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.
Tears at the Grand Ole Opry
Wanda Jackson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Everyone will be happy everybody but me
Tonight I'll be there by myself I won't be with somebody else
Cause the one that I love has been stolen away
Cause there'll be tears at the Grand Ole Opry tonight
And every Saturday night bitter tears I will fight
All the songs that I will hear will just bring sadness to my ear
Cause there'll be tears at the Grand Ole Opry tonight
Cause there'll be tears at the Grand Ole Opry tonight
This old heart can't believe that you're gone from sight
There'll be no more joy and songs for me you were the only one
And there'll be tears at the Grand Ole Opry tonight
In Wanda Jackson's song "Tears at the Grand Ole Opry," the singer describes her experience attending the iconic music venue in Nashville, Tennessee. Despite the excitement and joy that surrounds her, she feels profound sadness and heartbreak because the person she loves has been taken away from her. As she listens to the music and watches the performances, she can't help but feel overwhelmed with bitterness and sorrow, knowing that she won't be able to share these moments with her loved one. She expresses her grief with the repeated refrain: "Cause there'll be tears at the Grand Ole Opry tonight."
Through her lyrics, Jackson conveys the powerful emotions that music can evoke in people, both positive and negative. Despite the upbeat and lively atmosphere of the Grand Ole Opry, the singer is unable to escape her pain and is forced to confront it as she watches the performers on stage. The use of instruments like the fiddle and guitar add to the emotional intensity of the song, evoking the traditional melodies of country music and emphasizing the sense of loss felt by the singer.
Overall, "Tears at the Grand Ole Opry" is a poignant and heartfelt ode to the way music can evoke deep, complex emotions in listeners. While the song is rooted in a specific time and place, its themes of heartbreak, grief, and the solace of music are universal, making it a powerful and enduring addition to the country music canon.
Line by Line Meaning
Ask the Grand Ole Opry here in Nashville Tennessee
If you were to ask around the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville Tennessee, you would find everyone is happy, except for me.
Everyone will be happy everybody but me
While everyone else may be content and joyous, I will be the exception and remain heartbroken.
Tonight I'll be there by myself I won't be with somebody else
I will be attending the Grand Ole Opry alone, without anyone to share the experience with.
Cause the one that I love has been stolen away
The one that I deeply care for has been taken away from me, causing me great sorrow and pain.
Cause there'll be tears at the Grand Ole Opry tonight
My emotions will be too much to bear and I will inevitably shed tears while at the Grand Ole Opry.
And every Saturday night bitter tears I will fight
Each Saturday night, I will try to keep my emotions in check and hold back my tears.
All the songs that I will hear will just bring sadness to my ear
The music and lyrics that I will hear at the Grand Ole Opry will only serve to deepen my sadness and heartache.
Cause there'll be tears at the Grand Ole Opry tonight
Once again, I will be unable to hold back my tears amidst the music and festivities at the Grand Ole Opry.
[ fiddle - guitar ]
Musical interlude consisting of the fiddle and guitar.
Cause there'll be tears at the Grand Ole Opry tonight
My heart continues to ache as the night progresses, and my emotions will likely overcome me yet again.
This old heart can't believe that you're gone from sight
My heart cannot comprehend that the person I love is no longer with me and has disappeared from my life.
There'll be no more joy and songs for me you were the only one
The happiness and music that the Grand Ole Opry once brought me has been lost with the absence of my loved one.
And there'll be tears at the Grand Ole Opry tonight
The tears will continue to flow, even as the night comes to a close at the Grand Ole Opry.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: HOWARD VOKES, WANDA JACKSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
pianozach1
Originally released as a single in 1955. It didn't appear as on an album until the compilation LOVIN' COUNTRY STYLE was released in 1962