
Oh honeycomb won't you be my baby...
**********
2.
BOPPIN' THE BLUES
(Carl Perkins - Howard Curly Griffin)
« © '56 Carl Perkins Music, BMI / Hi-Lo Music, BMI / Wren Music, BMI »

Well all my friends are boppin' the blues it must be goin' round
All my friends are boppin' the blues and it must be goin' round
I love you baby but I must be rhythm bound
Well the doctor told me boy you don't need no pills
Yeah that doctor told me son you don't need no pills
Just a handful of nickels and a jukebox will cure your ills
Well all my friends are boppin' the blues and it must be goin' round
All them cats are boppin' the blues and it must be goin' round
I love you baby but I must be rhythm bound
Well the cat bug bit me man I don't feel no pain
Yeah that jitter bug caught me man I don't feel no pain
I still love you baby but I'll never be the same yeah
[ guitar ]
Well all them cats are boppin' the blues it must be goin' round
All my friends are boppi' the blues and it must be goin' round
I love you baby but I must be rhythm bound
Well rock bop rhythm'n blues rock bop rhythm'n blues baby
Dock bop rhythm'n blues rock bop rhythm'n blues
Rhythm'n blues it must be goin' round
**********
3.
BE BOP BABY
(Pearl Lendhurst)
« © '57 Unart Catalog, BMI »

A be bop baby a be bop baby a be bop baby she's the gal for me
She got plenty of rhythm got plenty of jive and when we dance we really come alive
My love for her's so tender and sweet my heart starts poundin' ev'ry time we meet
A be bop baby still in her teens just as sweet as she can be
A be bop baby in her old blue jeans is the be bop baby for me a be bop baby for me

A be bop baby a be bop baby a be bop baby she's the gal for me
I'm gonna find her tonight we're gonna have a time
I want that baby to be mine all mine
A big day's comin' for my baby and me the day she says she belongs to me
A be bop baby still in her teens just as sweet as she can be
A be bop baby in her old blue jeans is the be bop baby for me a be bop baby for me

A be bop baby a be bop baby a be bop baby she's the gal for me
I'm gonna find her tonight...
**********
4.
HAVE I TOLD YOU LATELY THAT I LOVE YOU
(Scott Wiseman)
« © '45 Songs Of Universal, BMI »

Have I told you lately that I love you could I tell you once again somehow
Have I told with all my heart and soul how I adore you well darling I'm telling you now
Have I told you lately when I'm sleeping every dream I dream is you somehow
Have I told why the nights are long when you're not with me
Well darling I'm telling you now
My heart would break in two if I should lose you I'm no good without you anyhow
Dear have I told you lately that I love you well darling I'm telling you now
Well darling I'm telling you now
**********
5.
TEENAGE DOLL
(Pearl Lendhurst - George Lendhurst)
« © '56 Unart Catalog, BMI »

**********
6.
IF YOU CAN'T ROCK ME
(Walter Jacobs)
« © '58 Unart Catalog, BMI »

Well if you can't rock me I'll find me somebody who can
Well if you can't rock me I'll find me somebody who can
I'll get me another woman you can find another man
Everytime we hear a rock'n roll band everytime we hear a rock'n roll band
All you wanna do baby is hold my hand

Well one thing honey before we go well one thing baby that I want you to know
Well if you can't rock me I'll find me somebody who can
[ guitar ]
Well if you can't rock me...

Well one thing honey before we go well one thing baby that I want you to know
Well if you can't rock me I'll find me somebody who can
Well if you can't rock me I'll find me somebody who can
**********
7.
WHOLE LOTTA SHAKIN' GOIN' ON
(Dave Williams - Sonny David)
« © '58 Ni Mani Entertainment, ASCAP »

Well come along my baby whole lotta shakin' goin' on
Well come along my baby baby you can't go wrong
We're fakin' whole lotta shakin' goin' on
Well now come along my baby we've got chicken in the barn
Come along my baby really got the bull by the horn
We're fakin' whole lotta shakin' goin' on
Well shake baby shake I said shake baby shake
Shake baby shake yeah shake baby shake
Come on over whole lotta shakin' goin' on
[ guitar ]
Well now come along my baby we've got chicken in the barn
Honey come along my baby feel you can't go wrong
We're fakin' whole lotta shakin' goin' on
Well now come along my baby...
**********
8.
BABY I'M SORRY
(Jack Scott)
« © '56 Unart Catalog, BMI »

If you love me like you say you do baby be true to me
If you love me like you say you do baby never stray from me
I want you darling everybody decide now baby can't you see
Oh baby I'm sorry (oh baby I'm sorry)
For all the wrong I've done (for all the wrong I've done)
Oh baby I'm sorry (oh baby I'm sorry)
For all the wrong I've done (for all the wrong I've done)
Say you'll forgive me I know I've done you mighty wrong
[ guitar ]
Oh baby I'm sorry...

If you want me everybody decide you got to be true to me
If you want me everybody decide you got to stay home with me
Don't want no other man to love you oh baby can't you see
Oh baby I'm sorry...
[ guitar ]
Oh baby I'm sorry...
**********
9.
AM I BLUE
(Harry Akst - Grant Clarke)
« © '58 WB Music, ASCAP »

Oh am I blue am I blue ain't these tears in my eyes tellin' you
Well am I blue you'd be too if each plan that you had done and fell through
There was a time I was your only one but now I'm the sad and lonely one
Was I gay I should say now she's gone and we're through am I blue
[ guitar ]
Am I blue am I blue...
**********
10.
I'M CONFESSIN' (THAT I LOVE YOU)
(Doc Dougherty - Ellis Reynolds - Al J. Neiburg)
« © '58 Bourne Co, ASCAP »

**********
11.
YOUR TRUE LOVE
(Carl Perkins)
« © '57 Wren Music, BMI »

True love (your love) true love (your love) true love baby that's what you're givin' me
True love (your love) true love (your love) true love baby that's what you're givin' me

God made the world and he made it round I got my baby and I'm glad I found
Her love was meant for me and my baby she'll always be
She gives me true love (your love)...
[ guitar ]
True love (your love)...
Well the big little young and old we all need something to have and hold
When I found you I found that you give me love I can't forget
You give me true love (your love)...
True love baby that's what you're givin' me
**********
12.
TRUE LOVE
(Cole Porter)
« © '56 Chappell & Co, ASCAP »

I give to you and you give to me true love true love
And on and on it will always be true love
For you and I have a guardian angel on high with nothing to do
But to give to you and to give to me love forever true
I give to you and you give to me love forever true
[ guitar ]
For you and I have a guardian angel on high with nothing to do
But to give to you and to give to me love forever true
**********

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Rick Nelson Discography