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.
Needles And Pins
Jackie DeShannon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I had to run away, and get down on my knees and pray that they'd go away
But still they'd begin (uh), needles and pins (uh)
Because of all my pride, the tears I gotta hide
Hey I thought I was smart, I'd won her heart
Didn't think I'd do, but now I see
She's worse to him than me, let her go ahead
Just how to say please, and get down on her knees
Hey that's how it begins (uh), she'll feel those needles and pins
A-hurtin' her, a-hurtin' her
Why can't I stop and tell myself I'm wrong, I'm wrong, so wrong
Why can't I stand up and tell myself I'm strong
Because I saw her today, I saw her face, it was a face I loved, and I knew
I had to run away, and get down on my knees and pray that they'd go away
But still they'd begin (uh), needles and pins (uh)
Because of all my pride, the tears I gotta hide
Oh needles and pins (uh), needles and pins (uh), needles and pins (uh)
In Jackie DeShannon's song Needles And Pins, the singer talks about seeing someone they once loved, and how the memories of that love inflict physical pain on them. The opening line, "I saw her today, I saw her face, it was a face I loved, and I knew," reveals the intensity of the singer's feelings for this person. However, the pain of the past relationship is so great that they feel the need to run away and pray for it to go away. Despite their efforts, the memories come rushing back, causing the singer to feel like they're being poked with needles and pins. They suffer in silence, trying to hide their tears and pride.
As the song progresses, the singer realizes that they may not have been the best partner to this person, and that they were not appreciated as they thought they were. They suggest that perhaps the person they once loved should move on to someone else who will treat them better. However, the singer also recognizes that this new love interest will also experience the same pain they are going through, as the memories of past relationships can be hard to escape.
The lyrics of Needles And Pins are a powerful exploration of the pain and heartbreak that can come with love. The physical imagery of needles and pins is an effective way to describe the emotional pain the singer is experiencing. The song has become a classic of the 1960s, with its memorable melody and relatable lyrical content.
Line by Line Meaning
I saw her today, I saw her face, it was a face I loved, and I knew
The singer sees the person they love and knows they must leave to avoid emotional pain.
I had to run away, and get down on my knees and pray that they'd go away
The singer seeks divine intervention to overcome their emotions and desires for the person they love.
But still they'd begin (uh), needles and pins (uh)
Despite efforts to suppress emotions, they resurface and cause emotional pain like needles and pins.
Because of all my pride, the tears I gotta hide
The singer's pride prevents them from showing vulnerability and expressing their emotions, resulting in hidden tears.
Hey I thought I was smart, I'd won her heart
The singer believed themselves to be clever and successful in winning the person they love.
Didn't think I'd do, but now I see
The singer is surprised at their attraction to the person they love and now recognizes the consequences of their emotions.
She's worse to him than me, let her go ahead
The singer acknowledges that the person they love may cause more pain to their current partner and decides to let them go.
Take his love instead, and one day she will see
The singer suggests the person they love take the love of their current partner instead and will eventually understand the pain of unrequited love.
Just how to say please, and get down on her knees
The singer believes that the person they love will learn to be humble and vulnerable in expressing their love.
Why can't I stop and tell myself I'm wrong, I'm wrong, so wrong
The singer questions why they cannot admit their emotions are inappropriate and trying to suppress them is causing more pain.
Why can't I stand up and tell myself I'm strong
The singer wishes they could find the strength to resist their emotions and move on.
Oh needles and pins (uh), needles and pins (uh), needles and pins (uh)
The repetition of the chorus emphasizes the continued emotional pain caused by unrequited love and the struggle to overcome it.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Jack Nitzsche, Sonny Bono
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Juan Diego
I saw her today, I saw her face
It was the face I loved, and I knew
I had to run away
And get down on my knees and pray, that they go away
Still it begins
Needles and pins
Because of all my pride
The tears I gotta hide
Oh, I thought I was smart, I stole her heart
Didn't think I'd do, but now I see
She's worth to him than me, let her go ahead
Take his love instead, and one day she will see
Just how to say please
And get down on her knees
Oh that's how it begins, she'll feel those needle and pins
Hurtin' her, hurtin' her
Why can't stop, and tell myself I'm wrong, I'm wrong, so wrong?
Why can't I stand up, and tell myself I'm strong?
Because, saw her today, I saw her face
It was the face of love, and I knew
I had to run away, yeah
And get down on my knees and pray, that they go away
Still it begins
Needles and pins
Because of all my pride
The tears I gotta hide
Hey, needles and pins
Needles and pins
Needles and pins
Ernest Kovach
My Rankings of this classic song in order:
1. Jackie Deshannon because she seems passionate, soulful, and with even anger in her interpretation - sort of off script with deep feeling and not nicey nicey or just remorseful . She makes it a defiant rock ballad not just a song so to speak. This version is therefore the best and should have been #1 .That it did not make top 20,40, etc. is a travesty. Either she was too unknown and wet behind the ears , and or the record company failed to promote it with d.j.s and media and public enough or because she was a woman or..maybe because it may have been released in the fall of 1963 when jfk assassination took place putting buyers in no mood to go out and buy records or perhaps because it was released at a time when other great rock tunes on the top 20 list buried her chances for proper air play and acclaim...Any thoughts ? Ms. De Shannon?
At any rate, the instrumentation and back up vocals has the legendary wrecking crew and The Blossoms ,respectively, written all over it ...and with Ms Shannon's voice ..sort of rock, country to it , well it IS a masterpiece!
2. The Searchers
3 . Ms Petula Clark's fine version in French.
There are many other versions or covers but the ones I personally feel fall flat are del Shannon's version, Tom Petty's ( which admittedly many people like) duet version, and Cher's version ....
Case CLOSED!
Randy Skretvedt
This is such a great version! Blows away the better known one by the Searchers. And I think Jackie was only 18 when she recorded this, with that great gritty vocal. What a talent!
City Wide
She wrote this song
1948Sergey
And by Smokie too...
Charlane McConkey
@Deyanira Ocampo I read Sony Bono wrote that song.....
Deyanira Ocampo
She wrote it
J Dubbiyou
Jack Nitzsche who arranged this was a crazy, f'ked up genious. Simply brilliant use of layered guitars, chorale, piano, etc.... all splendidly understated...and Jackie;s voice; amazing! The best songs recorded are rarely hits.......
jpcooler
@Will Dwyer I heard Jack wrote it for the most part but gave Buffy
co- writing writing credit even thou she perhaps suggested a few word changes here or there, Funny thing when ever a interviewer is speaking with Buffy it,s always presented as it was written by her and that she won a Oscar for it, they never clarify or mention Jack Nitzsche, had anything to do with it. Sad
Will Dwyer
Jack married Buffy Sainte-Marie in 1982 and they co-wrote Up Where We Belong from the soundtrack of An Officer and a Gentleman, which won an Oscar for best original song in '83. He co-wrote Needles and Pins with Sonny Bono.
FloridaIndependent
This is an iconic song by Jackie DeShannon. She started the phenomenonal song covered by so many diverse artists.
Annette Padilla
This song takes my mom back years.