Rick Nelson - two of the best songs omitted from "Greatest Hits"

[Buttmunker]

When I bought the "Rick Nelson - Greatest Hits" collection a few years back, I was essentially a novice fan. By novice, I mean I knew the oft-played hits like "Travelin' Man," "Poor Little Fool," "Hello Mary Lou," and "Garden Party."

When I played the disc several times, I discovered that "I'm Walkin'" was a superior track, and quickly became my favorite.

Fast forward to 2008: I discover, quite accidentally, two songs by the Rickster that by far blow away his whole catalog, including his two #1's (Travelin & Fool) - - -

"Waitin' In School" and "A Teenager's Romance". "A Teenager's Romance," a No.2 b-side from 1957, was released the same year as "I'm Walkin'", which hit #4 in 1957.

Even the latest hits collection for Ricky Nelson omits "A Teenager's Romance", although it does include "Waitin' In School".

My point is that "A Teenager's Romance" is a hot song. Why no love for it?

[brianluvdvd]

It could be a label thing/right issue.

His first 4 top 40 hits were on the Verve label and every hit after that until 1962 was on Imperial.

What's strange is I'm Walking was on Verve but they included that on your collection but not Romance. Maybe they only had the money to include one. It is bizarre that a #2 hit would be omitted from his collections though. A Teenager's Romance hit #2 on billboard and was a hit at nearly the same time as I'm Walking (May of 1957).

[Buttmunker]

Aside from all that, I'm angered but don't know who to direct it towards. Could be his manager's fault, could be the record producer, could be Ricky Nelson himself, but...

Rick started off great! I mean, really great, between his devil-may-care type of singing, the great horns and guitars...if he had started in 1955 or '56, he may have been the King of Rock And Roll! But then something happened...after being "cool" with songs like "I'm Walkin'," "A Teenager's Romance," and "Waitin' In School" - Ricky Nelson went kind of soft. The songs afterward were "good," but a little bit "soft."

But yeah, the issue could be related to rights.

[Jason]

I thought it was a law or something that every greatest hits collection has to have at least one glaring omission?