Jackie DeShannon
Jackie DeShannon, real name Sharon Lee Myers, (born August 21, 1941) is an … Read Full Bio ↴Jackie DeShannon, real name Sharon Lee Myers, (born August 21, 1941) is an American singer/songwriter with a string of hit song credits from the 1960s onwards. She was one of the first female singer songwriters of the rock 'n' roll period.
Sharon Myers adopted the name Jackie DeShannon, believed to be an Irish ancestor. Record company executives at Liberty Records thought the name Sharon Myers wouldn't sell records. (She once reported that record executives added "Shannon" to "Jackie Dee," one of the names under which she recorded, to create her name.)
Life and early career:
DeShannon was born the daughter of musically inclined farming parents, Sandra Jean and James Erwin Myers, DeShannon was introduced to singing country tunes on a local radio show at the age of six. By the age of eleven, DeShannon was already hosting her own radio program. When life on the farm became too difficult, the family moved to Aurora, Illinois, her mother's home town, and her father resumed his other career as a barber. After a year, they moved up the Fox River to Batavia, Illinois, where Sharon attended high school.
Recording under various names such as Sherry Lee, Jackie Dee, and Jackie Shannon, she had little success. However, her interpretations of country songs "Buddy" and "Trouble" gained the attention of Eddie Cochran who arranged for her to travel to California and meet singer-songwriter Sharon Sheeley, who formed a writing partnership with DeShannon in 1960. The partnership produced hits such as "Dum Dum" for Brenda Lee and "I Love Anastasia" for The Fleetwoods. The latter was named after one of her good friends in high school.
In 1960, DeShannon signed with Liberty Records. She made the WLS Chicago survey with "Lonely Girl" in late 1960. A string of mostly flop singles followed, although "The Prince" bubbled under at #108 in the United States in early 1962, and "Faded Love" (#97 in February 1963) became her first U.S. Hot 100 hit, albeit just barely .
She broke through a little more solidly singing "Needles and Pins" and "When You Walk in the Room" later in 1963. Both reached the lower rungs of the U.S. pop charts, but were substantial top 40 hits in Canada, where "Needles and Pins" made it all the way to #1. "Needles and Pins" and "When You Walk in the Room" later became U.S. and UK hits for The Searchers.
DeShannon recorded many other singles that encompassed teen pop, country ballads, rockabilly, gospel, and Ray Charles-style soul that didn't fare as well on the charts. During these years it was her songwriting and public profile rather than her recording career that kept her contracted to Liberty Records. DeShannon dated Elvis Presley and formed friendships with The Everly Brothers and Ricky Nelson. She also co-starred and sang with Bobby Vinton in the teen surf movie Surf Party.
DeShannon's biggest break came in February 1964, when she supported The Beatles on their first U.S. tour, and formed a touring band with guitarist Ry Cooder. DeShannon also wrote "Don't Doubt Yourself Babe" for debut album by The Byrds. Her music at this stage was heavily influenced by the American West Coast sounds and folk music. Staying briefly in England in 1965, DeShannon formed a songwriting partnership with Jimmy Page, which resulted in the hit singles "Dream Boy" and "Don't Turn Your Back On Me". Page and DeShannon also wrote material for singer Marianne Faithfull, including her Top Ten UK and U.S. hit "Come and Stay With Me". DeShannon also appeared on the television show Ready Steady Go!
Hit love songs:
Moving to New York, DeShannon co-wrote with Randy Newman, producing such songs as "She Don't Understand Him" and "Did He Call Today Mama?", as well as writing "You Have No Choice" for Delaney Bramlett. In March 1965, DeShannon recorded Burt Bacharach and Hal David's "What the World Needs Now Is Love," which provided her first Number 1 hit and regular appearances on television shows and club tours. (DeShannon's recording of the song was subsequently used in the 1969 film Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice.) She appeared in the 1967 film C'mon Let's Live a Little, with Bobby Vee, as a folk singer. DeShannon continued writing and recording but it was not until 1969 that she scored her next biggest smash single and album, both entitled "Put a Little Love in Your Heart". The single "Love Will Find A Way" from the same album was also a moderate hit. Switching to Atlantic Records in 1970 and moving to Los Angeles, DeShannon recorded the critically acclaimed albums Jackie and Your Baby Is A Lady, but they failed to produce the same commercial success as previous releases. In 1973, she was invited by Van Morrison to sing on his Hard Nose the Highway album.
