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 Cell Block # 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 song "Riot in Cell Block #9" by Wanda Jackson tells the story of a fictional prison riot that took place in Tehachapi, California, in 1953. In the early morning hours of July 2, the singer, who was serving time in the prison, heard a whistle blow and someone yell that there was a riot going on in cell block number nine. The trouble started in cell block #4 and quickly spread throughout the prison. The warden tried to stop the fun by shooting his Tommy gun, but it was too late. Two-gun Mathilda and Pass the Dynamite Molly were already on a mission to blow up the joint, and they weren't about to stop now.
As law enforcement officers, including the state militia, arrived at the prison, the female prisoners got excited and started cheering for the troops. The song paints a vivid picture of the chaos and violence that erupted in the prison, and showcases the rebellious spirit of the female inmates who refused to be cowed by authority.
Line by Line Meaning
On July the second, nineteen fifty three
The stated event occurred on the second day of July in the year 1953.
I was serving time in Tehachapi
I was incarcerated in Tehachapi at the time.
Four o'clock in the morning
The time was four o'clock in the morning.
I was sleepin' in my cell
I was sound asleep, locked up in my cell.
I heard a whistle blow
I heard the sound of a whistle.
And I heard somebody yell
At the same time, I heard someone shout loudly.
There's a riot goin' on
There is a violent disturbance happening at that moment.
There's a riot goin' on
There is a violent disturbance happening at that moment.
There's a riot goin' on
There is a violent disturbance happening at that moment.
Up in cell block number nine
The violent disturbance is taking place in the ninth cell block.
The trouble all started up in cell block #4
The origin of the violent disturbance was cell block #4.
It spread like fire across the prison floor
The violent disturbance rapidly propagated through the prison.
Warden came in with a big Tommy gun
The warden entered with a large firearm, specifically a Tommy gun.
Bang-bang-bang, tryin' to stop our fun
The warden started firing his gun in an attempt to stop the violent disturbance and bring an end to the participants' enjoyment of it.
The warden said, come out
The warden commanded the participants of the violent disturbance to exit their cells.
With your hands up in the air
The warden commanded the participants of the violent disturbance to hold their raised hands in the air.
If you don't stop this riot
If the violence does not cease, the consequences will be dire.
You're all gonna get the chair
All the participants will be given the death penalty by execution via an electric chair.
Two-gun Mathilda said
A person by the name Two-gun Mathilda spoke up.
It's too late to quit
it's too late to stop the violent disturbance.
Pass the dynamite Molly
Another person named Molly is asked to give them dynamite.
'Cause man, this fuse is lit
The fuse of the dynamite is already ignited.
They called the state militia
The administrators called upon the state militia.
To help them win the fight
To help end the violent disturbance in their favor.
Drove up to the prison
They arrived at the prison by driving.
In the middle of the night
It was during the middle of the night when they arrived.
Each and every trooper
All the troopers were individually alike.
He looked so tall and fine
The troopers appeared physically attractive.
All the chicks went crazy
All the women reacted crazily to the sight of the troopers.
Up in cell block number nine
This reaction took place in the same ninth cell block as the violent disturbance.
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.