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.
My First Day Without You
Wanda Jackson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Maybe if I'd stayed in bed I wouldn't hurt this way
For now I'll have to face the world admit that we're all through
And begin my first day without you
Goin' out was the next mistake I made today
I tried to find a place to hide to pass a time away
I knew I couldn't stand to see someone we once knew
Goin' home was the last mistake I made today
He's gone and now you're all alone the silence seems to say
A million lonely nights to all I can look forward to
As I end my first day without you as I end my first day without you
The lyrics to Wanda Jackson's song "My First Day Without You" express the emotions and struggles of someone who has just ended a relationship. The first line "Gettin' up was the first mistake I made today" implies that the singer is feeling regretful of even waking up and facing the reality of being alone. They reflect on the fact that perhaps staying in bed would prevent them from feeling the pain of the breakup. The line "For now I'll have to face the world admit that we're all through" shows that they are feeling a sense of finality and have to accept the reality of the situation.
The second and third verses describe how the singer tries to distract themselves from the pain of the breakup by going out and passing time. Even seeing someone they once knew is too much for them to handle, indicating they are missing the person they've just ended things with. They come to the realization that they are all alone and the silence of the house emphasizes this. The last line "As I end my first day without you" reinforces the idea that this is the beginning of a long, lonely journey.
Overall, Jackson's song captures feelings of isolation, loneliness, and sadness in the aftermath of a relationship. The singer's attempts to distract themselves from the heartbreak suggest that not facing the reality of a breakup can sometimes be worse.
Line by Line Meaning
Gettin' up was the first mistake I made today
I regret waking up this morning and facing reality without you.
Maybe if I'd stayed in bed I wouldn't hurt this way
I feel so much pain and sadness that I wish I could have avoided it by staying in bed.
For now I'll have to face the world admit that we're all through
I must confront the fact that our relationship is over and acknowledge it to the world.
And begin my first day without you
Today marks the beginning of my new life without you.
Goin' out was the next mistake I made today
Leaving the house was another mistake I made because I couldn't find a place to escape my feelings.
I tried to find a place to hide to pass a time away
I attempted to find a secluded spot to avoid facing the world and the memories of us.
I knew I couldn't stand to see someone we once knew
I couldn't bear to see anyone who reminds me of our past together.
All alone my first day without you
I am on my own as I navigate through my new life without you.
Goin' home was the last mistake I made today
Returning home was a final mistake I made because it reminded me of your absence.
He's gone and now you're all alone the silence seems to say
You left and now I am alone in the silence, it feels like the world is telling me that it's over.
A million lonely nights to all I can look forward to
I fear that I will face countless lonely and difficult nights without you.
As I end my first day without you as I end my first day without you
As the first day without you comes to a close, I am reminded that this is just the beginning of my journey without you.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: CHARLIE WILLIAMS, SCOTT TURNER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Don Hawkins
One of our best female vocalist!
Kynam Nguyen
Wow! Finally I found this song again... I first heard this song was 1965 in Da Nang at Take Ten club, is was liked a private club for American civil workers and US military. So! It has been 52 years tonight I get to hear it again, brings back memory's.
Károlyné Szépvölgyi
Nagyon tetszett ez a dal.
Köszönettel.
alex arolas garcia
Esta buena canción la canto WANDA JACKSON en el año 1965