My Music Journal 2025: June 13, 2025

 

Friday, June 13, 2025

Time: 1:43 PM
Song: Love and Affection
Artist: Nelson
Mode of Consumption: Listening to the Playlist Pandemonium Playlist “Famous Dads” on Spotify.

Link to song: https://open.spotify.com/track/3JjY2L2bqql54j1SjnjQ23?si=fc1edbd98b8a4747

A couple days ago I mentioned that I didn’t think that Jakob Dylan had ever recorded one of his father’s songs. Today, I am listening to the playlist generated by our Facebook group and this Nelson hit came on.

I remembered that sometime in the mid-90s I saw Nelson perform in Rockford. They opened for either America or Three Dog Night. I can’t remember which group. I am pretty sure I went to the Metrocenter twice with my parents and saw concerts.

What I do remember is that by this time, it had to be 1994 or 1995, the Nelson boys had cut the long blond locks that was their staple when this song was a hit in 1990. It’s kind of amazing to think that in a few short years they had gone from having a hit song to opening for bands from the 1960s and 1970s.

This post isn’t to rag on Nelson. On the contrary, I seem to remember enjoying their set.

Unlike Dylan, the Nelson boys had no qualms playing their father’s hits. In fact, the set was filled with Ricky Nelson hits. While I am sure they played some of their other originals, “Love and Affection” is the only one I remember. It made sense as the opener for an older band for them to play a playlist of their father’s songs. It fit the crowd.

The other difference being that Ricky Nelson had died in an airplane crash in 1985. Undoubtedly performing his songs was one of the ways that the Nelson twins were still healing from the loss of their father. Bob Dylan is still touring, so it might not hit quite the same for Jakob Dylan to drop a setlist with “Like a Rolling Stone,” “Lay Lady Lay,” and “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door.”