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.
The Things I Might Have Been
Wanda Jackson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I might have been a helpless soul with nothing much in store
I might have been without a gold just dream and nothing more
I might have known a life alone but that's where you came in
Your lovin' arms have saved me from the things I might have been
I might have been a kind who roam a stranger everywhere
Or one of those for stay at home with no one's lips to share
Keep lovin' me don't let me be the things I might have been
The things I might have been
In this song, Wanda Jackson contemplates what her life could have been like if she had not found the love of her life. The lyrics explore the possibility of her being a helpless and aimless soul with nothing to look forward to, someone who had nothing but empty dreams. She also thinks about the prospect of being all alone, with no one to share her life with, either as a wanderer or as a stay-at-home who has no one to give her kisses. However, all these possibilities fade away when she remembers the love of her partner. She acknowledges that his loving arms saved her from all these possibilities and brought her a new beginning. With his sweet kiss, she was transformed into someone whose life has been shaped by love.
The lyrics of this song reveal the importance of love and how it can provide a sense of purpose and meaning in life. It also highlights the idea that the choices we make, the people we meet, and the relationships we have can significantly shape our lives' trajectory. Moreover, it shows that what we might have been is not as important as what we are, and the people who are with us in our journey of life.
Line by Line Meaning
I might have been a helpless soul with nothing much in store
I could have been a person who didn't have any hope or bright future.
I might have been without a gold just dream and nothing more
I could have been a person who merely had dreams but without any materialistic possession.
I might have known a life alone but that's where you came in
I could have lived my whole life alone, but you entered my life and changed it forever.
Your lovin' arms have saved me from the things I might have been
Your love and comfort have saved me from the dire circumstances that I might have faced without you.
I might have been a kind who roam a stranger everywhere
I could have been a person who roamed around aimlessly without staying in one place for too long.
Or one of those for stay at home with no one's lips to share
Or I could be an introverted person, staying at home without anybody to kiss or care for.
But your sweet kiss has changed all this and made my life begin
However, your sweet kiss has transformed my life and has given it a new beginning.
Keep lovin' me don't let me be the things I might have been
Please continue to love me so that I never turn into the person I could have been without you.
The things I might have been
All the negative possibilities that my life could have turned into without the presence of my lover.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: RICHARD M. SHERMAN, ROBERT B. SHERMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Frank Hyland
Actually, one of the better versions.Shows that Wanda wasn't just a rocker.
Musikk profil
Why no comments at all on Wanda Jackson? Wonderful voice and a great singer. Sorry that female artist is not as known and famous as the males....
oceanbound222
YES YES YES