My grandfather played drums with Ricky Nelson at Madison Square garden. He would tell me many stories about them being friends and writing songs together.
I was not aware that Ricky Nelson was a songwriter. All the songs on his records were written by Johnny and Dorsey Burnette, Baker Knight, Sharon Sheeley, people like that. I wasn't aware that he ever played Madison Square Garden, either. That must have been quite a thrill for this teenage singing star to be on the stage at such a prestigious venue. Was your grandfather Richie Frost?
Many years ago, I was at a Bob Dylan concert at Madison Square Garden, and Bob said: "This is Madison Square Garden. This is a where Ricky Nelson was booed after singing one of my songs. So I'm going to sing one of his songs." And he sang "Lonesome Town" as a tribute. I actually started to tear up.
❤ never heard that. So cool Dylan did that. But I thought it was the stones song Honky Tonk Women that got him booed. That's part of Ricky's lyrics "sang a song about a honky tonk it was time to leave" Maybe I've got it confused or Dylan did the tribute knowing start happened. I looked to see if he'd ever covered Honky Tonk Women but didn't find anything. Anyway, it's sad Ricky went though that but he came out on top with one of the best songs ever written.
@@Lady-Carmakazi No, you're right. Dylan's memory was a little off. The crowd started to get restless when Ricky sang Dylan's "She Belongs to Me," which is what Dylan was referring to. But they actually started to boo when he did Honky Tonk Women.
Wow! Great story! Thanks! I wonder what year that was that you saw Bob Dylan?! I’ll look that up! I wonder if Bob was there when Rick was booed! Thanks! Great story! Must’ve been something to see! So cool of Dylan! 🙏🏼 I learn a lot of history in the comments!
He also sang it as a tribute & Queen sang another as a tribute at the end of their concerts! I think they did ‘Hello Mary Lou!’ Chris Isaacs did one every time he played a concert on New Year’s Eve as a tribute, as well! Really nice! Fogerty might have, too...
I was at MSG on September 15, 1971 , the night Rickie was booed mercilessly. I couldn’t believe what those jerks did that man. As I watched, I teared up , so sorry for him.
@@seanthomas2083 Because he had long hair and hippie clothes. No one had seen him in a while and they expected the same clean cut kid from the fifties. It was sad but this great song came out of that bad experience so he got the last laugh.
This used to be one of my father's favorite songs... He passed away in 2012, and I CANNOT listen to this song without crying... but it's okay. It feels GOOD to cry sometimes!
I love this song! He was such a talented singer (& actor) I was in my first proper Country Band in the 70’s and this must have been our most requested song ever. Great epitaph for a true Star. I’m still playing it! 😊
To correct another comment, it was not a reference to the industry, it was in reference to his audience who booed him for playing new songs. "If memories were all I sang, I'd rather drive a truck". Must have been a sweet revenge..for all the songs he was famous for that others wriote, to have such a smash hit with his own in response to their being unappreciative of his talent and healthy desire to move forward.
The version of the story I heard was that the audience wasn't booing him, they were booing some cops who were busting someone in the audience for marijuana. But he thought they were booing him. In terms of the song, same difference.
Along with Gram Parsons, Ricky was the godfather of country rock and if it wasn't for him the Eagles, Poco and the whole west coast in the 70's might have had a very different soundtrack.
I was a twenty-one year old college student when this came out. Besides Plato, Kant, and the Bible, those songs lyrics had a true impact on how I saw things. Thanks Rick. Pat, in Chicago
Likewise this song often comes into my head; it did just now so I rocked my baby to sleep with it. I bought the 45, when I was 15, back in the '70s and as a Rolling Stones fan, it was a bit off piste but I liked it then and still do now. Thank you Ricky Nelson and God rest your soul...
Thank you for posting. Nice pictures with the song. I came to see the lyrics, I just learned the story of how Rick played at Madison Square Garden and the audience was not appreciative of his new style.
@@isabelquestell1951 wow! I read back then that you could walk around the inside when at this concert back then. Too bad that was the response, but then again, we wouldn’t have this song!
The price of being a teen idol and having to churn out your old songs....Ricky (Rick) Bobby (Bob) Darin and Del Shannon to name a few. Yes you have to please yourself and if you have to play memories you might as well drive a truck !!
Jaren en jaren ben ik naar dit nummer op zoek geweest. Tot een huisgenoot vanmiddag verteld wie het was.👍 bedankt voor het mij even terugbrengen naar mijn jeugd heerlijk was dat! 1:25
Today is 'Garden Party' day; for on this day in 1971 {October 15th} Ricky {or Rick} Nelson was booed off the stage of Madison Square Garden for not sticking to the all-oldies play list The following year on July 29th, 1972 the song "Garden Party" entered Billboard's Hot Top 100 chart and on September 16th it peaked at #6 {it was his 18th and last Top 10 record} Two of those Top 10 records reached #1 {"Poor Little Fool" in 1958 and "Travelin' Man" in 1961, both spent 2 weeks in the top spot}
I guess being Valentines Day, the best person to love is yourself and from being the best you that you can be, then you have love to give to others. My greatest source of love to give to myself and to others is from the Lord Jesus.
