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.
Good Rockin
Wanda Jackson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There's good rockin' tonight.
Well, I heard the news
There's good rockin' tonight.
I'm gonna hold my baby
As tight as I can.
Tonight she'll know
I heard the news,
There's good rockin' tonight.
I say, well, meet me in a hurry
Behind the barn,
Don't you be afraid, darling,
I'll do you no harm
I want you to bring
Along my rockin' shoes,
'Cause tonight I'm gonna rock away
All my blues.
I heard the news,
There's good rockin' tonight.
Well, we're gonna rock. We're gonna rock.
Let's rock. Come on and rock.
We're gonna rock all our blues away.
Have you heard the news?
Everybody's rockin' tonight.
Have you heard the news?
Everybody's rockin' tonight.
I'm gonna hold my baby
As tight as I can,
Well, tonight she'll know
I'm a mighty, mighty man.
I heard the news,
There's good rockin' tonight.
Well, we're gonna rock, rock, rock,
Come on and rock, rock, rock,
Well, rock, rock, rock, rock,
Let's rock, rock, rock, rock,
We're gonna rock all our blues away.
The song "Good Rockin'" is a classic rock and roll anthem first recorded by Wanda Jackson in 1958. The lyrics describe the excitement and energy of a good rock and roll party, with everyone letting loose and dancing the night away. The singer of the song is eager to join in on the fun and encourages his lover to come along and let their hair down.
The lyrics contain a lot of slang and slang references that were popular in the 1950s, giving the song a nostalgic feel. For example, the singer mentions "rockin' shoes" and calls himself a "mighty man," both of which were common phrases in the rock and roll culture of the time. The urgency and excitement of the song are heightened by the repeated refrain of "Let's rock" and the call and response style of the chorus.
Overall, "Good Rockin'" is a celebration of rock and roll music and the way it brought people together to forget their troubles and just dance. It's a timeless classic that still gets people moving today.
Line by Line Meaning
Well, I heard the news
The singer is excited to relay information they've heard.
There's good rockin' tonight.
There'll be engaging, energetic music tonight.
I'm gonna hold my baby
The singer will embrace their significant other.
As tight as I can.
They'll hold them tightly to their chest.
Tonight she'll know
On this night, the artist wants to show their partner something special.
I'm a mighty, mighty man.
They want to show their partner they're strong and capable.
I heard the news,
Again, the singer reiterates they've heard something exciting.
There's good rockin' tonight.
Once again, everyone will have a great time tonight.
I say, well, meet me in a hurry
The artist wants to meet up soon to partake in the festivities.
Behind the barn,
The meeting place will be private.
Don't you be afraid, darling,
They reassure their partner that they don't have to worry about a thing.
I'll do you no harm
They promise to keep their partner safe.
I want you to bring
The singer makes a specific request of their partner.
Along my rockin' shoes,
They want their shoes to be conducive to dancing.
'Cause tonight I'm gonna rock away
They'll be dancing with their partner all night long.
All my blues.
This fun night will make them forget their troubles.
Well, we're gonna rock. We're gonna rock.
The artist is getting pumped up for dancing again.
Let's rock. Come on and rock.
They encourage everyone to join in on the fun.
We're gonna rock all our blues away.
Dancing will make everything feel better.
Have you heard the news?
The artist asks if the listener knows what's going on.
Everybody's rockin' tonight.
Everyone is enjoying themselves tonight.
I'm gonna hold my baby
The artist repeats their desire to be close to their partner.
As tight as I can,
They'll hold their partner even tighter this time.
Well, tonight she'll know
They really want their partner to feel special tonight.
I'm a mighty, mighty man.
Showing strength is important to the singer.
I heard the news,
Again, they can hardly contain their excitement.
There's good rockin' tonight.
This will be a really great night with amazing music.
Well, we're gonna rock, rock, rock,
Again, the artist is getting pumped up for the night.
Come on and rock, rock, rock,
They invite everyone to dance.
Well, rock, rock, rock, rock,
They're getting more and more excited for dancing.
Let's rock, rock, rock, rock,
They encourage everyone to keep dancing.
We're gonna rock all our blues away.
Dancing will make all worries disappear tonight.
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Roy Brown
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
W_firefighter
The real rock and roll's queen.
Dyn Jarren
Wow! This is the Rockabilly version of Good Rockin Tonight! And Wanda Jackson has such a unique voice! Great Song and Version of this Song!
She even toured with Elvis and dated him. Cool! 😎
Техно Дом
Наикрутейшая рок 🎸 рольщица
tnc del
Wanda was for real the Queen of Rockabilly.
Frans Dielis
Still is ! 👌
Robin
great lead playing on this song. really showcased her voice.
terryrocko
one of biggest Rockabilly song forever....i love it...
Dain Huston
Man she floored me with let's have a party on the Marty Stuart show.
Paul Money
Wanda came to Rocking Race in Spain a few years, still the real deal, still rocking! She went down a storm.
Roberto Max
Excelente dama rockera.