Wanda Jackson (born Wanda Lavonne Jackson, October 20, 1937 in Maud, Oklaho… Read Full Bio ↴Wanda Jackson (born Wanda Lavonne Jackson, October 20, 1937 in Maud, Oklahoma) is an American rock and roll singer. Having made her debut recordings at the age of nineteen, she became one of the first popular female rock and roll singers in history and as a result, a pioneering and influential figure in female musicianship. She is known as the "Queen (or First Lady) of Rockabilly."

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.

Man We Had a Party
Wanda Jackson Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Everybody came from miles around
Uptown, downtown, way across town
Yeah, man we had a party
Whew, talk about a party

We did a little singin
A whole lotta swingin
Man, we had a party tonight

Honky tonky Joe, let us all know
He came to have some fun
And put us on a show
Yeah, man we had a party
Whew, yeah, we had a party

We did a little singin
A whole lotta swingin
Man, we had a party tonight

We put some records on the hifi machine
The lights were down low
It was really quite a scene
Yeah, man we had a party
Whew, talk about a party

We did a little singin
A whole lotta swingin
Man, we had a party tonight

Everyone was happy
No one was sad
If you missed the blast
Then it's really too bad
'Cause we had a party
When, yeah, we had a party

We did a little singin

A whole lotta swingin
Man, we had a party tonight

Overall Meaning

The lyrics to Wanda Jackson's song "Man We Had a Party" describe a lively, fun-filled party where people from all over came to join in on the celebration. The song's chorus emphasizes the excitement and energy of the event, with the repeated line "Man, we had a party" serving as a joyful reminder of the good times that were had. The verses describe various aspects of the party, from the different people who attended to the music that was played and the general atmosphere of happiness and contentment that pervaded the gathering.

The song's upbeat, catchy melody and simple, repeatable lyrics make it an ideal choice for a party itself, and the lyrics' focus on the communal aspect of the event evokes a sense of warmth and inclusivity that is sure to resonate with any listener. Despite the simplicity of the lyrics, there is a real sense of emotion and passion present in the way that they are sung, with each line delivered with a sense of joyful energy and enthusiasm.

Line by Line Meaning

Everybody came from miles around
A large group of people from various locations gathered for the party

Uptown, downtown, way across town
People from different parts of the city came to the party

Yeah, man we had a party
The party was successful and enjoyable

Whew, talk about a party
The party was lively and exciting

We did a little singin
There was some singing at the party

A whole lotta swingin
There was a lot of dancing at the party

Man, we had a party tonight
The party took place in the evening

Honky tonky Joe, let us all know
A person named Honky Tonky Joe announced that he was there to have fun

He came to have some fun
Honky Tonky Joe's main goal was to enjoy himself at the party

And put us on a show
Honky Tonky Joe entertained the guests at the party

We put some records on the hifi machine
Music was played through a high-fidelity sound system