Thanks so much for the photo montage! Ricky's daughter Tracy is practically a clone of her mom. BTW, yesterday (May 8, 2021) would've been Rick's 81st birthday. He and Toni Tenille were born the very same day.
He was not a little boy when he recorded this song. The song is about how some people could not accept him all grown up. Rick Nelson and the Stone Canyon Band.
Going to grand kids' school 'garden party' today, so naturally this song came to mind. Already got them singing along to the lyrics, 5 and 7 years old.
There is an alternate story about the booing episode at Madison Square Garden. The concert's promoter, Richard Nader, claimed the booing broke out when cops broke up a fight and evicted several concert goers in the middle of Ricky's set. The audience was supposedly reacting to that. Nader claimed that he later told Ricky offstage about the problem in the audience, but that Nelson refused to believe him. Nader swore that this was the truth, but it's indeed curious that the problems started just as Rick started playing his later material. Anyway, who's to say? But I thought it would be interesting to share the alternate version of the "Garden Party" tale.
I’d heard that, too, but I keep coming across commenters who say they were there & that the place was palpable with...dislike for their look & especially when he sang the newer covers! But Tom Bromley, Ticks amazing steel guitarist said there were just a few & that’s what Rick focused on. It was said this alternative story was to quell any embarrassment...I don’t know... 🤷🏻♀️ I do know Rick said he did not want to do it, didn’t have a good feeling about it, but instead listened to Nader against his better judgment.
@@cynthiaennis3107 To me, Tom Bromley's story sounds the most accurate. A few people booing could throw an artist off. Especially one of Rick's sensitivity.
that story is bs, and first of all, he was not "Ricky" in 1971. That was the problem. That crowd wanted the crewcut teen idol, not this long haired singer Rick Nelson that wrote his own songs performing with his new band. Those oldies concerts were all about living in the past, but Rick was firmly rooted in the present.
I remember when he got booed off the stage because he was contemporary, long hair bell bottoms, and played other music along with his old hits. Mr Hughs is a reference to Harrison
I said that & some told me it was Howard Hughes! I find it highly unlikely Howard Hughes would go to see that! George Harrison was friends with Rick & makes more sense to me since Yoko & John were there, too!
Known this song for decades, but never looked it up. Didn't realize it was Ricky Nelson. Wasn't expecting that. The chorus just rang in my head (haven't heard it in years), so I typed it out on search...and viola!☺
I love these old songs I grew up on! The more obscure the better. I learn these classic songs people forget about....then I play it on acoustic and people sing right along. 😁👌Wife's work parties I freaked em out! Still rock n roll to me. Your song. Don't bring me down. Almost any Who, stones,John Denver, Stealers Wheel. Etc...sorry so long 😢😢 I now have THIS song to break into RANDOMLY😮..Learned THIS song and Lola this weekend. In like Flynn!!😂
This was one of my dad's favorite song from his childhood. He sadly past away early this year so I listen to this song to remind me of the memories I made with him
I spent 28 days in jail back in 2015 with Ricky Nelson's great niece. She only had vague memories of him, but she grew up knowing his legend. The sad thing is that there were about 18 or 20 women in the wing we were in and other than the two of us NOBODY else had any idea who he was!
Very cutting and very sarcastic but without a single word of profanity. The symbolism in this song is also amazing. I can imagine that when this was released in 1972 that a lot of the symbolism, and maybe a good bit of the sarcasm, was lost on the public; but I am betting that it might have scorched a few of the insiders' pride.
+Joey Lawler The Garden Party was a shaming towards the entertainment industry after he played in Madison Square Garden...this is what the lyrics are about.
Rick said himself it was a lesson well learned & he didn’t write it out of a sour grapes attitude! Btw, the drive a truck was about Evis’s days before he was famous...he drove truck for a living. Rick considered him A close friend. Elvis was friendly with Rick, but Gordon Stoker of The Jordanaires, said Elvis considered Rick more of a threat, perhaps because he never wrote any of his own music...I really don’t know.
This is so strange to hear this song from someone else other than Adam Young from Owl City. It seems so much like a song Adam would write, but no. He did a cover. XD Amazing surprise.
Um mm it's a reference to "hello mary lou" nelson 1961 cover. He's saying 'this was my signature recording' If your still booing then that's YOUR problem
