Let's see if I can't completely fuck this thread up.
When I see all these "Garden Party" references, I think about Ricky Nelson. And it's quite a sad tale.
In the late 40s and early 50s, Ricky Nelson was a child actor on the popular The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet TV show. In 1957 Nelson started his musical career at the age of 17 and was one of the first "teen idols" ever. In 1959 he starred in a movie with John Wayne and Dean Martin called Rio Bravo. A great flick, but it was made better in 1966 when El Dorado came out with John Wayne, Robert Mitchum and James Caan. But that's not was this post is about...
Back on track...
So Ricky Nelson was a pretty big star. Acting in movies. His songs were quite popular - he landed 53 songs in the Billboard Top 100 between the years of 1953 and 1977. 19 of those songs were in the Top Ten.
The height of his popularity was in the 50s and 60s, but in 1971 a concert was put on at Madison Square Gardens with many greats of the early rock era including Chuck Berry, Bobby Rydell and Bo Diddley. Ricky Nelson was on the card as well, but when he came out to play he didn't fit the image that people remembered of him. Again, he was a star in the 50s and 60s, and this being 1971 he was now dressed in bell-bottoms and had long hair.
He was boo'd. Some say it was because of the way he was dressed. Some say it was because he wasn't playing his "hits". Some say it was actually because of police activity and had nothing at all to do with Nelson's performance.
Regardless of the reason, Ricky took it to heart and left the stage. John Lennon actually had to console him back stage.
In 1972, Nelson recorded "Garden Party" about the ordeal. It would reach #6 on the charts and it was the last hit of his career.
View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PECmjB9df0w
Lyrics:
Went to a garden party to reminisce with my old friends
A chance to share old memories and play our songs again
When I got to the garden party, they all knew my name
No one recognized me, I didn't look the same
People came from miles around, everyone was there
Yoko brought her walrus, there was magic in the air
And over in the corner, much to my surprise
Mr. Hughes hid in Dylan's shoes wearing his disguise
Played them all the old songs, thought that's why they came
No one heard the music, we didn't look the same
I said hello to "Mary Lou", she belongs to me
When I sang a song about a honky-tonk, it was time to leave
Someone opened up a closet door and out stepped Johnny B. Goode
Playing guitar like a-ringin' a bell and lookin' like he should
If you gotta play at garden parties, I wish you a lotta luck
But if memories were all I sang, I'd rather drive a truck
But it's all right now, I learned my lesson well.
You see, ya can't please everyone, so ya got to please yourself
***
Lyric references:
- "Mr Hughes" is a reference to George Harrison. He was a neighbor to the Nelson's and his alias while travelling was "Hughes"
- The Bob Dylan reference was because Harrison had been planning an album of Dylan covers. That never came to fruition.
- Yoko's walrus is obviously John Lennon.
- The "honky tonk" reference is a Rolling Stones cover Nelson was playing when he finally decided to leave the stage.
- The Johnny B Goode reference is Chuck Berry - who was on the bill.
- Mary Lou is a reference to one of his more popular songs.
- The title Garden Party is obviously a reference to Madison Square Gardens where the event was held.
It's a sad song. Whenever I hear it on the radio I'm reminded of the entire story and how much that must have sucked for him.
I witnessed a similar event at Lollapalooza in 1996 when Waylon Jennings was boo'd off stage. People were throwing shit at him.
Waylon fucking Jennings.
People can be such assholes.
Ricky Nelson and his entire band was killed the day after Christmas in 1985 when his plane crashed in Texas while heading to a show.
He was inducted into the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame in 1987.
