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.
Call Me
Jackie DeShannon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There's a service I can render
Tell the one who loves you only
I can be so warm and tender
Call me
Don't be afraid, you can call me
Maybe it's late, but just call me
Tell me, and I'll be around
When it seems your friends desert you
There's somebody thinking of you
I'm the one who'll never hurt you
Maybe that's because I love you
Call me
Don't be afraid, you can call me
Maybe it's late, but just call me
Tell me, and I'll be around
Now don't forget me
'Cause if you let me
I will always stay by you
You've got to trust me
That's how it must be
There's so much that I can do
If you call I'll be right with you
You and I should be together
Take this love I long to give you
I'll be at your side forever
Call me
Don't be afraid, you can call me
Maybe it's late, but just call me
In Jackie DeShannon's song "Call Me," the lyrics express a sense of longing and desire to be there for someone who is feeling sad and alone. The singer is offering themselves as a source of comfort, warmth, and tenderness for the person who is loved by only one. They encourage the person to call them, no matter what time it is, and they will be there. The lyrics also suggest that the singer knows what it feels like to be abandoned by friends but wants to make it clear that they will never hurt the person because they love them.
The chorus of "Call Me" is the most memorable part of the song, with the repeated phrase "Call me" serving as a sort of call to action. The singer wants the person to know that they are always available and they will always be there for them. The lyrics express a strong sense of devotion and loyalty, with the singer assuring the person that if they trust them, they will stay by their side forever.
Overall, the lyrics to "Call Me" are a heartfelt and sincere expression of love and support. The song speaks to the universal human experience of feeling alone and in need of comfort, and it offers a message of hope and reassurance that there is someone out there who cares.
Line by Line Meaning
If you're feeling sad and lonely
When you feel lost and alone
There's a service I can render
I can offer my help and support
Tell the one who loves you only
Let the person who truly loves you know
I can be so warm and tender
I can provide love and comfort
Call me
Reach out to me for help and companionship
Don't be afraid, you can call me
There's no need to fear, I am here for you
Maybe it's late, but just call me
Even if it's late, I am still willing to help
Tell me, and I'll be around
Share your troubles with me, I'll be there for you
When it seems your friends desert you
When it feels like your friends abandon you
There's somebody thinking of you
Remember that there is someone who cares about you
I'm the one who'll never hurt you
I promise not to cause you pain
Maybe that's because I love you
My love for you makes me want to protect you
Now don't forget me
Please don't forget about me
'Cause if you let me
If you allow me to help you
I will always stay by you
I will remain by your side
You've got to trust me
You need to believe in me
That's how it must be
It's necessary for our relationship
There's so much that I can do
I am capable of helping and supporting you in many ways
If you call I'll be right with you
I will come to you as soon as you call for me
You and I should be together
We belong together
Take this love I long to give you
Accept the love I want to offer you
I'll be at your side forever
I will be with you for as long as you need me
Call me
Reach out to me whenever you need me
Don't be afraid, you can call me
There's nothing to fear, I am here to help
Maybe it's late, but just call me
Even if it's late, I am here for you
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: KIMBERLY JONES, TODD SHAW, STUART JORDAN, RANDY MULLER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind