‘Garden Party’ emerged from a humiliating stage experience

What if…the booing heard during Ricky Nelson’s performance at New York City’s Madison Square Garden on Oct. 15, 1971, was not being directed at him?

 

Suppose the crowd was booing police action to haul off one of the concert patrons who was inebriated and causing a scene?

Some music historians maintain that the audience was merely reacting to law enforcement, and the incident randomly occurred while Nelson was performing his version of the song “Honky Tonk Women.”

At the time, however, Nelson interpreted the crowd response as negative feedback that was being expressed toward his artistic delivery. He abruptly left the stage without completing the song.

Had concert organizers explained the situation at the time to Ricky Nelson, his hurt feelings might have been assuaged. 

But if so, maybe one of the classic rock’n’roll songs of all time – “Garden Party” – would never have been written or released in 1972.

I 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

But no one recognized me,

I didn’t look the same.

 

But it’s all right now

I learned my lesson well.

You see, you can’t please everyone

So you got to please yourself.

 

Nelson contrasted his appearance with that of Chuck Berry, when he wrote:

 Someone opened up a closet door

And out stepped Johnny B. Goode

Playing guitar like a ringing a bell

And lookin’ like he should.

 

Nelson also paid tribute to two members of The Beatles, John Lennon and George Harrison, both friends of his, who reportedly were in the concert audience:

 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.

As explanation, Lennon was responsible for The Beatles’ song “I Am the Walrus.” When Harrison traveled, he preferred to be incognito, and he often used the alias of Mr. Hughes. Harrison and Nelson had planned to release an album in which they would cover hit songs from Bob Dylan. Unfortunately, they never got around to recording it.

 

George Harrison

Nelson gave listeners of “Garden Party” a taste of his personality:

 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.

 

Ricky Nelson, along with Elvis Presley, are the only rock’n’roll stars from the late 1950s-early 1960s era who Dick Clark (shown below) didn’t reel in to sing on his “American Bandstand” television show.

 

Both singers died too young and tragically. They battled the demons of substance abuse. Presley, whose health had deteriorated significantly, suffered a massive heart attack at his home Graceland in Memphis, Tenn. He died on Aug. 16, 1977, at age 42.

 

Nelson was 45 when he and six others died in a horrible airplane crash on Dec. 31, 1985, near De Kalb, Texas, about 35 miles west of Texarkana.

 

The cause of the crash may have been an onboard fire that was attributed to a faulty gas heater in the rear cabin. Only the pilot and co-pilot survived. Nelson and the Stone Canyon Band were enroute to Dallas to play at a New Year’s Eve celebration.