Today’s classic song of the day is based on a real-life event. The tune is “Garden Party” and it was written by Rick Nelson and performed by Mr. Nelson and his Stone Canyon Band.
Released in July of 1972, “Garden Party” became the biggest hit in Rick Nelson’s career. It peaked at #6 on the Billboard Hot 100, #3 on the Cash Box Top 100, and #1 on Billboard’s Easy Listening chart. It also went to #44 on Billboard’s Hot Country Singles chart.
“Garden Party” relates the details of a concert Mr. Nelson and his band played a year earlier. Disc jockey Richard Nader’s Rock & Roll Spectacular Volume VII was an oldies concert held on October 15, 1971, at Madison Square Garden. The crowd came to hear oldies acts such as Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, Bobby Rydell, the Shirelles, the Coasters, and Gary U.S. Bonds, and were a little surprised with Rick (no longer “Ricky”) Nelson appeared on stage with long hair, bell bottoms, and a country-rock backup band. He started out singing some of his classic hits, such as “Hello Mary Lou” and “Be-Bop Baby,” but then transitioned into a countrified version of the Rolling Stones’ “Honky Tonk Women.” The crowd didn’t like that at all, wanting to hear more oldies, and started to boo. Nelson sang one more song then walked off the stage and out of the building, not appearing in the show’s big finale.
The events of that evening informed the lyrics of the song, as follows:
- “I went to a garden party,” of course, referred to the concert at Madison Square Garden
- “To reminisce with my old friends” referred to the other oldies performers on the bill
- “No one recognized me, I didn’t look the same” refers to Mr. Nelson’s long-haired appearance
- “Yoko brought her walrus” referred to Yoko Ono and John Lennon, who were in attendance
- “Mr. Hughes” was the traveling alias used by Beatle George Harrison, a friend of Mr. Nelson, who was also backstage
- “…hid in Dylan’s shoes” referred to an album of Bob Dylan’s tunes that Harrison planned to but never did record
- “I said hello to Marry Lou” refers to Mr. Nelson’s previous hit, “Hello Mary Lou”
- “…she belongs to me” was a Bob Dylan tune, “She Belongs to Me,” that Mr. Nelson performed that night
- “I sang a song about a honky tonk” was the Rolling Stones’ tune, “Honky Tonk Women,” that Nelson sang that evening
- “Out stepped Johnny B. Goode” referred to Chuck Berry and his classic hit of that name
- “…playing guitar like a-ringing a bell” was a line from “Johnny B. Goode”
As you can see, “Garden Party” is rather descriptive of what was a frustrating gig for Mr. Nelson. As the lyrics went on to say:
But it’s all right now
I’ve learned my lesson well
You see, you can’t please everyone
So you’ve got to please yourself
Here’s what Mr. Nelson said about the song:
“It’s a pleasant tune, and catchy. After the people have heard it a few times, they begin to listen more to the words and discover what it’s about. Some people, though, think that the song is about some desire I might have to return to the Fifties. It’s really just the opposite, of course— I’m trying to put a stop to all that.”
And for your daily bonus video of the day, here’s Rick Nelson and the Stone Canyon Band in an early promotional film for “Garden Party.” If memories were all he sang, he’d rather drive a truck.
