Wanda Jackson (born Wanda Lavonne Jackson, October 20, 1937 in Maud, Oklaho… Read Full Bio ↴Wanda Jackson (born Wanda Lavonne Jackson, October 20, 1937 in Maud, Oklahoma) is an American rock and roll singer. Having made her debut recordings at the age of nineteen, she became one of the first popular female rock and roll singers in history and as a result, a pioneering and influential figure in female musicianship. She is known as the "Queen (or First Lady) of Rockabilly."

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.

Who Shot Sam?
Wanda Jackson Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

Well, I met Sammy Sampson down in New Orleans
He had a lot of money and a long limousine
Took us honky tonkin on a Saturday night
We met Silly Millie, everything was alright

Her eyes started rolling, we should've went a-bowlin
Wam, bam, who shot Sam, my, my
Now Sam and Silly Millie at a half past four

Were rockin and rollin on a hardwood floor

Then Dirty Gurdie barged in on the fun
Silly Millie got jealous and she pulled out a gun
Tables started crashing - 44 was a flashing
Wam, bam, who shot Sam, my, my

Well the police, the fire chief, highway patrol
Was knockin down the front door with a big, long pole
Sammy was a-lyin on the cold, cold floor
Shot through the middle with a 44

Millie was a-cryin, Sam was surely dying
Wam, bam, who shot Sam, my, my
Now they took Silly Millie to jail downtown
They were gonna book her for shootin old Sam

The judge gave her 20, Millie said that's a lot
You shouldn't give me nothin, he's already half shot
Drinkin white lightning started all the fightin
Wam, bam, who shot Sam, my, my

[Repeat last 2 verses]

Overall Meaning

Wanda Jackson’s “Who Shot Sam?” tells the story about an evening in New Orleans that ends with a shooting. The singer, Sammy Sampson, is introduced as a man who has a lot of money and a long limousine, and he takes the singer and Silly Millie out on the town. The trio ends up at a honky-tonk, and all is going well until Millie gets jealous of another woman, Dirty Gurdie. Millie pulls out a gun and shoots Sammy Sampson, leaving him lying on the floor dying. The police, fire chief, and highway patrol are called to the scene and Millie is arrested and eventually sentenced to twenty years in jail for the shooting.

The song’s lyrics similarly reveal a commentary on the dangers of alcohol consumption and jealousy. Additionally, it showcases the corruption and dysfunction of a criminal justice system that has little regard for the nature of the crime when sentencing individuals. The song itself is an example of honky-tonk music, which was a progenitor to rock and roll and is characterized by its simple but rhythmic style.

Line by Line Meaning

Well, I met Sammy Sampson down in New Orleans
I encountered a man named Sammy Sampson while I was in New Orleans.

He had a lot of money and a long limousine
Sammy had an abundance of money and owned a lengthy limousine.

Took us honky tonkin on a Saturday night
On a Saturday evening, Sammy brought us out to experience the nightlife of Honky Tonk bars.

We met Silly Millie, everything was alright
We made the acquaintance of a person called Silly Millie, and all went well.

Her eyes started rolling, we should've went a-bowlin
Silly Millie's eyes began to roll unnaturally, which made us think we should have gone bowling instead.

Wam, bam, who shot Sam, my, my
Suddenly, chaos erupted, and someone fired at Sammy - we were left shocked and confused.

Now Sam and Silly Millie at a half past four
At half-past four in the morning, Sammy and Silly Millie were together.

Were rockin and rollin on a hardwood floor
Sammy and Silly Millie were energetically dancing on a hardwood floor.

Then Dirty Gurdie barged in on the fun
Someone named Dirty Gurdie rudely interrupted the dancing and fun.

Silly Millie got jealous and she pulled out a gun
Silly Millie became envious and drew a firearm.

Tables started crashing - 44 was a flashing
Tables were overturned, and a gun was pointed and fired.

Wam, bam, who shot Sam, my, my
The situation was out of control, and someone shot Sammy again.

Well the police, the fire chief, highway patrol
The police, fire department, and highway patrol officers responded to the scene.

Was knockin down the front door with a big, long pole
They used a large pole to knock down the front door of the building.

Sammy was a-lyin on the cold, cold floor
Sammy was lying motionless on the freezing ground with severe injuries.

Shot through the middle with a 44
Sammy had been shot in the abdominal area with a .44 caliber gun.

Millie was a-cryin, Sam was surely dying
Silly Millie was crying, and Sammy's chance of surviving was slim.

Now they took Silly Millie to jail downtown
Law enforcement took Silly Millie into custody and brought her downtown.

They were gonna book her for shootin old Sam
She was arrested on suspicion of shooting Sammy.

The judge gave her 20, Millie said that's a lot
She received a sentence of 20 years in prison, and Millie responded with shock at the severity of the sentence.

You shouldn't give me nothin, he's already half shot
Silly Millie believed any punishment was pointless, as Sammy was already close to dying.

Drinkin white lightning started all the fightin
The drinking of strong, homemade alcoholic beverages played a role in the fighting that led to Sammy being shot.

Wam, bam, who shot Sam, my, my
The song ends with a repeated refrain of the shocking event that occurred - the shooting of Sammy Sampson.

Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, GLAD MUSIC CO., Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: DARRELL EDWARDS, GEORGE JONES, RAY JACKSON

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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