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.
These Empty Arms
Wanda Jackson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Empty arms that long for you and they wait dear just for you
And these arms will stay this way till you return to them someday
Each lonely night I go to bed I hold the pillow where you used to lay your head
Empty arms but not for long cause my baby is coming home
And when he walks through that door these empty arms I'll have no more
(These empty arms) I'll have no more (I'll have no more)
These lyrics of Wanda Jackson's song "These Empty Arms" speak about the emptiness in someone's life due to the absence of a loved one. The singer expresses her longing for her lover through her empty arms, that wait for his return. She spends every night holding onto a pillow, where her lover used to lay his head, feeling incomplete without him. But she holds onto the hope of his return and visualizes a happy ending where her empty arms will finally be filled with the warmth of his embrace. The singer's emotions and sentiments in the song are relatable to anyone who has ever experienced the pangs of separation from a loved one.
The song seems to have a hint of sadness, a longing for a return of a loved one. And yet it is filled with hope and anticipation that soon things will be alright. The singer talks about how she goes to bed every night holding onto a pillow, where her loved one used to sleep. This simple act symbolizes how much the singer misses her lover and how much she longs for his return. The anticipation of his return is palpable in the song as she speaks about how her empty arms will no longer be empty once he comes back to her. Overall the song is a beautiful representation of how love can endure through difficult times and how hope can keep one's spirit alive.
Line by Line Meaning
Empty arms that long for you and they wait dear just for you
These arms are yearning for your embrace and eagerly anticipate your return
And these arms will stay this way till you return to them someday
These arms will remain empty and longing until the day you come back to me
Each lonely night I go to bed I hold the pillow where you used to lay your head
Every night I feel the absence of your presence as I cling to the pillow that once held your head
Empty arms but not for long cause my baby is coming home
Though my arms are currently empty, they will not be for much longer as my love is returning to me
And when he walks through that door these empty arms I'll have no more
The moment you step into the room, my arms will no longer be empty as they will be wrapped tightly around you
(These empty arms) I'll have no more (I'll have no more)
The emptiness within me will dissipate as my love fills my arms once again
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: IVORY JOE HUNTER
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
justess martin
Love this lady! Great tune and production!
Z
This song means so much to me ❤
Károlyné Szépvölgyi
Nagyon tetszett ez a szép dal.
Köszönöm ezt a remek élményt.
Johnny HL Western
Love it, thanks
Ruth Boykin
Beautiful Beautiful song!
Milton Moore
AND she had one of those beautiful faces,
like Hedy Lamarr!
les attridge
nice song from wanda jackson these empty arms fantastic les
foley muzieklover
Toppy!!!!!!!!!! Thanks for the UP.
Milton Moore
That gorgeous string section really MADE this recording for me.
Odd how Wanda is in
the Rock and Roll Hall
of fame, yet she never sang R&R, just
some "Rockabilly," which I never cared for. She is far and away most noted for
her vast contributions
to country music, yet the CMHOF shuns her year after year.
Milton Moore
@Ruth Boykin Amen
(Google Sonny Burns on I LEFT ONE ON THE BAR, Tommyhonkytonky.)