"Put A Little Love In Your Heart" was performed as the closing number at the Music for UNICEF Concert, broadcast worldwide from the United Nations General Assembly in 1979.
Later career:
While DeShannon has not produced any further Top Ten singles of her own, her songs have been covered by other artists who have in turn converted them into hits. In 1974, with Donna Weiss, she composed "Queen Of The Rodeo" and "Bette Davis Eyes" for her album New Arrangement. The song "Bette Davis Eyes" later became a world-wide Number 1 single for singer Kim Carnes in 1981. It earned DeShannon the 1982 Grammy Award for Song of the Year.
The songs "Breakaway", recorded by Tracey Ullman in 1983, and "Put A Little Love In Your Heart", recorded by Annie Lennox and Al Green in 1988, also became huge hits, the latter of which Dolly Parton also covered in 1993. Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers and Stevie Nicks had a Top 40 U.S. hit in 1986 with a cover of "Needles And Pins", which was a song DeShannon originally recorded, although not one she wrote. A version of "When You Walk In The Room" by Pam Tillis in 1994 topped the country charts. Another recent cover of "When You Walk In The Room" was by ex-ABBA vocalist Agnetha Fältskog, both in her comeback album My Colouring Book and as a UK and European hit single.
Jackie was portrayed by singer Liz Phair in an episode of the NBC period drama American Dreams.
Personal life:
DeShannon is married to singer/songwriter and film music composer Randy Edelman, who is her third husband. Her first husband was Liberty Records executive Irving "Bud" Dain, whom she married on January 29, 1966. She has also dated Jimmy Page and Love guitarist Bryan MacLean. It is likely that Jimmy Page wrote the song "Tangerine" (which appeared on the third Led Zeppelin album) after the breakup of his relationship with DeShannon in early 1965.
Sharon Myers adopted the name Jackie DeShannon, believed to be an Irish ancestor. Record company executives at Liberty Records thought the name Sharon Myers wouldn't sell records. (She once reported that record executives added "Shannon" to "Jackie Dee," one of the names under which she recorded, to create her name.)
Life and early career:
DeShannon was born the daughter of musically inclined farming parents, Sandra Jean and James Erwin Myers, DeShannon was introduced to singing country tunes on a local radio show at the age of six. By the age of eleven, DeShannon was already hosting her own radio program. When life on the farm became too difficult, the family moved to Aurora, Illinois, her mother's home town, and her father resumed his other career as a barber. After a year, they moved up the Fox River to Batavia, Illinois, where Sharon attended high school.
Recording under various names such as Sherry Lee, Jackie Dee, and Jackie Shannon, she had little success. However, her interpretations of country songs "Buddy" and "Trouble" gained the attention of Eddie Cochran who arranged for her to travel to California and meet singer-songwriter Sharon Sheeley, who formed a writing partnership with DeShannon in 1960. The partnership produced hits such as "Dum Dum" for Brenda Lee and "I Love Anastasia" for The Fleetwoods. The latter was named after one of her good friends in high school.
In 1960, DeShannon signed with Liberty Records. She made the WLS Chicago survey with "Lonely Girl" in late 1960. A string of mostly flop singles followed, although "The Prince" bubbled under at #108 in the United States in early 1962, and "Faded Love" (#97 in February 1963) became her first U.S. Hot 100 hit, albeit just barely .
She broke through a little more solidly singing "Needles and Pins" and "When You Walk in the Room" later in 1963. Both reached the lower rungs of the U.S. pop charts, but were substantial top 40 hits in Canada, where "Needles and Pins" made it all the way to #1. "Needles and Pins" and "When You Walk in the Room" later became U.S. and UK hits for The Searchers.
DeShannon recorded many other singles that encompassed teen pop, country ballads, rockabilly, gospel, and Ray Charles-style soul that didn't fare as well on the charts. During these years it was her songwriting and public profile rather than her recording career that kept her contracted to Liberty Records. DeShannon dated Elvis Presley and formed friendships with The Everly Brothers and Ricky Nelson. She also co-starred and sang with Bobby Vinton in the teen surf movie Surf Party.
