Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Garden Party" (Rick Nelson)

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There are possibly more countries that aided in this milestone for the blog, but there are limits to the record keeping that a free blog can maintain.  Thank you all so much for your continued patronage.   We hope Tuesday's Musical Notes is a value added resource of fun and inspiration to you each week.  We are certainly glad that you join us each week.  Welcome again!!! 

It is spring.  In the Southern part of the United States, it becomes the perfect time for Spring Teas.  Most men don't get invited, so I really don't have much of a concept of what a "Spring Tea" might involve.  I imagine it is a group of women and young ladies dressing in colorful clothing and wearing hats, nibbling at scones, and sipping at their favorite Earl Grey, pinkie finger extended of course.  Sometimes it is held indoors, but the most effective Spring Teas are held outside.  In fact, many wind up being quite the garden party...


"Garden Party" the title track from the 1972 album by Rick Nelson and the Stone Canyon Band

What do you do as a child when your father is a famous band leader, your mother is that band's famous lead singer, and both become radio personalities?  Why you join them, that's what!  So was the life for an 8 year old, Eric Hilliard Nelson, better known to the world as "Ricky". The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet became a radio hit, by telling the story of the family as life happened through the forum of dramatized radio presentations.   As did happen with some of the "radio dramas" of the time, the Nelson family transitioned to the new entertainment media called television.  Their TV show took the radio name, The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet and for 14 years (1952-1966) audiences tuned in to relate to the happenings around the Nelson home.  During this time, the Nelsons saw television transform into "living color" and son Ricky become a music success. 

Ricky Nelson's musical career flourished between 1957 and 1973 where he saw 53 of his songs go into Billboard's Hot 100.  His song from 1958, "Poor Little Fool", went straight to #1. It became the first #1 on the newly formed Billboard Hot 100 chart.  From 1957 to 1962, he had 30 top 40 hits.  The only other artists during this time period to have more singles go to the top 40 were Elvis Presley (53) and Pat Boone (38).  

During the '60s he changed his name to "Rick" and made adjustments to his musical style to fit the times.  He formed the Stone Canyon Band and helped develop what became known as the "California Sound".  This was a sound pioneered by legends Linda Rondstadt (Tuesday's Musical Notes - "When Will I Be Loved?"s), Jackson Browne (Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Running On Empty") and later the Eagles (Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Seven Bridges Road", Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Desperado", Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Please Come Home For Christmas").  In fact, Randy Meisner, who was a founding member of the Eagles in 1971, played in the Stone Canyon Band for Rick Nelson.  While seeing some success on the charts during this time, Rick Nelson and the Stone Canyon Band never came to the height of Ricky Nelson's success of the 1950's.  That is until, they went to a Garden Party. 

Rick Nelson's last trip to the top 40 came as a result of being one act in a group of "Oldies" acts that were to perform for the Richard Nader Oldies Concert.  This concert included artists, Bobby Rydell, Chuck Berry, and Bo Diddley.  When it came time for Rick Nelson to appear, his set list included his hits from the previous decade as well as songs from his newest album, a much different sound than his "oldies" hits.  To make matters worse, Rick Nelson was no longer the clean-shaven son of Ozzie and Harriet.  He was long haired, bell bottom and purple velvet shirt wearing Rick Nelson who was attempting to make new music with a new band.  Rick Nelson and his Stone Canyon Band did not sit very well with the audience that wanted Ricky Nelson to come out and play his hits.  The band was subsequently booed and left the stage.

The #6 song Garden Party is about that event.  Now that you know what Paul Harvey would call "The Rest Of The Story", go back and listen to the song and see if the lyrics make better sense in context.  Here are a few things to look for that referenced the event and the time period:


 

Lyric references

• A garden party - October 15, 1971's Rock 'n Roll Revival concert at Madison Square Garden, New York City
• My old friends - fellow performers at the concert Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley and Bobby Rydell
• Yoko - Yoko Ono
• Yoko's walrus - John Lennon
• Mr. Hughes - George Harrison
• (Mr. Hughes) hid in Dylan's shoes - Harrison's planned (but later abandoned) album of Bob Dylan covers
• I said hello to Mary Lou, she belongs to me - Nelson's song "Hello Mary Lou", which he played at the concert; also a reference to "She Belongs to Me", a Bob Dylan song covered by Nelson
• I sang a song about a Honky-Tonk - The Rolling Stones song "Country Honk", the song that allegedly caused the booing
• And it was time to leave - Nelson's subsequent departure
• Out stepped Johnny B. Goode - Chuck Berry's song "Johnny B. Goode"
• Playing guitar like a-ringing a bell - the line in "Johnny B. Goode", "he could play guitar just like a-ringing a bell"

This past weekend many around the world celebrated what could be called the ultimate "Garden Party".  Here is how the eyewitnesses of the Bible put the event:


Matthew 28 New International Version/The Message Paraphrase parallel
Mark 16 NIV/The Message parallel
Luke 24 NIV/The Message parallel
John 20 NIV/The Message parallel


This garden party did not involve scones or tea.  There were no fancy dresses or hats.  In fact, the host of the party could not be found.  Ladies were involved, but they were not happy to be there.   For some additional perspective on one of the ladies who attended click here:  Why Was Mary Magdalene the First Witness of the Resurrection? - Crosswalk.com March 28, 2013. The only real similarity to a modern day garden party was that this event occurred in a garden. This garden event brought about hope.  Hope that goes far past death or the tomb.
 

As Christians all over the world attested to and celebrated that ultimate garden party this past weekend, the host was in heaven making preparations for bringing the guests that He considers brothers and sisters to a celebration where we will have lunch with our old friends forever.  Will you be there?  Da da da.  da dada da...


"Easter Song" by Keith Green from the 1977 album For Him Who Has Ears To Hear


'Til Tuesday,


Serving HIM by serving you,
Randy