Jackson was still in high school when country singer Hank Thompson heard her sing on an Oklahoma City radio show and asked her to record with his band in 1954. She dated Elvis Presley, who encouraged her to step away from the country-tinged gospel she had been performing since childhood and try her hand at rock and roll. She developed her own distinctive voice and performed in a variety of styles, from folksy traditional tunes to country twang and high yodels to throaty, suggestive ballads. She was a prolific singer of songs with wry lyrics such as "Fujiyama Mama," which contained many references to the World War II bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki; ironically, it became a #1 hit in Japan. Her biggest hit was 1959's "Let's Have a Party."
Jackson achieved great and continuing success throughout Europe, Asia, and Australia, but has never found the same level of fame in her native United States. She toured with rock and roll pioneers such as Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Buddy Holly. She has been nominated for two Grammys, and has been awarded the Oklahoma Native Daughter Award. She has been inducted into the Oklahoma Country Music Hall of Fame, the Rockabilly Hall of Fame, the International Hall of Fame, the International Gospel Music Hall of Fame, the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame, and the German Country Music Hall of Fame, and in 2009 was finally inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as an Early Influence.
A born-again Christian, Jackson and her husband/manager Wendell Goodman abandoned rock and roll in 1971 and spent the next 25 years performing gospel in churches.
In 1996, Jackson was invited by alt-country singer Rosie Flores to duet with her on an upcoming album. The two were so pleased with the results that Jackson joined Flores on a handful of promotional club dates which were soon extended into a five-week North American tour. Jackson, plesantly surprised to discover that she and her songs were known by a generation of rockabilly fans her grandchildren's age, soon assembled her own band and returned to clubs and festivals, where she continues to perform.
In recent years Jackson has recorded with such artists as The Cramps, Lee Rocker, Dave Alvin, and Elvis Costello. 2006 saw the release of a new Jackson album, I Remember Elvis.
In 2009, it was announced that Jackson would start work on new recordings with Jack White. The resulting album, The Party Ain't Over, was released on January 25, 2011. It included a cover of the Bob Dylan rockabilly song, "Thunder on the Mountain" and the Amy Winehouse song "You Know I'm No Good". On January 20, 2011, she performed with Jack White on The Late Show With David Letterman and again on January 25, 2011, on Conan.
Cool Love
Wanda Jackson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I've been playin' a fool
(Oh wah)
Now don't you give me that cool love
(Give me that cool love)
Give me the kind I need
(The kind I need)
Let's start gettin' with it, baby
Well, love's gotta be warm
And love's gotta be right
And this ain't no ice cube that you're with tonight
So don't you dish me out the cool love
(Give me that cool love)
It don't move me at all
(Move me at all)
And if you'd live it up, baby
Man, we'd really have a ball (baby!)
You've been playin' it cool
I've been playin' a fool
(Oh wah)
Now don't you give me that cool love
(Give me that cool love)
Give me the kind I need (The kind I need)
Let's start gettin' with it, baby
You're actin' like a square to me (baby!)
Now the clock is strikin' one
And we ain't had no fun
Just throw your arms around me
And the night has just begun
Now that's a little more like it (A little more like it)
Now you're doing all right (Doing all right)
And if you keep it up, baby
I'll see you tomorrow night (see you tomorrow night)
See you tomorrow night
(See you tomorrow night)
See you tomorrow night
(See you tomorrow night)
See ya!
(Yeah)
In Wanda Jackson's song Cool Love, the singer is expressing her dissatisfaction with her lover's "cool love" and asking for something more passionate and meaningful. She feels that her lover is not fully committed to the relationship and is just "playing it cool" while she is "playing the fool" by putting all her emotions into it. She begs her lover to give her the kind of love she needs, one that is warm and real, not just a superficial, meaningless connection. She admonishes her lover for acting like a "square" and not showing any enthusiasm for their relationship.
The singer urges her lover to let go of their inhibitions and "live it up" with her so that they can have a great time together. She implies that the clock is ticking and they are running out of time to enjoy each other's company, so she asks her lover to throw their arms around her and start having fun. She is happy when her lover finally starts showing some passion and actively participating in the relationship, promising to see them tomorrow night if they keep it up.
Line by Line Meaning
You've been playin' it cool
You've been acting indifferent or uninterested
I've been playin' a fool (Oh wah)
I've been foolishly trying to win your affection
Now don't you give me that cool love (Give me that cool love)
Don't give me your indifference or lack of affection
Give me the kind I need (The kind I need)
Give me the warmth and affection that I require from a relationship
Let's start gettin' with it, baby
Let's get intimate and passionate, my love
You're actin' like a square to me (baby!)
Your behavior is old-fashioned and unexciting to me, my love
Well, love's gotta be warm
True love requires warmth, passion and intimacy
And love's gotta be right
Love has to be authentic and genuine, not just for show
And this ain't no ice cube that you're with tonight
Don't treat me like a cold and lifeless object, I'm here with you in the flesh
So don't you dish me out the cool love (Give me that cool love)
Don't give me your cold and unaffectionate attitude
It don't move me at all (Move me at all)
Your indifference doesn't excite or attract me
And if you'd live it up, baby
If you showed me more passion and excitement
Man, we'd really have a ball (baby!)
We would have a great time together, my love
Now the clock is strikin' one
It's getting late
And we ain't had no fun
We haven't enjoyed each other's company
Just throw your arms around me
Show me affection and passion by embracing me
And the night has just begun
Our time together has just started
Now that's a little more like it (A little more like it)
Your recent behavior has improved and is more to my liking
Now you're doing all right (Doing all right)
You are behaving in a way that pleases me
And if you keep it up, baby
If you continue to show me affection and passion, my love
I'll see you tomorrow night (see you tomorrow night)
I look forward to seeing you again tomorrow night
See you tomorrow night
Goodbye until tomorrow night
See you tomorrow night
Goodbye until tomorrow night
See ya! (Yeah)
Goodbye! (Yeah)
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: VICKI COUNTRYMAN, WANDA JACKSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Colin Sanders
charted at CKWX Vancouver, BC in Sept 1957
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