Ricky Nelson (album) explained

Ricky Nelson is the second album by teen idol Ricky Nelson, released in 1958.

The Album features of then-recent hits and older songs updated for his style, including a cover of Bobby Lee Trammell "Shirley Lee", Little Walter's "My Babe", "Unchained Melody"^[1], Fats Domino's "I'm in Love Again", and Roy Orbison's "Down the Line"^[2] it also contained Ricky Nelson's first composition, "Don't Leave Me This Way",^[3] The Jordanaires provide backing vocals.

The album made its first appearance on the Billboard Top Pop Albums chart in the issue dated July 28 of that year and remained on the chart for 9 weeks, peaking at number 7.^[4] it also debuted on the Cashbox albums chart in the issue dated June 21, of that year, and remained on the chart for 13 weeks, peaking at number 4^[5]

The album was released on compact disc by Capitol Records on June 19, 2001, as tracks 16 through 27 on a pairing of two albums on one CD with tracks 1 through 12 consisting of Nelson's debut studio album from November 1957, Ricky.^[6] Bear Family included also the album in the 2001 The American Dream box set.^[7]

Reception

A review by AllMusic said that Ricky Nelson "remained a slavish imitator of the Sun Records rockabilly style on his sophomore long-player, but he had improved enormously in the endeavor", and gave the album a positive rating.^[8]

Track listing

1. "Shirley Lee" (Bobby Lee Trammell) – 2:00
2. "Someday (You'll Want Me to Want You)" (Jimmie Hodges) – 2:51
3. "There's Good Rockin' Tonight" (Roy Brown) – 1:50
4. "I'm Feelin' Sorry" (Jack Clement) – 2:19
5. "Down the Line" (Roy Orbison, Phillips) – 2:33
6. "Unchained Melody" (Alex North, Hy Zaret) – 2:21
7. "I'm in Love Again" (Dave Bartholomew, Fats Domino) – 2:20
8. "Don't Leave Me This Way" (Ricky Nelson) – 2:29
9. "My Babe" (Willie Dixon) – 2:33
10. "I'll Walk Alone" (Sammy Cahn, Jule Styne) – 2:39
11. "There Goes My Baby" (James Burton, James Kirkland) – 2:15
12. "Poor Little Fool" (Sharon Sheeley) – 2:33

Charts

Album

Chart (1958)	Peakposition
U.S. Billboard Best Selling LPs (Billboard)[9]	7
U.S. Cashbox[10]	4

Singles

Year	Title	U.S. Hot 100[11]	U.S. Cashbox[12]	U.K. Singles Chart[13]
1958	"Poor Little Fool"	1	2	4
1963	"I'm in Love Again"	67	51	—

Notes and References

1. Book: Selvin, Joel . Ricky Nelson: Idol for a Generation . 1990 . Contemporary Books . 978-0-8092-4187-3 . Chicago . 103.
2. Book: Homer, Sheree . Rick Nelson, Rock 'n' Roll Pioneer . 2012 . McFarland . 978-0-7864-6060-1 . Jefferson, N.C. . 52.
3. Book: Poore, Billy . Rockabilly: A Forty-year Journey . 1998 . Hal Leonard Corporation . 0-7935-9142-2 . 99 . en.
4. Book: Whitburn, Joel . Joel Whitburn's top pop albums : 1955-1996 : compiled from Billboard magazine's pop album charts, 1955-1996 . 1996 . Record Research . 0898201179 . Menomonee Falls, Wis. . 556.
5. Book: Hoffmann, Frank W . The Cash box album charts, 1955-1974 . 1988 . Scarecrow Press . 0-8108-2005-6 . Metuchen, N.J. . 268.
6. Web site: Ricky - Ricky Nelson . September 15, 2024 . AllMusic .
7. Web site: The American Dream: The Complete Imperial and Verve 1957-1962 . 29 November 2024 . AllMusic.
8. Web site: Ricky Nelson – Ricky Nelson: Album Review . May 12, 2024 . AllMusic.
9. Book: Whitburn, Joel . Joel Whitburn's top pop albums : 1955-1996 : compiled from Billboard magazine's pop album charts, 1955-1996 . 1996 . Record Research . 0898201179 . Menomonee Falls, Wis. . 556.
10. Book: Hoffmann, Frank W . The Cash box album charts, 1955-1974 . 1988 . Scarecrow Press . 0-8108-2005-6 . Metuchen, N.J. . 268.
11. Book: Whitburn . Joel . Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles . Record Research Inc. . 2009 . 0898201802 . 12th . Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin . 697 . October 10, 2023.
12. Book: Downey, Pat . Cash box pop singles charts, 1950-1993 . 1994 . Libraries Unlimited . 1-56308-316-7 . Englewood, Colo. . 244-245.
13. Web site: February 27, 1958 . RICKY NELSON . May 19, 2024 . Official Charts . en.