DeShannon's biggest break came in February 1964, when she supported The Beatles on their first U.S. tour, and formed a touring band with guitarist Ry Cooder. DeShannon also wrote "Don't Doubt Yourself Babe" for debut album by The Byrds. Her music at this stage was heavily influenced by the American West Coast sounds and folk music. Staying briefly in England in 1965, DeShannon formed a songwriting partnership with Jimmy Page, which resulted in the hit singles "Dream Boy" and "Don't Turn Your Back On Me". Page and DeShannon also wrote material for singer Marianne Faithfull, including her Top Ten UK and U.S. hit "Come and Stay With Me". DeShannon also appeared on the television show Ready Steady Go!
Hit love songs:
Moving to New York, DeShannon co-wrote with Randy Newman, producing such songs as "She Don't Understand Him" and "Did He Call Today Mama?", as well as writing "You Have No Choice" for Delaney Bramlett. In March 1965, DeShannon recorded Burt Bacharach and Hal David's "What the World Needs Now Is Love," which provided her first Number 1 hit and regular appearances on television shows and club tours. (DeShannon's recording of the song was subsequently used in the 1969 film Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice.) She appeared in the 1967 film C'mon Let's Live a Little, with Bobby Vee, as a folk singer. DeShannon continued writing and recording but it was not until 1969 that she scored her next biggest smash single and album, both entitled "Put a Little Love in Your Heart". The single "Love Will Find A Way" from the same album was also a moderate hit. Switching to Atlantic Records in 1970 and moving to Los Angeles, DeShannon recorded the critically acclaimed albums Jackie and Your Baby Is A Lady, but they failed to produce the same commercial success as previous releases. In 1973, she was invited by Van Morrison to sing on his Hard Nose the Highway album.
"Put A Little Love In Your Heart" was performed as the closing number at the Music for UNICEF Concert, broadcast worldwide from the United Nations General Assembly in 1979.
Later career:
While DeShannon has not produced any further Top Ten singles of her own, her songs have been covered by other artists who have in turn converted them into hits. In 1974, with Donna Weiss, she composed "Queen Of The Rodeo" and "Bette Davis Eyes" for her album New Arrangement. The song "Bette Davis Eyes" later became a world-wide Number 1 single for singer Kim Carnes in 1981. It earned DeShannon the 1982 Grammy Award for Song of the Year.
The songs "Breakaway", recorded by Tracey Ullman in 1983, and "Put A Little Love In Your Heart", recorded by Annie Lennox and Al Green in 1988, also became huge hits, the latter of which Dolly Parton also covered in 1993. Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers and Stevie Nicks had a Top 40 U.S. hit in 1986 with a cover of "Needles And Pins", which was a song DeShannon originally recorded, although not one she wrote. A version of "When You Walk In The Room" by Pam Tillis in 1994 topped the country charts. Another recent cover of "When You Walk In The Room" was by ex-ABBA vocalist Agnetha Fältskog, both in her comeback album My Colouring Book and as a UK and European hit single.
Jackie was portrayed by singer Liz Phair in an episode of the NBC period drama American Dreams.
Personal life:
DeShannon is married to singer/songwriter and film music composer Randy Edelman, who is her third husband. Her first husband was Liberty Records executive Irving "Bud" Dain, whom she married on January 29, 1966. She has also dated Jimmy Page and Love guitarist Bryan MacLean. It is likely that Jimmy Page wrote the song "Tangerine" (which appeared on the third Led Zeppelin album) after the breakup of his relationship with DeShannon in early 1965.
