Born in Sutherlin, Virginia, Martin was raised by a stage mother and a musician father. Before she was six, Martin could already play guitar and sing, modeling her vocal style after Eddy Arnold and Hank Williams. In time, she came to participate in statewide talent contests, beating out 200 participants. As a result, Martin was asked to play on the same bill as Cowboy Copas and Sunshine Sue, the latter being the host of the Old Dominion Barn Dance radio show, which was regularly broadcast on one of Virginia's most influential radio stations, on which Martin was now granted a spot.
As time went on, Martin tired of country music, and aspired instead to assign herself to a new, raucous style of music, which would come to be known as rockabilly. By chance, WRVA station announcer Carl Stutz had composed a song, "Will You Willyum", and asked Martin to record the song live as a demo for RCA Records. Suitably impressed with Martin's performance, RCA signed Martin, a mere two months after Elvis Presley had transferred to RCA from Sun Records. Backed with Martin's own composition, "Drugstore Rock 'n' Roll", "Will You Willyum" became a smash hit, the first in a series of country and rock hits such as "Barefoot Baby", a cover of Roy Orbison's "Ooby Dooby", and "My Boy Elvis".
Her initial success had garnered her appearances on nationwide television, as well the attention of Presley's manager, Colonel Tom Parker, and she was billed the official "Female Elvis". There were plans of a Martin/Presley double-bill, but wary of such a taxing tour -- Presley had recently collapsed on stage as a result of exhaustion -- Martin's parents rejected Parker's offer, and she instead toured as the top name of a series of Old Dominion Barn Dance shows.
Her last single of 1956 was "Let's Elope Baby"; in 1957, Martin did indeed elope with her boyfriend, a paratrooper, and got married. They kept their marriage secret from Martin's parents until the paratrooper was shipped off to Germany; as she was only fifteen at the time, her father attempted to have the marriage annulled. Although this did not come to pass, they aimed to keep the marriage a secret for the sake of their daughter's career. Upon her husband's return on leave, Martin became pregnant, causing RCA to drop her from the label. Though other major labels expressed interest, Martin signed with the Belgian Palette label, recording a series of downbeat love songs.
In 1960, Martin's second husband demanded that she leave the music business, an easy decision for a weary and somewhat disillusioned Martin. However, over the years, her love of music began to flourish once again, and come her husband's second such ultimatum, she chose music over him, performing with her new band, The Variations. In 1975, Martin told her untold story of teenage love in Goldmine magazine; at the time, there was a resurgence of rockabilly interest in Europe, and Martin departed on a tour of the region. With a revived career, several previously unreleased cuts were released as singles, and Bear Family released a nigh-comprehensive compilation of her '50s singles.
Martin died from cancer in 2007, only half a year after the death of her only son. Before her death, she had recorded an album with Rosie Flores, whom she had earlier worked together with alongside Wanda Jackson. These recordings were released as The Blanco Sessions in 2012. In 2010, the Library of Virginia recognized Martin as an influential Virginian, naming her one of the "Virginia Women in History". Martin's legacy endures to this day, remaining one of the most influential and beloved women of rockabilly.
All Right Baby
Janis Martin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Told me you loved me for a long long while
But now you left me to go on a spree
To find out baby how it felt to be free Well all right baby, ooh-ooh
All right baby, ooh-ooh
All right baby, if that's the way you want it
That's the way it's gonna be Well there's a lot of little fishes in the bottom of the sea
There's a fishy for you and there's a fishy for me
So jump in the ocean and find another you Come along baby for the very last time
So tell your little mama that you're gonna be mine
I can't stand here cryin' over you
Yes, you gonna see the picture and say "
I do"
In Janis Martin's song All Right Baby, she describes a relationship that has come to an end. The lyrics express a profound sense of betrayal and longing for something that was once there but is now lost. Martin refers to the one who left her as "you" and explains that "you took my love and put me on trial." This line can be interpreted in several ways, but it seems to suggest that the relationship was troubled from the start, and the person who left was the one who caused it. They may have been unfaithful, dishonest, or simply not committed enough to make it work.
The chorus of the song repeats the phrase "All right baby" several times, which can be seen as a form of resignation or acceptance of the situation. Martin acknowledges that "if that's the way you want it, that's the way it's gonna be," indicating that she has come to terms with the fact that the relationship is over and there is nothing she can do to change it. She even encourages the other person to find happiness elsewhere, saying "jump in the ocean and find another you."
Despite the pain and heartache of the breakup, Martin is confident that she will find love again. She invites the other person to "come along baby for the very last time" and urges them to tell their "little mama" that they will be hers. The song ends with Martin realizing that she doesn't need someone who doesn't want her and that she will be better off without them. She declares, "Yes, you gonna see the picture and say 'I do'," indicating that she is ready for a fresh start, free from the pain of the past.
Line by Line Meaning
Oh well you took my love and you put me on trial
You made me feel like my love was being questioned and judged
Told me you loved me for a long long while
You claimed to have loved me for a considerable amount of time
But now you left me to go on a spree
But now you left me to indulge in a period of wild or extravagant behavior
To find out baby how it felt to be free
To experience the feeling of freedom and explore your options
Well all right baby, ooh-ooh
All right baby, ooh-ooh
All right baby, if that's the way you want it
That's the way it's gonna be
Alright then, if that's what you want, that's how it's going to be
Well there's a lot of little fishes in the bottom of the sea
There are many other potential partners out there
There's a fishy for you and there's a fishy for me
There is someone out there for both of us
You better be carefull baby what you do
You should be cautious and consider your actions
So jump in the ocean and find another you
So go explore other options and find someone else like you
Come along baby for the very last time
Come back to me for the final chance
So tell your little mama that you're gonna be mine
Tell the person you were seeing that you're committed to being with me
I can't stand here cryin' over you
I can't keep wasting time crying over you
Yes, you gonna see the picture and say "I do"
Eventually, you will see things clearly and agree to be with me
Contributed by David B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Rocky Web
great !