RICKY NELSON REMEMBERED
Ozzie Nelson realized that whenever he had Ricky sing on their show The Adventures Of Ozzie And Harriet, Ricky's record sales shot up the next day. So Ozzie tried to work it into the plot whenever Ricky had a new record out. As Ricky became popular and the demand for his songs was overwhelming, Ozzie realized that working his singing into the plot was going to be impossible, so Ozzie filmed Ricky singing "Travelin' Man," superimposed some travelogue scenes over the film and tacked it onto a show episode at the end. Viola! The music video was born.
"Travelin' Man" was written by Jerry Fuller. There was a park close to where his wife worked,and everyday when he went to pick her up he'd take his guitar, sit in the park and write songs while he waited for her. He'd been thinking about writing a song about a man who traveled all over the world and one day took a World Atlas along with him to go over the countries in it. The song was written in about 20 minutes. And, yes, it was first offered to Sam Cooke's manager but he turned it down. Rick's bass player, Joe Osborne, had been in the next room of the record company and heard it. He asked Cooke's manager if he could hear it again, and the man said: "Here, you can have it." It was one of Rick's biggest hits and stayed on the Charts for 4 months.
I'm a travelin' man
And I've made a lot of stops all over the world
And in every port I own the heart
Of at least one lovely girl
I've a pretty Seniorita waitin' for me
Down in old Mexico
If you're ever in Alaska stop and see
My cute little Eskimo
Oh my sweet Fraulien down in Berlin town
Makes my heart start to yearn
And my China doll down in old Hong Kong
Waits for my return
Pretty Polynesian baby over the sea
I remember the night
When we walked in the sands of Waikiki
And I held you oh so tight
Oh my sweet Fraulien down in Berlin town
Makes my heart start to yearn
And my China doll down in old Hong Kong
Waits for my return
Pretty Polynesian baby over the sea
I remember the night
When we walked in the sands of Waikiki
And I held you oh so tight
Oh, I'm a travelin' man
Yes, I'm a travelin' man
Oh, I'm a travelin' man
Mmmmm....
Written By: (J. Fuller)
RICKY NELSON REMEMBERED
In any event, Gunnar and Matthew are currently on tour with the RICKY NELSON REMEMBERED show - a multimedia tribute show featuring live renditions of Ricks hits, as well as never before seen footage of the Nelson family with interviews from celebrities influenced by Ricky Nelson. The show appeals to a wide audience and multiple generations and 2010 will mark the 25th anniversary of Rick Nelson's passing with that tragic New Year's Eve plane crash.
Rick Nelson was born Eric Hilliard Nelson in 1940. He died in a small plane crash in Texas in 1985 while flying to a New Year's Eve concert. Mechanical problems and a cabin fire were suspected as the cause of the crash. Speculation that the fire was caused by someone on board freebasing cocaine was never proven, though aerosol cans were found at the crash site. The Nelson family said that the cans were part of the makeup box and that no drugs were involved. The matter was never completely resolved.
VIDEO: Travelin' Man by Rick Nelson Remembered