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.

Oh Lonesome Me
Wanda Jackson Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Everybody's going out and having fun
I'm just a fool for staying home having none
I can't get over how he set me free oh lonesome me
Well a bad mistake I'm making by just hanging round
I know that I should have some fun and paint the town
A lovesick fool is blind and just can't see oh lonesome me
Well I'll bet he's not like me he's out and fancy free
A flirtin' with the girls with all his charms

But I still love him so and brother don't you know
Well I'd welcome him right back here in my arms
Well there must be some way I can lose these lonesome blues
Forget about the past and find somebody new
I've thought of everything from A to Z oh lonesome me

Well I'll bet he's not like me...
Oh lonesome me oh lonesome me

Overall Meaning

Wanda Jackson's song "Oh Lonesome Me" depicts a woman who is struggling to move on after a relationship has ended. She is envious of those around her who are out having fun while she is left at home, feeling foolish for not being able to let go. She acknowledges that she should be out enjoying herself and tries to come up with solutions to her loneliness, such as finding someone new. However, she cannot help but lament over the loss of her former lover, who she imagines is out enjoying his newfound freedom while she remains trapped in her own sadness.

The lyrics reveal a deeper theme of heartbreak and the struggle to let go of a past love. Despite her efforts to move on, the woman is constantly reminded of her attachment to her former partner. She is blinded by her love for him and cannot see the potential for happiness that lies in front of her. Her lamentations over her loneliness serve as a reminder that loss and heartbreak can be difficult to overcome, even long after a relationship has ended.

Overall, "Oh Lonesome Me" showcases Wanda Jackson's talents as an artist in conveying complex emotions through simple yet effective lyrics. The song serves as a testament to the universal experience of heartbreak and the struggle to move on.

Line by Line Meaning

Everybody's going out and having fun
Everyone is enjoying life outside while I'm stuck at home alone.

I'm just a fool for staying home having none
I realize that I'm foolish for not going out and having fun like everyone else.

I can't get over how he set me free oh lonesome me
I can't stop thinking about how my ex left me feeling lost and alone.

Well a bad mistake I'm making by just hanging round
I'm making a mistake by just staying at home and not trying to move on from my past relationship.

I know that I should have some fun and paint the town
I understand that I need to go out and enjoy myself instead of dwelling on my loneliness.

A lovesick fool is blind and just can't see oh lonesome me
Being so in love makes me blind to how I'm wasting my time being lonely and missing my ex.

Well I'll bet he's not like me he's out and fancy free
I'm sure my ex is out enjoying himself and free from the sadness I feel.

A flirtin' with the girls with all his charms
He's probably using his charming ways to flirt and attract other women.

But I still love him so and brother don't you know
Despite how he left me feeling, I still have strong feelings for him and wish he would come back to me.

Well I'd welcome him right back here in my arms
I miss him a lot and would happily take him back into my life and arms.

Well there must be some way I can lose these lonesome blues
I need to find a way to move on from my sadness and loneliness.

Forget about the past and find somebody new
I need to stop dwelling on my past relationship and open myself up to finding someone new.

I've thought of everything from A to Z oh lonesome me
I've tried everything I can think of to cure my loneliness and sadness, but nothing seems to work.

Oh lonesome me oh lonesome me
I'm still feeling lost and alone without my ex by my side.

Contributed by Riley K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.

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