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Jackie DeShannon Lyrics
500 Miles From Yesterday The moon has lost its glow The sky is black I'll never…
A Lifetime Of Loneliness Since you left me I'm finding out what heartbreak is So help…
A New Arrangement You step into the clubhouse With Aunt Caroline by your side …
A Sunday Kind Of Love I want a Sunday kind of love A love that will…
All Night Desire Her hair is Harlow gold, Her lips sweet surprise Her hands…
Anna Karina Anna Karina waitin' for the train that's Gonna take you away…
Are You Ready For This If I said I'd been lyin' I found a new love…
Baby Maybe baby, I'll have you Maybe baby, you'll be true Maybe b…
Baby Close Its Eyes Singing lullabies while the baby cries Loving parents sigh, …
Baby Let Me Follow You Down Baby, let me follow you around Ah, baby, let me follow…
Baby Won't You Let Me Know Oh, whoa, ho, ho Baby, won't you let me know When you…
Be Good Baby Baby, I don't want you to go 'Cause baby I'm gonna…
Bette Davis Eyes Her hair is Harlow gold, her lips sweet surprise Her hands…
Boat To Sail You're up state, up late, and city fed I'm a california…
Brand New Start A love you lose, you can't get back No matter how…
Breakaway I made my reservation, I'm leaving town tomorrow I'll find …
Brighton Hill Brighton Hill, where the sky changes its color Hopes are…
Buddy Buddy is his name Uh, he-he drives me a-insane Yeah-yeah-yea…
Call Me If you're feeling sad and lonely There's a service I can…
Child Of The Street Flowers and leaves inside of me Word you toss It melts the…
Children & Flowers You came in riding on a white dove's wing Wrapped in…
Christmas Do you know how Christmas trees are grown? They need sunshin…
Come And Get Me I know what life has done to you Things haven't been…
Come and Stay With Me I'll send away all my false pride And I'll forsake all…
Come On Down Hey hey, you On top of that hill Come on down from…
Crystal Clear Crystal clear is my love When he's near I'm high above Every…
Dangerous That's how it began Dancin' in the heat of rhythm Just anoth…
Deep Into Paradise Deep into Paradise I'm so deep into Paradise Your touch is s…
Did He Call Today Mama Did he call today, Mama? Did he phone while I was…
Didn't Want To Have To Do It Didn't wanna have to do it Didn't wanna have to break…
Do You Know How Christmas Trees Are Grown? Do you know how Christmas trees are grown? They need sunshin…
Don When I said I needed you You said you would always…
Don't Dream Of Anybody But Me You may vacation in Hawaii Or go to Switzerland to ski When…
Don't Let Go of Me Please stay around me i can make you smile Stay around…
Don't Let the Flame Burn Out You gave me something I never had And, baby, I can feel The…
Don't Let the Sun Catch You Crying Don't let the sun catch you cryin' Cryin' at my front…
Don't Think Twice It's All Right Ain't no use to sit and wonder why, babe It don't…
Don't Turn Your Back On Me Don't turn your back on me, babe Don't say our love…
Dream Dream when you′re feeling blue Dream, that's the thing to do…
Dream Boy Gentle and kind I love him ′Cause he treats me oh so…
Ease Your Pain If I could ease your pain If I could lighten your…
Easy Evil Such an easy evil such a sensuous sin Sometimes I don't…
Faded Love As I look at the letters That you wrote to me, It's…
Find Me Love When I said I needed you You said you would always…
Flamingos Fly Go for a ride In the still of the night And morning…
Francoise Mondrain lines Sleeping with time Ever so kind Francoise, I'…
Full Time Woman I hear you got a full time woman Now, does she…
Good Old Song Na na, na na na na na, na na na Na…
Grand Canyon Blues I saw the Grand Canyon blues When I was twenty-one Got my…
He's Got The Whole World In His Hands He´s got the whole world in His hands, |: He´s got…
Hearts on Fire We shouldn't be together tonight But here we are 'Cause our …
Heaven Is Being With You When I get to heaven, it's gonna look familiar I'm gonna…
Heavy Burdens Me Down On the night I was born Mama gave her soul,…
Hellos And Goodbyes Oh, oh-oh, oh, oh Oh, oh-oh, oh, oh Oh, oh-oh, oh, oh Oh,…
High Coin I′m goin' for high coin, baby Or I ain′t goin' nowhere…
hold your head high Don't cry little girl 'Cause he don't walk with you now And…
