Ricky (album)

Ricky
Studio album by
Ricky Nelson
ReleasedNovember 1957
Genre
Length31:16
LabelImperial
ProducerCharles "Bud" Dant
Ricky Nelson chronology
Ricky
(1957) 		Ricky Nelson
(1958)
Singles from Ricky
  1. "Be-Bop Baby"
    Released: September 16, 1957
  2. "If You Can't Rock Me"
    Released: April 1963
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic[1]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[2]

Ricky is the debut album by American actor and rock and roll musician Ricky Nelson, released in November 1957. it features a mix of pop and rock and roll songs,[3] it also features a covers of Carl Perkins, Cole Porter's[4], and Jerry Lee Lewis[3]

The album made its first appearance on the Billboard Best Selling Pop LPs chart in the issue dated November 11 of that year and remained on the album chart for 33 weeks, spending 2 consecutive weeks at number one,[5] becoming the first solo artist to chart under the age of 18.[6] It also debuted on the Cashbox albums chart in the issue dated November 16, of that year, and remained on the chart for a total of 25 weeks, spending 2 consecutive weeks also at number 1.[7] Three singles were released from the album: "Have I Told You Lately That I Love You?", "Be-Bop Baby", and "If You Can't Rock Me". They peaked at No. 29, No. 5, and No. 100 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart.[8], "Have I Told You Lately That I Love You?", "Be-Bop Baby",also reached numbers 21, and 6, respectively, on the Cashbox Singles Chart[9]

The album was released on compact disc for the first time by Capitol Records on June 19, 2001, as tracks 1 through 12 on a pairing of two albums on one CD with tracks 16 through 27 consisting of Nelson's 1958 album Ricky Nelson.[10] Bear Family included also the album in the 2001 The American Dream box set.[11]

Reception

A contemporary review by AllMusic described the album as "derivative" but that Nelson sings "rhythmically in his smooth voice, negotiating the rock & roll beat with far greater ease than Pat Boone" and that he "display[s] the combination of natural pop instincts and genuine rock & roll feel that set him apart from the burgeoning pack of Elvis Presley imitators"[1]

Track listing

  1. "Honeycomb" (Bob Merrill) 2:54
  2. "Boppin' the Blues" (Carl Perkins, Howard Griffin) 1:56
  3. "Be-Bop Baby" (Pearl Lendhurst) 2:00
  4. "Have I Told You Lately that I Love You?" (Scotty Wiseman) 1:58
  5. "Teenage Doll" (George Lendhurst, Pearl Lendhurst) 1:40
  6. "If You Can't Rock Me" (Willie Jacobs) 1:53
  7. "Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin On" (Sunny David, Dave Williams) 2:11
  8. "Baby I'm Sorry" (Kenneth Scott[12][13]) 2:21
  9. "Am I Blue?" (Harry Akst, Grant Clarke) 1:39
  10. "Confessin'" (Doc Daugherty, Al Neiburg, Ellis Reynolds) 2:16
  11. "Your True Love" (Carl Perkins) 1:58
  12. "True Love" (Cole Porter) 2:17

Charts

Chart (1958) Peak
position
US Billboard Best Selling Pop LPs[14][15][5] 1
US Cashbox Albums[7] 1

Singles

Year Title U.S. Hot 100[8] U.S. Cashbox[9]
1957 "Have I Told You Lately That I Love You?" 29 21
"Be-Bop Baby" 5 6
1963 "If You Can't Rock Me" 100 —

References

  1. ^ a b Ruhlmann, William. "Ricky Nelson - Ricky: Review". AllMusic. Retrieved 2024-10-26.
  2. ^ Larkin, Colin (2007). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Omnibus Press. p. 1020. ISBN 9781846098567. Retrieved 22 August 2024.
  3. ^ a b Homer, Sheree (2012). Rick Nelson, Rock 'n' Roll Pioneer. Jefferson, N.C.: McFarland. p. 34. ISBN 978-0-7864-6060-1.
  4. ^ Selvin, Joel (1990). Ricky Nelson: Idol for a Generation. Chicago: Contemporary Books. p. 75. ISBN 978-0-8092-4187-3.
  5. ^ a b Whitburn, Joel (1996). Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Albums: 1955-1996. Menomonee Falls, Wis.: Record Research. p. 556. ISBN 0898201179.
  6. ^ Lynch, Joe. "Solo Artists Who Scored a No. 1 Album Before Turning 18". Billboard. Retrieved May 23, 2021.
  7. ^ a b Hoffmann, Frank W (1988). The Cash box album charts, 1955-1974. Metuchen, N.J.: Scarecrow Press. p. 268. ISBN 0-8108-2005-6.
  8. ^ a b Whitburn, Joel (2009). Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles (12th ed.). Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research Inc. p. 697. ISBN 0898201802. Retrieved October 10, 2023.
  9. ^ a b Downey, Pat (1994). Cash box pop singles charts, 1950-1993. Englewood, Colo.: Libraries Unlimited. pp. 244–245. ISBN 1-56308-316-7.
  10. ^ "Ricky - Ricky Nelson". AllMusic. Retrieved 15 September 2024.
  11. ^ "The American Dream: The Complete Imperial and Verve 1957-1962". AllMusic. Retrieved 29 November 2024.
  12. ^ "The STRIKES".
  13. ^ "THE STRIKES". www.rockabilly.nl. Archived from the original on 2016-12-02.
  14. ^ "Best Selling Pop LP'S". Billboard. January 20, 1958. p. 50. Retrieved January 8, 2022.
  15. ^ "Best Selling Pop LP'S" (PDF). Billboard. January 27, 1958. p. 26. Retrieved January 8, 2022.