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.
Love and Kisses
Janis Martin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Love and kisses, not from you
You can keep your love and kisses
Till you show me you'll be true
You could sweet talk just right
Make me think black was white
Make me think day was night
All the others, you see
Got the same old routine
How could you be so mean
Every sigh was just a lie
Love and kisses, I don't want 'em
Love and kisses, not from you
You can keep your love and kisses
Till you show me you'll be true
Now it's time to agree
You'll be my honey bee
Take your nectar from me
Be my own or fly alone
You're romantic, oh yes
But I couldn't care less
If it means I must guess
Where are you and what are you doin'
Love and kisses, I don't want 'em
Love and kisses, not from you
You can keep your love and kisses
Till you show me you'll be true
You'll be true
True
The song Love And Kisses by Janis Martin is a classic example of a woman standing up for herself and demanding respect from her partner. The lyrics talk about how the singer has been lied to by her partner and mistreated in their relationship, and she is done with the insincere gestures of love and affection. The chorus repeats the phrase "Love and kisses, I don't want 'em, not from you" to emphasize her stance on the matter. She makes it clear that she will only accept love and affection once her partner proves to be true and sincere in their actions towards her.
The lyrics also touch upon societal expectations of romance and how they are not enough for a healthy relationship. The partner in the song is described as being romantic, but this is not enough for the singer. She wants honesty and loyalty, and she is not willing to settle for anything less. The line "Every sigh was just a lie" is particularly poignant, as it highlights how even the smallest gesture of affection can be disingenuous in a relationship built on lies.
Overall, Love And Kisses is a powerful song that speaks to the importance of honesty and sincerity in relationships. It is a message that still resonates with listeners today, and it is a testament to Janis Martin's talent as both a singer and a songwriter.
Line by Line Meaning
Love and kisses, I don't want 'em
Affection and intimacy, I have no desire for them
Love and kisses, not from you
I do not desire your affection and intimacy
You can keep your love and kisses
You may hold on to your affection and intimacy
Till you show me you'll be true
Until you prove to me that you are trustworthy
You could sweet talk just right
You had a way with words that sounded sincere
Make me think black was white
You were able to convince me of something that was not true
Make me think day was night
You were able to confuse me about reality
But all along you did me wrong
All the while, you were deceiving me
All the others, you see
Everyone else, as it happens
Got the same old routine
Received the same insincere treatment
How could you be so mean
Why were you so cruel
Every sigh was just a lie
Every expression of affection was not genuine
Now it's time to agree
It's time for us to come to an understanding
You'll be my honey bee
You will be my sweet companion
Take your nectar from me
Receive all the sweetness and love that I offer
Be my own or fly alone
Be faithful to me, or leave me and live your life as you wish
You're romantic, oh yes
You can be charming and loving
But I couldn't care less
But I am indifferent to your charms
If it means I must guess
If it requires me to speculate
Where are you and what are you doin'
About your whereabouts and activities
You'll be true
You will be honest and faithful
Writer(s): Bob Davie, Marvin Moore
Contributed by Tristan O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Albert Unterkreuter
Ein wahnsinnslied immer noch toll zum anhören.
jaromir1942
Sháním českou verzi tohoto hitu ženského Elvise Janis Martin. Jmenovalo se to " Jen mi hrajte" Zpívala to Helena Loubalová s orch.
svého manžela Ladislava Bezubky. Slyšel jsem to mockrát ve Valdeku.Byl to obrovský hit,který museli vždy několikrát opakovat.
Byla toi i rozhl.nahrávka. J.H.
Karl Billinger
Imagine a 10 “LP Janis Martin & Elvis Presley did. Only released in South Africa. Worth we’ll over $ 10,000. It exist.
elmer zu
There werent that many women On the music charts as compared to the men. This gal is new to me perhaps owing to the fact she was considered more a rockabilly star than Connie Francis or Sue Thompson who were mainstream r&r artists, hey?! Anyway, mainstream was mostly what was played in the Pacific NW, like in Seattle/Vancouver. The charts were covered by male artists and instumentals back in the doowop era and Wanda Jackson was another woman that charted with the men but not Janis!
Drbobcat Sonoma
I got to Janis Martin from a comment on an Imelda May video. Never heard of her. She was fantastic.
Marianvalkyrien
My dogs should dance to this one!
Kaj Saarinen
Love and Kisses To you Sweet Janis😘❤️❤️
carol tenge
Это - реальный!!!
Rolf Löbig
Bekam gerade die Mitteilung, daß es mein Lieblingslied war vor 61 Jahren
Gérard Manvussa
J adore 3 3