Garden Party

First and foremost, thank you to all who have read my past blog posts and my book, “Homey’s Adventures.” 

Sunday is my day of rest. Most Sunday’s I go to church. I did not feel like it yesterday. Because of something that happened at work, I did not feel loved, and I did not feel like loving others. This morning a song written by Ricky Nelson came to mind entitled “Garden Party.” Here are the lyrics: 

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 
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 ya got to please yourself 
 

People came from miles around 
Everyone was there 
Yoko brought her walrus 
There was magic in the air 
 

An over in the corner 
Much to my surprise 
Mr. Hughes hid in Dylan’s shoes 
Wearing his disguise 
 

But it’s, all right now 
I learned my lesson well 
You see ya can’t please everyone 
So ya got to please yourself 
 

Lott-in-dah-dah-dah, lot-in-dah-dah-dah 
 

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 
 

But it’s, all right now 
I learned my lesson well 
You see you can’t please everyone 
So ya got to please yourself 
 

Lot-dah-dah-dah (lot-dah-dah-dah) 
Lot-in-dah-dah-dah 
 

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 lot of luck 
But if memories were all I sang 
I rather drive a truck 
 

But it’s, all right now 
I learned my lesson well 
You see you can’t please everyone 
So ya got to please yourself 
 

Lot-dah-dah-dah (lot-dah-dah-dah) 
Lot-in-dah-dah-dah 
 

And it’s, all right now 
Learned my lesson well 
You see, ya can’t please everyone 
So you got to please yourself 

Garden Party was written in 1972 and it was about a rock and roll revival held at Madison Square Garden. Ricky Nelson had long hair and not everyone recognized him. George Harrison of the Beatles was a neighbor of Ricky Nelson. George Harrison, John Lennon, and Yoko Ono all attended the concert. Ricky sang some of his new songs at the concert.  

As Ricky Nelson was doing his version the Rolling Stones song, “Honky Tonk Woman,” a fight broke out in the crowd. The crowd was booing the fight and security who broke up the fight. Ricky Nelson thought the crowd was booing his version of “Honky Tonk Women.”

I read that the verse about driving a truck was a reference to Elvis who drove a truck before he began his singing career. Ricky Nelson was a child TV star on his family’s TV show, “The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet.” 

“Garden Party” was Ricky Nelson’s last big hit. Ricky Nelson’s last big hit before this song was in 1961 entitled “Hello May Lou” and he performed this song at the garden party. Ricky Nelson died in a private airplane accident in 1985. I have always liked this song and I recommend it to anyone. 

I always try to be honest with you, my reader. I am not sure why this song gives me comfort. I think it is because like Ricky Nelson, I was feeling unloved yesterday, but Jesus commands us to love others as we do ourselves. So, maybe I was messing up the last part. We need to love ourselves.  

So, it’s all right now. I learned my lesson well. You can’t please everyone. So, you got to please yourself. Loty da da dee, loty da-da da……. 

I encourage you to go to my website, www.homeysadventures.com. You can read the first two chapters for free, and you can also purchase it. Or you can purchase it from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and many other fine retailers. Just search for it using the words: Homey’s Adventures by Jim Wish. 

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I liken myself to the Vienna Violinist described in chapter 5 of my second book, Homey Adventures Too. I play (write) for your enjoyment and mine. Please enjoy the Christmas season and God bless you all!