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.
Drugstore Rock'n'roll
Janis Martin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Drugstore's rockin', rock-rock
Couples are boppin', bop-bop
Jukebox jumpin', jump-jump
Feet keep thumpin', thump-thump
Drugstore's real gone man
Rock-bop-jump-thump, rock 'n' roll
That's where you find all the be-bop gang
The girls fill the jukebox and then demand
The jitterbug hand-in-hand
The boys have crew-cuts under their hats
The girls have leather sweaters, real cool cats
They're always together happy an' hep
Jumpin' to a rock 'n' roll step
Drugstore's rockin', rock-rock
Couples are boppin', bop-bop
Jukebox jumpin', jump-jump
Feet keep thumpin', thump-thump
Drugstore's real gone man
Rock-bop-jump-thump, rock 'n' roll
Drugstore's rockin', rock-rock
Couples are boppin', bop-bop
Jukebox jumpin', jump-jump
Feet keep thumpin', thump-thump
Drugstore's real gone man
Rock-bop-jump-thump, rock 'n' roll
The records have a slow beat, a fast beat too
As long as they're rockin' any beat will do
Kittens gettin' groovy all over the floor
And the cats are cryin' for more
Take time out for a soda pop
Dig a new record with a lot of bop
Ice cream cones and banana split
Ten jumps ahead of a fit
Drugstore's rockin', rock-rock
Couples are boppin', bop-bop
Jukebox jumpin', jump-jump
Feet keep thumpin', thump-thump
Drugstore's real gone man
Rock-bop-jump-thump, rock 'n' roll
Lyrics from eLyrics.net
The song "Drugstore Rock 'n' Roll" by Janis Martin is an ode to rock 'n' roll and the vibrant teen culture of the 1950s. The lyrics describe a scene at a drugstore on a street corner of a small town that serves as a gathering place for young people. The jukebox is blasting rock 'n' roll tunes, and the couples are dancing and bopping to the beat. The song captures the excitement and energy of the era, with its distinctive sound and lyrics that evoke the carefree spirit of youth.
The first verse sets the stage for the rest of the song, emphasizing the repetitive nature of rock 'n' roll with the lines "rock-bop-jump-thump, rock 'n' roll". The second verse paints a picture of the teenage subculture of the time, with nods to the popular fashion trends such as crew-cuts and leather sweaters. The final verse highlights the various indulgences that were hallmarks of the era, like soda pops, new records, and ice cream cones.
Overall, "Drugstore Rock 'n' Roll" is a celebration of the rock 'n' roll lifestyle and the carefree spirit that characterized the youth culture of the 1950s. The song captures the essence of the era, from the music to the fashion trends to the various indulgences that were enjoyed by teenagers of the time.
Line by Line Meaning
Rock-bop-jump-thump, rock 'n' roll
The music style in question is energetic rock and roll.
Drugstore's rockin', rock-rock
The atmosphere in the drugstore is lively with great music.
Couples are boppin', bop-bop
The couples present are dancing enthusiastically to the music.
Jukebox jumpin', jump-jump
The jukebox is being used very frequently by people to play music.
Feet keep thumpin', thump-thump
Everyone's feet are tapping to the beat of the music.
Drugstore's real gone man
The drugstore is an excellent place to be as it is lively and fun.
Drugstore on the corner of main
The drugstore is located on the corner of the main road.
That's where you find all the be-bop gang
This is where the people who love be-bop can be found.
The girls fill the jukebox and then demand
Girls are selecting songs on the jukebox and asking for others.
The jitterbug hand-in-hand
The couples dance the jitterbug while holding hands together.
The boys have crew-cuts under their hats
The young men have short haircuts under their hats.
The girls have leather sweaters, real cool cats
The young women are wearing leather sweaters and are being seen as fashionable.
They're always together happy an' hep
They are always together and enjoying themselves very much.
Jumpin' to a rock 'n' roll step
The couples dance by jumping and doing the rock and roll steps.
The records have a slow beat, a fast beat too
The jukebox contains both slow and fast beat records.
As long as they're rockin' any beat will do
The people are enjoying any beat as long as it's rock and roll.
Kittens gettin' groovy all over the floor
The people present in the drugstore, especially girls, are dancing very stylishly.
And the cats are cryin' for more
The people are enjoying the music so much that they cannot get enough.
Take time out for a soda pop
Soda pops can be enjoyed while taking a break from dancing.
Dig a new record with a lot of bop
Selecting a new record to play with a lot of energy and lively beats.
Ice cream cones and banana split
Sweets like ice cream cones and banana splits can be enjoyed in the drugstore.
Ten jumps ahead of a fit
Dancing at the drugstore is an excellent recreational activity that relaxes you.
Drugstore's rockin', rock-rock
The atmosphere in the drugstore is lively with great music.
Couples are boppin', bop-bop
The couples present are dancing enthusiastically to the music.
Jukebox jumpin', jump-jump
The jukebox is being used very frequently by people to play music.
Feet keep thumpin', thump-thump
Everyone's feet are tapping to the beat of the music.
Drugstore's real gone man
The drugstore is an excellent place to be as it is lively and fun.
Rock-bop-jump-thump, rock 'n' roll
The music style in question is energetic rock and roll.
Writer(s): Janis Martin
Contributed by John P. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@pascalcollin1452
Superbe chanteuse ❤❤❤❤
@davidhtate
Janis was a teenager when she recorded this and went on to have a very long career as one of the most influential women in rockabilly.
@lomker24
Male or female, this is one of the catchiest rockabilly tunes ive ever heard, and ive heard many.
@didoudingue1801
Rock'n'roll is here to stay!...GO CATS GO!
@audioinsanity
Is it just me, or is Chet Atkins behind the console with his guitar on this one? I got five bucks that says I'm right.
@KakuiKujira
Having just listened to episode 40 of A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs, you could very well be right.
@jussix48
🕵🏻❤️👍🏿💃💃💃
@TITICAT91
❤❤