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 Tip Of My Fingers
Wanda Jackson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I had your love on the tip of my fingers but that was as close as I came
My eyes held a vision of sweet lips yeelding beneath my command
I had your love on the tips of my fingers but I let it slip right through my hands
But I let it slip right through my hands
Somebody took you when I wasn't looking I should've known right from the start
It's a long long way from the tip of my fingers to the love hidden deep in your heart To the love hidden deep in your heart
Somebody took you...
In Wanda Jackson's song The Tip Of My Fingers, the singer reflects on lost love and missed opportunities. The song's opening lines describe a moment of closeness between the singer and her beloved -- she reached out and touched him, whispering his name. She felt like she had his love on the tip of her fingers, but it was ultimately out of reach. The singer then laments her own mistakes, describing how she could imagine the sweet sensation of his lips on hers, but ultimately let him slip away. In the end, she acknowledges that someone else has taken her beloved, and that she should have known what was happening all along.
The lyrics of The Tip Of My Fingers speak to the universal experience of lost love and missed opportunities. Anyone who has felt a deep connection to someone, only to see it slip away, can relate to the song's bittersweet sentiment. The use of tactile imagery -- reaching out to touch, feeling something slip through the fingers -- adds to the emotional weight of the lyrics. Ultimately, the song is a reminder to cherish the people we love while they're still in our lives.
Line by Line Meaning
I reached out my arms and I touched you with soft words I whispered your name
I made an effort to get closer to you by speaking sweetly and intimately.
I had your love on the tip of my fingers but that was as close as I came
I thought I had your love, but in reality, it was something out of my reach.
My eyes held a vision of sweet lips yeelding beneath my command
I could imagine having control over your affection and your desire for me.
I had your love on the tips of my fingers but I let it slip right through my hands
I was so close to having your love, but I made a mistake and lost it completely.
Somebody took you when I wasn't looking I should've known right from the start
Someone else took you away when I wasn't paying attention, and I should've realized that I wasn't your only option from the beginning.
It's a long long way from the tip of my fingers to the love hidden deep in your heart
It's difficult to get close to someone's heart and gain their true love, even if you think you have them within your grasp.
To the love hidden deep in your heart
Reiterating that true love is not something easily gained, and it takes more than just physical closeness to achieve it.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: BILL ANDERSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Sonny Dave
Covered by many. Great version by Wanda. Bill Anderson's biggest selling song.
les attridge
what a great song from wanda jackson i never heard this song in the sixtys i was mad to hear elvis sing the first time i heard this song by james marcus smith les
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Köszönettel.
Milton Moore
Too bad she didn't also record a duet with Conway on this one, or duet with him
on ANYTHING! Like his version the best, but this is fantastic!
Now I must go re-listen to Conway!
Milton Moore
@Ruth Boykin And I forgot to go re-listen
to Conway's version!
Off now!
Ruth Boykin
I was here yesterday and commented, but must have forgotten to tap the comment button! Love, love the way she sings this awesome song! I agree with your comment!