Maps of Music

Ricky Sings Again (1959)

Where the lyrics of Ricky Sings Again take you, and where it was really made.

Ricky Sings Again is built largely on songs written by other people, yet its five singles made it one of Ricky Nelson's most successful early records.

Key places

Recording at Master Recorders, Hollywood (1958)

Recording site The Music Grinder (Hollywood) — The album's sessions were recorded at Master Recorders in Hollywood, California. The point is placed at city center because the building address is not confirmed. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• Ricky Sings Again is the third studio album by Ricky Nelson
• Released in January 1959 by Imperial Records
• Features a group of songs from the Burnettes and Baker Knight
• Includes covers of Elvis Presley and Hank Williams
• The Jordanaires provide vocal accompaniment
• Five singles released: "Lonesome Town", "It's Late", "Never Be Anyone Else But You", "Believe What You Say" and "Old Enough to Love"

Background

• Dorsey Burnette is credited as writer of "It's Late" and "One of These Mornings"
• Baker Knight is credited as writer of "Lonesome Town", "Never Be Anyone Else But You" and "You Tear Me Up"
• Hank Williams wrote "I Can't Help It", one of the covers on the album
• Johnny Cash wrote "Restless Kid", which closes side two
• Jimmie Haskell arranged the sessions and served as producer

Recording

• Sessions were recorded at Master Recorders in Hollywood, California
• Recording dates run from 21 August 1958 to 25 November 1958
• Lineup includes Ricky Nelson on vocals, James Burton on lead guitar, Gene Garff on piano, James Kirkland on double bass and Richie Frost on drums
• The Jordanaires' backing vocals were overdubbed on some tracks, including a session on 1 December 1958

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · it.wikipedia.org

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Career

• Eric Hilliard "Ricky" Nelson (May 8, 1940 – December 31, 1985) was an American musician and actor.
• From age eight, he starred with his family in the radio and television series The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet.
• In 1957 he began a long, successful recording career, placing 54 songs on the Billboard Hot 100 and its predecessors between 1957 and 1973.
• "Poor Little Fool" (1958) was the first number one single on Billboard's newly created Hot 100 chart.
• He appeared with John Wayne and Dean Martin in Howard Hawks's western Rio Bravo (1959).
• He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on January 21, 1987.
• In 1972 he returned to the Top 40 with "Garden Party", which peaked at number six on the Billboard Hot 100.
• He died in a plane crash on December 31, 1985.

Personal Life

• He was married to Kristin Harmon from 1963 until their divorce in 1982.
• They had four children: actress Tracy Nelson, twin sons Gunnar and Matthew, and actor Sam.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• William Ruhlmann of AllMusic said the album showed off Nelson's much more confident vocals, but with more original songs and fewer covers he still sounded like a carbon copy of his betters
• Billboard noted Nelson packed plenty of heart and sales savvy into a group of teen-appeal tunes
• Cashbox described the songs as uptempo and ballad beat Nelson sessions
• Variety said the album was pegged for the younger set

Reappraisal

• MusicHound Rock called it one of the great, unheralded rock 'n' roll albums of the '50s and gave it five stars
• AllMusic gave the album three stars
• The Encyclopedia of Popular Music gave it two stars
• Ruhlmann concluded the album did not live up to Nelson's star status

Records

• Billboard Best Selling LPs chart: debuted in the issue dated 2 February 1959, remained 19 weeks, peaked at number 14
• Cashbox albums chart: debuted in the issue dated 10 January 1959, 27 weeks in total, one week at number one
• Capitol Records CD release on 19 June 2001, paired with Songs by Ricky
• Four Classic Albums Plus Box Set released on 1 July 2016, containing all four studio albums

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · it.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• "Restless Kid" was written by Johnny Cash and recorded on 24 November 1958
• The Capitol Records CD pairs this album with Nelson's November 1959 album Songs by Ricky
• Bear Family included the album in its 2001 The American Dream box set
• The album was built around songs by the Burnettes and Baker Knight, and includes covers of Elvis Presley and Hank Williams
• Five singles came from this album, including "Lonesome Town" and "It's Late"

Sources: en.wikipedia.org · it.wikipedia.org

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