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.
I Don't Know How To Tell Him
Wanda Jackson Lyrics
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And the towel around his neck don't make him strong
I can tell him there's no Easter bunny
But I don't know how to tell him that you're gone
He still looks for you every morning he's cried every night we've been alone
I can tell him there's no real Santa but I don't know how to tell him that you're gone
I can tell him his broomstick's not a pony
I can tell him there's no to ferry
But I don't know how to tell him that you're gone
Cause he still looks for you...
I don't know how to tell him that you're gone
The lyrics of Wanda Jackson's song "I Don't Know How to Tell Him" convey the struggle of a parent who is trying to find the right words to tell their child that a loved one has passed away. The song begins with the singer explaining how they can tell their child that his toy gun won't kill any "Indians" and the fact that the towel around his neck doesn't make him strong. But, when the singer gets to the point where they have to reveal that the child's loved one is no longer around, they find themselves unable to do so. The child still looks for the departed loved one every morning, and cries every night when they are alone.
The use of metaphor in the song is powerful, and the parent tries to explain to the child that a broomstick is not a pony and wearing daddy's boots doesn't make him grown, but there is no gentle way to break the news that his loved one has passed away. The lyrics express the emotional journey of a parent struggling to deal with their child's grief while bearing their own grief.
The song is a poignant reflection on the difficulty of telling a child about the loss of a loved one, and the responsibility of a parent to comfort their child in times of sorrow. It is a beautifully written and performed song that speaks to anyone who has experienced the pain of losing a loved one.
Line by Line Meaning
I can tell him his toy gun won't kill Indians
I can inform him that his toy gun is only for playing and won't actually harm anyone
And the towel around his neck don't make him strong
Putting a towel around his neck doesn't give him any special powers
I can tell him there's no Easter bunny
I can let him know that the Easter bunny is not a real animal, just a character in stories
But I don't know how to tell him that you're gone
However, I am struggling to find a way to explain to him that you are no longer with us
He still looks for you every morning he's cried every night we've been alone
Despite not being able to find you, he searches for you every day, and we've spent countless lonely nights with him mourning your absence
I can tell him there's no real Santa but I don't know how to tell him that you're gone
I can explain to him that Santa is not a real person, but it's difficult for me to tell him that you are no longer here
I can tell him his broomstick's not a pony
I can let him know that his broomstick is simply a tool for cleaning and not a real horse
And wearin' daddy's boots don't make him grown
Wearing his father's boots doesn't make him mature or grown-up
I can tell him there's no to ferry
I can inform him that the Tooth Fairy is a fictional character and not a real fairy who takes teeth and leaves money
But I don't know how to tell him that you're gone
However, I'm at a loss when it comes to explaining your absence to him
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: MARTIN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind