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.
You Bug Me Bad
Wanda Jackson Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Writer Wanda Jackson
Baby-baby, boy you bug me bad
Yeah, baby-baby, boy you bug me bad
You're the strangest little lover
This old world has ever had
Baby-baby, boy you bug me bad
Yeah, baby-baby, what makes you so strange
I can't tell if you love me
Or if you're just playin' a game
Baby-baby, what makes you so strange
One minute, you're a sweetie
The next one you're a cat
One minute, you're happy
The next one you're sad
Well, baby-baby-baby, boy you bug me bad
Yeah, baby-baby, boy you bug me bad
Your lovin', your kissin'
Man, you know that's what I'm missin'
Baby-baby, boy you bug me bad
One minute, you're a sweetie
The next one you're a cat
One minute, you're happy
The next one you're sad
Well, baby-baby-baby, boy you bug me bad
Yeah, baby-baby, boy you bug me bad
Your lovin', your kissin'
Man, you know that's what I'm missin'
Baby-baby, boy you bug me bad
Baby-baby, boy you bug me bad!
Wanda Jackson's song "You Bug Me Bad" is a classic rockabilly tune from 1961 that captures the frustration and bewilderment of a woman in a tumultuous relationship with a man who is both charming and difficult to read. The lyrics express the mixed emotions of the singer, who at times feels deeply in love with her partner and at other times is completely exasperated by his behavior. She describes him as a "strange" lover and laments that she can't tell if he really loves her or is just playing games.
The song's melody is lively and upbeat, with a driving rhythm that reflects the singer's mixed emotions. The use of the phrase "baby-baby" throughout the song creates a sense of intimacy and familiarity between the singer and her partner. The lyrics themselves convey a sense of urgency and mixed emotions, with the singer alternating between affection and frustration.
Overall, "You Bug Me Bad" is a quintessential rockabilly tune, with its energetic rhythm, catchy melody, and lyrics that capture the emotional complexity of a complicated relationship. It remains a beloved classic in Wanda Jackson's catalog and a testament to her enduring legacy as one of the trailblazers of rock and roll.
Line by Line Meaning
Baby-baby, boy you bug me bad
You bother me a lot, baby
Yeah, baby-baby, boy you bug me bad
Yes, baby, you really annoy me
You're the strangest little lover
You have a unique approach to love
This old world has ever had
I have never met someone like you before
Baby-baby, what makes you so strange
Baby, what makes you act so differently from others?
I can't tell if you love me
I don't know if you really love me
Or if you're just playin' a game
Or if you're just messing with me
One minute, you're a sweetie
One moment you're being kind to me
The next one you're a cat
The next moment you're acting unkind
One minute, you're happy
At times you seem to be joyous
The next one you're sad
At other times you seem to be upset
Your lovin', your kissin'
I miss your affection and kissing
Man, you know that's what I'm missin'
You know that's what I yearn for
Baby-baby, boy you bug me bad!
Baby, you really irritate me!
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Miss Holley King
LOVED playin' this on my radio show today!