Ricky Nelson on the cover of Life Magazine

Reportedly, seventeen-year-old Ricky Nelson (who played himself on the series) had been pestering his father, Ozzie to let him sing on the show and to make a record.

Ricky wanted to impress a girl he'd been dating who had laughed at him when he suggested he could record a song. Approving his son's idea, Ricky performed the Fats Domino Hit "I'm Walkin'" and it immediately went to the top of the charts. In one week, his version had sold one million copies. On the 1/2/58 episode he sang "Traveling Man".

I'm Walkin'
Words and Music by
Antoine Domino and Dave Bartholomew

I'm walkin', yes indeed I'm talkin'
For you and me and I'm hoping
That you'll come back to me

I'm lonely as I can be
And I've waited for your company
And I'm hoping that you'll come back to me

Whatcha gonna do when the well runs dry
You gonna run away and hide
I'm gonna run right by your side
For you, pretty baby, I'd even die

I'm walkin', yes indeed I'm talkin'
For you and me and I'm hoping
That you'll come back to me

(Instrumental Interlude)

I'm walkin', yes indeed I'm talkin'
For you and me and I'm hoping
That you'll come back to me

I'm lonely as I can be
And I've waited for your company
And I'm hoping that you'll come back to me

What'cha gonna do when the well runs dry
You gonna run away and hide
I'm gonna run right by your side
For you, pretty baby, I'd even die

I'm walkin', yes indeed I'm talkin'
For you and me and I'm hoping
That you'll come back to me

TRIVIA NOTE:  A similar success occurred on a January 1962 episode of THE DONNA REED SHOW/ABC/1958-66, as Paul Peterson, who played Jeff, the teenage son of the Stone Family sang a novelty song "She Can't Find Her Keys" as part of a dream sequence in which he was a recording star. The national exposure via television made it a major hit. See also "Johnny Angel"