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.

Yakety Yak
Wanda Jackson Lyrics

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Take out the papers and the trash or you don't get no spending cash
If you don't scrub that kitchen floor you ain't gonna rock'n roll no more
(Yakety yak don't talk back)

Just finish cleaing up your room let's see that dust fly with that broom
Get all that garbage out of sight or you don't go out Friday night
(Yakety yak don't talk back)

You just put on your coat and hat and walk yourself to the laundry mat
And when you finish doing that bring in the dog and put out the cat
(Yakety yak don't talk back)

Don't give me no dirty looks your father's hip he knows what cooks
Just tell your hoodlum friend outside you ain't got time to take a ride

(Yakety yak don't talk back) yakety yak yakety yak yakety yak yakety yak
Yakety yak yakety yak

Overall Meaning

The song Yakety Yak by Wanda Jackson is a classic rock and roll tune about the frustrations of growing up and having responsibilities. The opening line "Take out the papers and the trash or you don't get no spending cash" sets the tone for the song, suggesting that the singer is being told what to do by authority figures (in this case, presumably parents) in order to earn privileges like money to spend. The second verse furthers this idea, with the idea that if the kitchen floor isn't scrubbed clean, there will be no rock and roll - a metaphorical way of saying that if one does not do what is asked of them, they cannot enjoy the things they love.

However, the song also suggests that the singer is not simply an unwilling participant in their own life - they are shown cleaning their own room and taking out the garbage themselves. This suggests that while the singer may be frustrated, they are ultimately responsible and capable of handling their own life. The bridge of the song, with its repeated "yakety yak don't talk back" refrain, serves as a reminder that despite frustrations, obedience and following through on responsibilities is essential to success.

Overall, Yakety Yak is a energetic, catchy rock and roll tune with lyrics that speak to the universal experience of growing up and being pushed to take on more responsibilities than one may be ready for.

Line by Line Meaning

Take out the papers and the trash or you don't get no spending cash
Clean up the mess in the house or you won't receive any allowance

If you don't scrub that kitchen floor you ain't gonna rock'n roll no more
If you don't clean the kitchen floor, you won't get to enjoy the fun of rock'n roll

(Yakety yak don't talk back)
Stop complaining and do what you are told

Just finish cleaing up your room let's see that dust fly with that broom
Clean up your room and sweep the dust away with that broom

Get all that garbage out of sight or you don't go out Friday night
Dispose of all the garbage or you won't be allowed to go out on Friday night

(Yakety yak don't talk back)
Don't argue, just do it

You just put on your coat and hat and walk yourself to the laundry mat
Wear your coat and hat and go to the laundromat on foot

And when you finish doing that bring in the dog and put out the cat
After finishing laundry, bring the dog inside and let the cat out

(Yakety yak don't talk back)
Stop whining and obey

Don't give me no dirty looks your father's hip he knows what cooks
Don't stare at me with anger because your dad is cool and knows what's best

Just tell your hoodlum friend outside you ain't got time to take a ride
Inform your troublemaker friend outside that you are too busy to go for a ride

(Yakety yak don't talk back) yakety yak yakety yak yakety yak yakety yak Yakety yak
Stop being rebellious and do as you are told

Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, RALEIGH MUSIC PUBLISHING
Written by: Jerry Leiber, Mike Stoller

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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