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.
May You Never Be Alone
Wanda Jackson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Like a bird that's lost its mate in flight
I'm alone and oh, so blue tonight
Like a piece of driftwood on the sea
May you never be alone like me
I believed the lies you told to me
When you whispered dear I worship Thee
All because I loved no one but you
In the Bible, God's own words to say
For every wrong someday you'll pay
Now I pray the Lord to set me free
May you never be alone like me
May you never be alone like me
Wanda Jackson's song "May You Never Be Alone Like Me" is a melancholic tune that speaks about a lover's separation and the pain, misery, and loneliness that ensues. The lyrics revolve around the emotions that come with being left alone, just like a bird that has lost its mate in flight or a piece of driftwood adrift at sea. The lead vocals are stuffed with sorrow and remorse, as the singer mourns the end of a love relationship and regrets falling for the other person's deceitful words.
The song alludes to how the singer believed the lies that the significant other told to them about worshipping them. The singer is left feeling alone and blue due to the fact that they loved nobody else but the one who betrayed them. The lyrics remind the audience of the Bible's lesson that forces individuals to own up to their actions and face the consequences of their behavior. The song ends with the singer's prayer to God, wishing that the one they loved and who caused this pain may never experience the loneliness they now feel.
Line by Line Meaning
Like a bird that's lost its mate in flight
Comparing my loneliness to a bird that has lost its partner while flying.
I'm alone and oh, so blue tonight
I feel deeply lonely and sad tonight.
Like a piece of driftwood on the sea
Feeling aimless and lost like driftwood on the sea.
I believed the lies you told to me
I trusted and believed the falsehoods you said to me.
When you whispered dear I worship Thee
When you professed your love to me in a religious way.
Now here am I alone and blue
Now I am alone and feeling sad.
All because I loved no one but you
My loneliness and sadness are a result of me loving only you.
In the Bible, God's own words to say
Quoting a verse from the Bible.
For every wrong someday you'll pay
Implying that people will be held accountable for their actions.
Now I pray the Lord to set me free
Asking the Lord for freedom from pain and heartbreak.
May you never be alone like me
Wishing that the person she loved never experiences the intense loneliness and sadness that she is currently experiencing.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: HANK WILLIAMS, SR.
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind