Shortly after that, with Kenny's assistance, Joan formed the backing group "The Blackhearts" with three obscure New York area musicians: Gary Ryan on bass, Eric Ambel (replaced shortly thereafter by Rick Byrd) on guitar and Lee Crystal on drums. After almost a year of touring, Joan's first album with The Blackhearts, entitled I Love Rock'N'Roll came out in December of 1981. The album included a version of "Little Drummer Boy" on the pre-Christmas editions. The album's impact on the music scene was immediate with the LP reaching the Top Five, while the single "I Love Rock'n'Roll" hit the very top of the Billboard's Charts on March 20, 1982 and stayed #1 for 7 weeks. Joan Jett had come back from nowhere.
A string of Top 40 hits followed, as well as sellout tours with The Police, Queen, and Aerosmith, among others. Jett was the second American act of any kind to perform behind the Iron Curtain, the first one being Blood, Sweat & Tears in Romania in 1969. She was among the first English-speaking rock acts to appear in Panama and the Dominican Republic.
Forced label changes in the 80's led to a decline in popularity. Despite the follow-up albums "Album" and "Glorious Results of a Misspent Youth" being praised by her devout fans, neither got the attention or radio play the first two albums received.
After receiving her own MTV New Year's Eve special, Jett beat out a number of contenders to appear in the movie Light of Day with Michael J. Fox. It was about this time that Ryan and Crystal left the Blackhearts. They were soon replaced by the powerful rhythm section of Thommy Price and Kasim Sulton. Later that year, Jett released "Good Music", which featured appearances by The Beach Boys, The Sugarhill Gang and singer Darlene Love. The album only spawned two minor singles which received little airplay. This label decided the band had to either take in outside help or they would lose their contract.
And so they did. Her next release, Up Your Alley, went multi-platinum and was followed by "The Hit List", which was an international hit. Popular songwriter/producer Desmond Child was brought in, resulting in the release of album "Up Your Alley". This album brought the band a resurgence in popularity, with top 10 singles "I Hate Myself for Loving You" and "Little Liar".
This return to the spotlight would be short-lived, however. Follow-up album "The Hit List", an all-cover songs release, spawned only a minor hit with Jett's version of AC/DC's "Dirty Deeds".
Joan Jett and the Blackhearts became the first rock band to perform a series of shows at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre on Broadway, breaking the record at the time for the fastest ticket sell-out ever.
1991 and 1994 had two more releases, "Notorious" and "Pure & Simple". But radio had started looking to grunge by this time, and neither album got the attention they deserved.
In the 1990s, Jett and Laguna released "Flashback", a compilation of her career so far on their own Blackheart Records. Her next release, "Notorious" (which featured The Replacements' Paul Westerberg) was the last with Sony/CBS as Jett switched to Warner Brothers.
In 1994, the Blackhearts released the well received Pure and Simple, which featured tracks written with Kat Bjelland (Babes in Toyland), Donita Sparks (L7) and Kathleen Hanna (Bikini Kill).
While a slew of hits packages, some with an occasional new or previously unreleased track were released following this, it would be 10 years before a new studio album would appear.
This would be 2004's "Naked", and thus far has been a Japan-only release. The album sees Jett returning to a more raw and experimental sound, closer to that of her first 4 releases than the polished material that began with "Good Music".
Failing to get "Naked" released in other markets, Jett released on a more international level "Sinner" in June 2006, on Blackheart Records, her own label.. This album featured many remixed tracks from "Naked", and a complete rewrite of "Stuck in the Middle" to new version "Riddles". Lead-off single and video was a cover of "A.C.D.C." by Sweet.
To support the album, the band appeared on the 2006 Warped Tour, and embarked on a Fall 2006 tour with Eagles of Death Metal.
After a long break from recording, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts released a 6-song EP of new material, "Mindsets," in June 2023.
Wynnewood
Spinster
Joan Jett and the Blackhearts Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Maybe I don't wanna maybe I don't wanna, wanna
Maybe I don't wanna **** you!
I'm a spinster, I don't need no rules
I don't got no one tellin' me what to do
Tellin' me what's cool? I'm no stupid fool
Hey teen ageist I'm not over yet
Why-O-you-T-H only, baby, that's your math
I'm resisting, I don't need no one to
Tell me what's cool or how I need a tool
To get through to you
I'm no one's wife and' I'm not your little girl
Don't tell me I'm useless 'cause I want
More from this world
Maybe I don't wanna maybe I don't wanna, wanna
Maybe I don't wanna maybe I don't wanna
Maybe I don't wanna maybe I don't wanna, wanna
Maybe she don't wanna **** you!
Hey ever think of that?
The song "Spinster" by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts is a feminist anthem that highlights a woman's right to make her own choices and not be defined by societal expectations. The songwriter rejects the idea that women need a man in their lives, declaring herself as a spinster who does not need anyone to tell her what to do. The lyrics "I don't got no one tellin' me what to do, tellin' me what's cool" emphasize the freedom that comes with being independent and not reliant on others for validation.
Jett's lyrics also call out ageism and the tendency to dismiss older women, with the line "Hey teen ageist I'm not over yet." She asserts that she is still relevant and important, despite not fitting into the youth-oriented culture that is often glorified in mainstream media. By repeating the phrase "Maybe I don't wanna **** you" throughout the song, she makes it clear that women should not have to conform to anyone's expectations or desires but their own.
Overall, "Spinster" is a powerful message of empowerment and independence for women, encouraging them to embrace their own choices and not be defined by others' expectations.
Line by Line Meaning
Maybe I don't wanna maybe I don't wanna, wanna
I may not want to do what you are suggesting
Maybe I don't wanna **** you!
I don't want to have sexual relations with you
I'm a spinster, I don't need no rules
I am a single woman who does not require anyone's permission or guidance
I don't got no one tellin' me what to do
I don't have anyone giving me orders or instructions
Tellin' me what's cool? I'm no stupid fool
Don't try to convince me what you think is trendy because I am not easily fooled
Hey teen ageist I'm not over yet
Hey, young people who think I am too old, I am not finished yet
Why-O-you-T-H only, baby, that's your math
Your math is limited to only young people and you forget about the rest of us
I'm resisting, I don't need no one to
I am fighting against societal norms and I don't require anyone's assistance
Tell me what's cool or how I need a tool
Don't instruct me on what is trendy or how to accomplish things
To get through to you
To make you understand my perspective
I'm no one's wife and' I'm not your little girl
I am not married and I am not someone you can dismiss as a young girl
Don't tell me I'm useless 'cause I want
Don't label me as worthless because I have ambition
More from this world
More than what society thinks I should want
Hey ever think of that?
Have you ever considered that possibility?
Maybe I don't wanna maybe I don't wanna, wanna
I may not want to do what you are suggesting
Maybe I don't wanna maybe I don't wanna
I may not want to do what you are suggesting
Maybe I don't wanna maybe I don't wanna, wanna
I may not want to do what you are suggesting
Maybe she don't wanna **** you!
Maybe the woman doesn't want to have sexual relations with you
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind