Garden Party - Ricky Nelson, 1972

 
 

I went to a garden party to reminisce with my old friends
A chance to share old memories and play our songs again
When I got to the garden party they all knew my name
But no one recognized me I didn't look the same

But it's all right now
I learned my lesson well
You see you can't please ev'ryone so
You got to please yourself

People came for miles around everyone was there
Yoko brought her walrus there was magic in the air
And over in the corner much to my surprise
Mr. Hughes hid in Dylan's shoes wearing his disguise

But it's all right now
I learned my lesson well
You see you can't please ev'ryone so
You got to please yourself

I played them all the old songs I thought that's why they came
No one heard the music we didn't look the same
I said hello to Mary Lou she belongs to me
When I sang a song about a honky-tonk it was time to leave

But it's all right now
I learned my lesson well
You see you can't please ev'ryone so
You got to please yourself

Someone opened up a closet door and out stepped Johnny B. Goode
Playing guitar like a ring an' a bell and lookin' like he should
If you gotta play at garden parties I wish you a lot a' luck
But if memories were all I sang I'd rather drive a truck

But it's all right now
I learned my lesson well
You see you can't please ev'ryone so
You got to please yourself (x2)

 
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Ricky Nelson, later Rick Nelson, was second only to Elvis Presley for early Rock 'n Roll hits. He lit up the Billboard charts with songs like Poor Little Fool, Travelin' Man, Hello Mary Lou and Fools Rush In. He appeared on the TV program Ozzie & Harriet - this wasn't surprising, since his parents created and starred in this Radio/TV show combination from 1944 to 1966. In later years, Ricky would close each show with a musical performance. This is now known as cross-marketing.

After 1965, Nelson moved towards Country music, and didn't have anywhere near the success of his earlier years. But in 1972, with help from The Stone Canyon Band, he hit the top 40 one more time with Garden Party. It was a very personal song for him, based on a bad experience at Madison Square Gardens, where he was booed by fans who didn't like his new look and music. Every artist who's had to change their art to make money, can identify with the last verse of the song "...I'd rather drive a truck."

In 1985, Rick Nelson set out to stir up interest in a U.S. revival tour, since it was such a success in England (ironic, considering this song...) In a tragic accident eerily similar to "the day the music died" for Buddy Holly, Nelson and six others were killed in an airplane crash just before New Years.