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 Wouldn
Wanda Jackson Lyrics
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One minute you're all sunshine and the next you turn to showers
But I wouldn't want you any other way
I've been through your crazy moods so many times
More than once I've been the one who pays
Oh but nothing really matters just as long as you are mine
Cause I wouldn't want you any other way
When you touch me when I'm sleeping I wake up at heaven's door
With your arms around me tightly I could ask for nothing more
And I wouldn't want you any other way
With your arms around me tightly...
The lyrics to Wanda Jackson's song "I Wouldn't Want You Any Other Way" speak to the ups and downs of a relationship, but ultimately how the singer wouldn't have it any other way. The lyrics suggest that the singer's partner has mood swings, going from "sunshine" to "showers" quickly, but that the singer is willing to put up with that because they love the person. The chorus reinforces this, stating that "nothing really matters" as long as the singer's partner is theirs.
The second verse of the song further emphasizes the singer's devotion to their partner. The lyrics describe how the singer feels when their partner touches them while they're sleeping, and how they wake up feeling like they're at "heaven's door." The third and final verse of the song repeats the sentiment that being with their partner and feeling their arms around them is all the singer needs.
Overall, the song portrays a deeply loving relationship that isn't always easy, but the singer wouldn't want it any other way.
Line by Line Meaning
I can't put my finger on this love of ours life with you keeps changing every day
I am unsure of the nature of our love because it seems to be constantly evolving and never stagnant.
One minute you're all sunshine and the next you turn to showers
Your moods can change in an instant, going from happy to upset without warning.
But I wouldn't want you any other way
Despite the unpredictability of your emotions, I love you just the way you are.
I've been through your crazy moods so many times
I have experienced your sudden mood swings more times than I can count.
More than once I've been the one who pays
I have often been negatively impacted by your changing moods.
Oh but nothing really matters just as long as you are mine
Despite the challenges we may face, being with you is all that truly matters to me.
When you touch me when I'm sleeping I wake up at heaven's door
Your touch is so powerful that it wakes me up feeling like I am in a heavenly realm.
And I kiss you on the pillow where you lay
I show my love for you by kissing you while you sleep.
With your arms around me tightly I could ask for nothing more
The embrace of your loving arms is all I need to feel complete and fulfilled.
And I wouldn't want you any other way
I love you just the way you are and wouldn't want you to change for anything.
Lyrics © NEXT DECADE ENTERTAINMENT,INC., BMG Rights Management
Written by: RAY GRIFF
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind