Garden Party 
Category: Writing and Poetry 


There was a song by Ricky Nelson a famous singer back in the 
sixties who died in a crash called "Garden Party". In that song 
Ricky talks about how everyone at the party was a basically a 
phony who didn't recognize him or like his music because he had 
changed. Everyone else had sold out for money. They no longer 
played for the sheer love of the music, but rather to please 
other people.


Now I am no Ricky Nelson, but I can relate to the feeling he 
talked about in the song. I recently visited my cousin's house 
who I haven't seen in over a couple decades and he kept bringing 
up bad decisions I made years and years ago. He knows nothing of 
the person I am today nor any of my accomplishments. I could 
tell he thought he was better than me and that everything I said 
he took with a grain of salt like they were the words of a fool 
talking out of the side of his neck. 

To make matters worse he had embellished the stories about me 
for entertainment value to the rest of his family. I heard 
comments about the old stories from other family members. It was 
like "OK, well I can tell when I'm not appreciated or wanted". 
I've tried to call them recently to clear the air and tell them 
how that made me feel. 

At this point I don't care how they take it when I tell them. 
Before I die I want to clear the air and let them know that they 
have me figured wrong. Here are the "Garden Party" 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 [chorus]But it's all right now, I learned 
my lesson well. You see, ya 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 'n' 
over in the corner, much to my surprise Mr. Hughes hid in 
Dylan's shoes wearing his disguise [chorus]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 [chorus]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 lotta luck But if memories were all 
I sang, I rather drive a truck [chorus]lot-dah-dah-dah 
(lot-dah-dah-dah) lot-in-dah-dah-dah 'n' it's all right now, 
learned my lesson well You see, ya can't please everyone, so you 
got to please yourself