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.
Nightlife
Wanda Jackson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Oh the night life ain't no good life but it's my life
Many people just like me dreaming of old used-to-be
Yeah the night life it ain't no good life but it's my life
Yeah listen to the blues they're playin' yeah listen to what those blues are sayin'
Mine is just another scene from the world of broken dreams
Yeah the night life it ain't no good life but it's my life
The lyrics of Wanda Jackson's Nightlife depict a person who is immersed in the after-dark lifestyle. They find themselves only really present and active once the evening sun has set, and describe their existence as being part of the "night life". It's not necessarily a great life, but it's one that they feel is theirs. There are other people around them who are just like them - individuals who are held captive by the memories of the past, dreaming of what used to be. The singer acknowledges that the blues music that is being played is a reflection of their own life: full of broken dreams and seemingly hopeless scenes. The song is essentially an acknowledgement of a situation that may not be ideal, but is one that the singer has made their own.
The song is a poignant reflection of the nightlife culture, and the idea of people who are completely tied up in that world. It's almost as if the singer is describing a world within a world - one that only comes alive when the sun goes down, and one that is full of people who are trying to escape from their present reality. Despite this, there is almost a sense of camaraderie within the lyrics - the singer is not alone in their predicament. It's a powerful song, and one that really captures a side of life that many people may not be familiar with.
Line by Line Meaning
When the evening sun goes down you will find me hanging round
I tend to be around when the sun sets and evening comes.
Oh the night life ain't no good life but it's my life
The lifestyle I'm into at night is not a good one, but it's what I prefer.
Many people just like me dreaming of old used-to-be
A lot of people, just like me, long for the past that can never come back.
Yeah the night life it ain't no good life but it's my life
The activities I do at night are not really good, but I'm used to them, and it's just the way I live.
Yeah listen to the blues they're playin' yeah listen to what those blues are sayin'
I want to listen to the blues music because the lyrics they sing are meaningful, and it speaks through me.
Mine is just another scene from the world of broken dreams
The things that I do every night might just seem like another worthless encounter in this world of lost hopes.
Yeah the night life it ain't no good life but it's my life
The lifestyle I lead at night is not ideal, but it's what I want, and I'm content with it.
Lyrics © GLAD MUSIC CO.
Written by: PAUL BUSKIRK, WALT BREELAND, WILLIE NELSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Skip Tylman
The vocals and instrumentation make this one of the most underrated of Nelson's songs ever released.
Mia Hess Music
Amen, what a great song. I just heard about it.
FHall
Perhaps its underrated by the average fan, but the song is one of the best ever from Willie to a musician . It was groundbreaking by Ray Price and there are several great cover versions including this one by Wanda
alex arolas garcia
Esta bonita canción la compuso WILLIE NELSON y la canto en el año 1960 y la versiono en el año 1964 WANDA JACKSON