Every now and again when I'm doing my half-assed research, I'll come across musings on other songs by the artists I feature (obviously the ones whose catalog I'm not familiar with) and I'll give some of them a listen. It's a rare day indeed when I don't find at least another song by said performers that I really like--and this week's tune is a case in point....
I wrote about Rick Nelson in Jukebox, Vol. CCLXXXIX, and as Mr. Nelson passed away in 1985 there really isn't much to add--other than to note that as time passes on it's become really incredible to me how talented he really was. Truly one of the early greats.
Fun Fact: When Nelson's career first started he was known as "Ricky" Nelson. At the age of twenty-one he decided that he'd rather be known by a more adult name, and thus the title of this week's tune's featured album was born.
"Hello Mary Lou" was released as a single in 1961 from Nelson's tellingly named album, Rick is 21. The single would go on to hit #9 (with a bullet!) on the Billboard Hot 100 (it hit #2 in the U.K. and #1 in Norway--some many cool Brits and Norwegians!), while the album would reach #8 on the Billboard 200.
There's nothing fancy about this one--it's a tale of love at first sight and the glorious reveries that come with it. "Hello Mary Lou" is a rockabilly tune (rockabilly pioneer Carl Perkins was a big fan of Nelson), and from beginning to end it's sugary sweet and catchy as all get out. There's a nice twangy guitar solo in the middle. Nelson sings it with all the wonder, desire, and joy that falling in love can bring. As I've noted a time or two before for other featured tunes, this one is a luscious piece of pop pie.
Lyric Sheet: "You passed me by one sunny day/Flashed those big brown eyes my way/And ooh I wanted you forever more..."
Enjoy:
Republicans = Nazis
Peace,
emaycee
