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.
Riot In Cellblock #9
Wanda Jackson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I was serving time in Tehachapi
Four o'clock in the morning
I was sleepin' in my cell
I heard a whistle blow
And I heard somebody yell
There's a riot goin' on
There's a riot goin' on
Up in cell block number nine
The trouble all started up in cell block #4
It spread like fire across the prison floor
Warden came in with a big Tommy gun
Bang-bang-bang, tryin' to stop our fun
The warden said, come out
With your hands up in the air
If you don't stop this riot
You're all gonna get the chair
Two-gun Mathilda said
It's too late to quit
Pass the dynamite Molly
'Cause man, this fuse is lit
They called the state militia
To help them win the fight
Drove up to the prison
In the middle of the night
Each and every trooper
He looked so tall and fine
All the chicks went crazy
Up in cell block number nine
The lyrics to "Riot in Cellblock #9" by Wanda Jackson and The Cramps describe an uprising in a prison, with the singer being a witness to the chaos from her own cell. The song begins with the singer recounting her memory of hearing a whistle blow in the early hours of July 2nd, 1953, which signals the beginning of the riot. She then describes the spread of the riot from cell block number four to other parts of the prison. The warden tries to stop the inmates' fun by using force, but this only fuels their rebellion. Two-gun Mathilda insists on continuing the riot, even after the warden threatens to kill everyone involved. The situation escalates when Molly passes the dynamite, and the state militia is ultimately called in to restore order.
The lyrics tell a compelling story of civil unrest and rebellion in a prison. The song reflects on issues related to the prison system, such as the treatment of inmates, control, and power dynamics. The themes portrayed in the lyrics of "Riot in Cellblock #9" are relevant even today, as mass-incarceration and prison reform continue to be pressing social issues.
Line by Line Meaning
On July the second, 1953
Narrative of when the events took place
I was serving time in Tahatchopee
Where the singer was located at the time of the incident
Four o'clock in the morning
Time that event took place
I was sleepin' in my cell
Narrator was asleep before the riot
I heard a whistle blow
Narrator heard a signal or warning sound
And I heard somebody yell
Narrator heard someone shouting
There's a riot goin' on
Statement indicating that a riot is happening
There's a riot goin' on
Reiteration that there's a riot happening
There's a riot goin' on
Another statement that confirms the riot
Up in cell block number nine
Location of the ongoing riot
The trouble all started up in cell block number four
Narrative of where it all began
It spread like fire across the prison floor
Narrative of the progression of the riot
Warden came in with a big tommy gun
Introduction of a character in the story who is armed
Bang-bang-bang, tryin' to stop our fun
Narrator's sarcastic comment about the warden's attempt to stop the riot
The warden said, come out
Warden addressing the inmates to surrender
With your hands up in the air
Instructions on how to surrender
If you don't stop this riot
Warning to stop the riot
You're all gonna get the chair
Threat of punishment if the riot continues
Two-gun Mathilda said
Introduction of another character in the story who is addressed by name
It's too late to quit
Mathilda's statement indicating that the riot will not stop
Pass the dynamite Molly
Instruction directed to another character named Molly to bring the dynamite
'Cause man, this fuse is lit
Explanation of why the dynamite needs to be passed
They called the state militia
Introduction of another group of characters, namely the state militia
To help them win the fight
Reason why the state militia was called
Drove up to the prison
Method of transportation to the prison
In the middle of the night
Time of arrival of state militia
Each and every trooper
Description of the state militia personnel
He looked so tall and fine
Narrator's impression of the troopers
All the chicks went crazy
Effect of the troopers' presence on some of the inmates
Up in cell block number nine
Reiteration of the location of the riot
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@deeeightsch7022
Scharfe Reibeisenstimme. Gefiel mir damals wie heute. Oh mein Kropf bin ich alt!!!!
@stephencollins1438
Wanda just rock's it WHAT A BABE !!!
@doowopftw
So cool!
@alger8181
Beats the hell outta Elvis Presley's "Jail House Rock". Damn, what a voice.
@TheTwangKings
Good, but Fujiama Mama is unbeatable.
@yuriandropov2114
Great piano player on this. Wonder who it was.
@preschoolguy2010
Sounds like Floyd Cramer
@sandramoore
@@preschoolguy2010 I doubt it was Floyd, since she didn't record in Nashville. I just went and checked. Wanda recorded in California and playing piano for her band was a a black guy called Big Al Downing. Her guitar player was Roy Clark, a legend on guitar and other instruments. She had a great band.