Holly Would She loved rings and string Like music rite of spring She'd o…
I Take your love from me I'll turn to stone Turn to stone If…
I Can Make It With You When the world was on my shoulders And all hope for…
I Can't Stay Away I can't stay away I can't stay away from you I just…
I Don't Think I Can Wait Well, I don't think so much of myself now Oh, ho,…
I got my reason Sittin' here thinkin' 'bout how much Life has gone by wonder…
I Just Can't Say No to You Just look at this mess that I'm in Gentle lover, you're…
I Keep Wanting You Can't keep my mind from turnin' With you my heart keeps…
I Remember The Boy I remember the boy who held his hand in mine He…
I Wanna Roo You Twenty-third of December Covered in snow You in the kitche…
I Wanted It All I wanted it all right from the beginning The more that…
I'll Be Seeing You I'll be seeing you in all the old familiar places That…
I'll Turn To Stone Take your love from me I'll turn to stone Turn to stone If…
I'm Gonna Be Strong I can see You're slipping away from me And you're so afrai…
I'm With You Like it or not I'm with you Ain't got a lot…
International Hey, Jesus hey, it's me Well, I've gone international And be…
It Many a tear has to fall But it's all in the…
It Shines On You Too Do you see Things you want and let them pass by? Do…
It's All In The Game Many a tear has to fall But it's all in the…
It's Love Baby Baby, I don't know why I love you I don't…
It's So Nice It's so nice coming home to you My heart belongs Right at…
Just Like In The Movies You said you'd never break my heart Oh, but you did…
Just to Feel This Love for You I've never held love so closely Never known one touch so…
Keep Me In Mind Write me a letter Send it today It'll make me feel better Wh…
Laid Back Days Livin' in a country, oh, we pray Words I say, I…
Laurel Canyon I love to greet the day Love my hideaway In Laurel Canyon I…
Lay Baby Lay Lay, baby, lay lay across my big brass bed Lay, baby,…
Let the Sailors Dance Daughter of the captain's maid She's already seen too much o…
Lifetime Of Loneliness Since you left me I'm finding out what heartbreak is So help…
Little Yellow Roses The wind in my hair and the sun in my…
Live Do what you can if it won't hurt you Really hurt…
Livin' on the Easy Side Now, Mrs. Deer Has nothin' to fear Livin' on the easy side W…
Lonely Girl I'm just a lonely girl Livin' in my little lonely world Can'…
Love Will Find A Way There can be a new tomorrow There can be a bright…
Mama's Song Mama raised seven children all alone Workin' hard every day,…
Maybe Baby Maybe baby, I'll have you Maybe baby, you'll be true Maybe b…
Me About You Perhaps another time or maybe another place Could've eased m…
Mediterranean Sky Mediterranean sky, I wanna stay right by you And I'm gonna…
Medley: You Keep Me Hangin' On / Hurt So Bad Set me free, why don't you, babe? Get out of my…
Merry Go Round In The Rain Merry-go-round goin' around Under the cloudy skies Sad littl…
More Than a Trace Here I am once again waitin' anxiously Wishin' you, hopin' y…
Movin' Movin' in a new direction Ready to find love and affection M…
Murphy As Sherlock captures the professor Moriarity Old man Murphy …
Music and Memories Music and memories music and memories How they haunt me sinc…
Music Man Music man, get ready for your final show Please the crowd,…
Needles I saw her today, I saw her face, it was…
Nicole Nicole, you know How I care for you You stole, Nicole Many h…
Night And Day Like the beat, beat, beat, Of the tom-tom; When the jungle s…
No Easy Way Down Your toy balloon has sailed in the sky, love But now…
oh boy Dum, dee dee dum dum, oh, boy Dum, dee dee dum…
Only Love Can Break Your Heart When you were young and on your own How did it…
Only You You're the only dancer I wanna dance with now You're the onl…
Ooh You Did It Again! Ooh, you did it again You broke my heart, tore it…
Over My Head Again Eight o'clock on a Saturday Drinkin' beer in a downtown café…
Over You There'll be some slow walkin' A-gonna be some sad talkin' Th…
Paradise When I was a child my family would travel Down to…
Peaceful in My Soul Feelin' like I'm peaceful in my soul Ah, I'm feelin' just…
Poor Someone Poor someone has no one To give her kisses to Poor someone…
Puff Puff, the magic dragon, lived by the sea And frolicked in…
