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.
Don't Touch Me
Wanda Jackson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But that look in your eyes pulls me apart
Don't open the door to heaven if I can't come in
Don't touch me if you don't love me sweetheart
Your kiss is like a drink when I'm thirsty
And I'm thirsty for your love with all my heart
So don't love me then act as though we've never kissed
Don't touch me if you don't love me sweetheart
To have you then lose you wouldn't be smart on my part
Don't open the door to heaven if I can't come in
Don't touch me if you don't love me sweetheart
The lyrics to Wanda Jackson's song ‘Don't Touch Me’ addresses the complexities of love and relationships. The song speaks about the powerful physical sensations experienced when touched by someone you have strong romantic feelings for. The use of the metaphor ‘your hand is like a torch each time you touch me’ portrays the intensity of the physical sensations which can pull one apart from their rational self. Despite this, the lyrics warn against engaging in physical intimacy if the feelings are not mutual, as represented by the line ‘Don't touch me if you don't love me sweetheart’.
The song also highlights the emotional need for love, as evidenced in the line ‘Your kiss is like a drink when I'm thirsty, And I'm thirsty for your love with all my heart’. This emotional need for love is expressed as a thirst, which can only be quenched by physically and emotionally intimate moments with the loved one. However, the lyrics caution against engaging in these intimate moments, only to have them taken away later. The line ‘Don't give me something that you might take away, To have you then lose you wouldn't be smart on my part’ is a warning against the pain and hurt that comes with giving your heart to someone who is not fully committed.
In conclusion, Wanda Jackson's song ‘Don't Touch Me’ captures the complexities of romantic relationships. It highlights the intense physical sensations and emotional need for love, but warns against engaging in these moments if the feelings are not mutual. It also warns against giving yourself fully to someone who is not fully committed.
Line by Line Meaning
Your hand is like a torch each time you touch me
Your touch is hot and intense, but the way you look at me tears me apart emotionally.
But that look in your eyes pulls me apart
The way you look at me makes me feel emotionally drained and heartbroken.
Don't open the door to heaven if I can't come in
Don't give me false hope and empty promises if you're not willing to commit fully to me.
Don't touch me if you don't love me sweetheart
Physical touch without genuine love is not enough for me.
Your kiss is like a drink when I'm thirsty
Your kiss quenches my emotional thirst and fills me with love.
And I'm thirsty for your love with all my heart
I desire your love wholeheartedly and deeply.
So don't love me then act as though we've never kissed
Don't pretend like our intimate moments never happened after you've expressed love and affection towards me.
Don't give me something that you might take away
I don't want to experience the heartbreak of losing something that meant so much to me.
To have you then lose you wouldn't be smart on my part
It wouldn't be wise for me to allow myself to get attached to you if there is a risk of losing you.
Don't open the door to heaven if I can't come in
Don't tease me with the possibility of love and happiness if you're not ready to fully commit.
Don't touch me if you don't love me sweetheart
I need genuine love and affection, not just physical touch without emotional connection.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Hank Cochran
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind