Ricky Nelson, who later was known as Rick Nelson, was a big part of this first era of rock and roll, as a television personality, a musician, a teen idol, and a film star. The song “Hello Mary Lou” was written by singer-songwriter Gene Pitney and Father Cayet Mangiarcina. It was first performed by Johnny Duncan in 1960 but Ricky Nelson had a bit hit with it in 1961. The song was the B-side to “Travelin’ Man” and  reached #9 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. It went to #2 in the U.K. and #1 in Norway. The record has fine guitar work from James Burton, who recorded and performed with Nelson from 1959 to 1967. Burton  worked with many singers, including Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis Costello, Roy Orbison, and Vince Gill — just to list a few.

Ricky, who was then wanted to be known as Rick following his 21st year,  was born Eric Hilliard Nelson on May  8, 1940, in Teaneck, New Jersey. He  started his show business career in 1949 in the radio sitcom The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet.  When the family moved to TV, he did too, and was on their show from 1952 to 1966. His first feature film was Here Come the Nelsons in 1957. Nelson also co-starred in the movie Rio Bravo, with John Wayne,  Dean Martin,and Walter Brennan. He was also in The Wackiest Ship in the Army with Jack Lemmon, and Love and Kisses with Jack Kelly. Nelson died in a plane crash on December 31, 1985.

Here are the lyrics to “Hello Mary Lou” by Rick Nelson:

Hello Mary Lou, goodbye heart
Sweet Mary Lou, I’m so in love with you
I knew Mary Lou, we’d never part
So hello Mary Lou, goodbye heart

You passed me by one sunny day
Flashed those big brown eyes my way
And oo I wanted you forever more
Now I’m not one that gets around
Swear my feet stuck to the ground
And though I never did meet you before

I said, hello Mary Lou, goodbye heart
Sweet Mary Lou, I’m so in love with you
I knew Mary Lou, we’d never part
So hello Mary Lou, goodbye heart

I saw your lips I heard your voice
Believe me I just had no choice
Wild horses couldn’t make me stay away
I thought about a moonlit night
My arms about you good an’ tight
That’s all I had to see for me to say

Hey, hey, hello Mary Lou, goodbye heart
Sweet Mary Lou, I’m so in love with you
I knew Mary Lou, we’d never part
So hello Mary Lou, goodbye heart
So hello Mary Lou, goodbye heart
Yes hello Mary Lou, goodbye heart”

If you would like to read about Nelson’s song “It’s Up to You,” please click here. For information on “Poor Little Fool,” please click here.

For a compilation of Rick Nelson’s greatest hits, please consider this: Rick Nelson – Greatest Hits

For More Golden Oldies Music

The Daily Doo Wop Rec Room has daily featured doo wop, rock and roll, R&B, or rockabilly songs that were hits during the first era of rock and roll (that is, from about 1952 until the British invasion in 1964). After a song is featured, it then goes into the juke box. You are welcome to listen to any of the 40+ selections there. Every weekend, there is a Juke Box Saturday, and the juke box is full of song requests from the 1950s and 1960s.

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