Pure Natural Love My life was empty never any Love came on my way…
Put A Little Love In Your Heart Think of your fellow man, lend him a helping hand Put…
Reason To Believe If I listened long enough to you I'd find a way…
River of Love I found a river I'm so proud of And it's a river A…
Sing Hallelujah I know I got myself a long, long journey Sing Hallelujah And…
Small Town Talk It's only small town talk You know how people are They can't…
So Long Johnny Hold me close, show me a smile I'll just be…
Somebody Turn The Music On Somebody turn the music on Oh, let's dance away the night Ho…
Sooner Or Later Tell me a story of love and glory I can feel…
Spare Me a Little of Your Love Why not lie here in my arms And listen to the…
Splendor In The Grass The first love I ever had, the first time I…
Summertime Summertime and the livin' is easy Fish are jumpin' and the…
Sunshine of Your Love It's gettin' near dawn, When lights close their tired eyes. …
Sweet Baby Gene Ooh-hoo Ah, ah, ooh-hoo Ooh-oo-oo-oo Babe, baby, ooh-hoo Si…
Sweet Sixteen Well, well I loved you like I never loved before First time…
That's The Name Of The Game First, you're out with the clouds in the sky Life is…
That's What Boys Are Made Of A one part happiness a one part loneliness Add a little…
The Girl's Song I'd like to make a long distance call To a number…
The Prince Oh, here he comes (Here he comes) My special one (My…
The Weight I pulled in to Nazareth I was feeling bout half past…
The Wishing Doll A wishing doll, a wishing doll Long, long ago I had…
Things We Said Today You say you will love me If I have to go. You'll…
Think Of Rain THINK OF RAIN Words and Music by Margo Guryan If you s…
Through the Gates of Gold Break through the gates of sorrow Enter the gates of gold An…
Till You Say You'll Be Mine II don't care if the sky is pretty blue I I…
Time I hear you got a full time woman Now, does she…
To Be Myself To be myself whenever I can To live the things for…
To Love Somebody There's a light, A certain kind of light, That never shone…
To Wait for Love Every day without love Is a day of sorrow Don`t wait til…
Tonight You're Doin' It Right You're singin' those old lullabyes I'm watchin' a star on th…
Trust in Me Trust in me, baby, give me time, gimme time, um…
Vanilla O'Lay You treated me like a schoolgirl lover Never did follow any…
Walkin' Down The Line Lord, I'm walkin' down the line Hey, I'm walkin' down the…
Weight I pulled in to Nazareth I was feeling bout half past…
West Virginia Mine Don't you take me to West Virginia mine Don't you make…
What Ever Happened To Happy Captain Jim, what's wrong with him? He used to be so…
What Is This What the world needs now is love, sweet love It's the…
What The World Needs Now Is Love - Single Version hat the world needs now is love sweet love, It's the…
What Was Your Day Like What was your day like? What was your day like? I woke…
When I Maybe I'm old fashioned, feeling as I do Maybe I am…
When Morning Comes Again In the patterned pages of my life I hear the sounds…
When You Walk In The Room I can feel a new expression on my face I can…
Where Does The Sun Go? Where does the sun go When it does not shine? And where…
Will You Love Me Tomorrow Tonight you're mine, completely You give your soul so sweet…
Will You Love Me Tomorrow? Tonight you're mine, completely You give your soul so sweetl…
Windows And Doors What is a mansion wide and tall? Nothing more than the…
you When I said I needed you You said you would always…
You Are the Real Thing There's no more waiting Anticipating You are the real thing …
You Can Come To Me La, la-la-la, la-la La-la, la-la You can come to me I'll al…
You Don't Have To Say You Love Me When I said I needed you You said you would always…
You Keep Me Hangin' On / Hurt So Bad Set me free, why don't you, babe? Get out of my…
You Won't Forget Me Oh, she took my place But when you see my face You…
You're So Good I've got one, I’ve got two I've got three exciting reasons…
You're the Only Dancer You're the only dancer I wanna dance with now You're the onl…
You've Really Got a Hold on Me I don't like you, but I love you, Seems that I'm…
Your Old Lady's Leaving Save all your sad goodbyes You don't need them anyway Save a…