The Jukebox Rebel

Leads off with the title track, an original country-tinged Rock n Roll ballad which had given Wanda her second hit single in the Billboard Pop Charts in the summer of ‘61. Significantly, the single also hit the Country Top 10 and, although it wasn’t immediately evident on this LP, would come to be regarded as Wanda’s “comeback” into mainstream country music – it’s where her heart always lay. Why people can’t enjoy different styles is a great shame – this is especially true when it comes to country music I feel. In her book “Finding Her Voice: Women in Country Music” Wanda stated: “Then country music began comin' back, and I had written a ballad called 'Right or Wrong' and it became a big hit…I think that when I went back to country I lost my rock and roll fans.” Immediately after the opener, a good version of Stonewall Jackson’s “Why I’m Walkin’” goes full-on country and the tone for the first half of the LP is set. Her cover of George Jones’s “The Window Up Above”, which closes side 1, is the third strong track on the LP. The phrase “two sides of Wanda” is oft-used when describing her music and, again, this is apparent on this LP, as Side 2 reverts to an accessible brand of R n B – a style to which she is very well suited. The second half of the set features covers all the way, with the likes of “Brown Eyed Handsome Man” (Chuck Berry and his combo, 1956) and “My Baby Left Me” (Arthur Crudup, 1950) getting the Wanda treatment. Not so cool is her fancy for “Stupid Cupid” (Connie Francis, 1958). I forgive her – “Slippin and Slidin’” (Little Richard, 1956) more than makes amends. As for losing her Rock n Roll fans? Their loss Wanda, their loss…

The Jukebox Rebel
09–Aug–2015

A1	[02:39] Wanda Jackson - Right Or Wrong (Wanda Jackson) Rock n Roll Ballad
A2	[02:34] Wanda Jackson - Why I’m Walkin’ (Stonewall Jackson, Melvin Endsley) Country
A3	[02:22] Wanda Jackson - So Soon (Mel Tillis, Wayne Walker) Country
A4	[03:02] Wanda Jackson - The Last Letter (Rex Griffin) Country
A5	[02:36] Wanda Jackson - I May Never Get To Heaven [album version ’61] (Buddy Killen, Bill Anderson) Country
A6	[02:50] Wanda Jackson - The Window Up Above (George Jones) Country
B1	[02:11] Wanda Jackson - Sticks And Stones (Titus Turner) Blues / Rhythm n Blues
B2	[02:15] Wanda Jackson - Stupid Cupid (Neil Sedaka, Howard Greenfield) Pop
B3	[02:10] Wanda Jackson - Slippin’ And Slidin’ (Richard Penniman, Al Collins, Eddie Bo, James Smith) Rock n Roll / Rockabilly
B4	[02:16] Wanda Jackson - Brown Eyed Handsome Man (Charles Berry) Blues / Rhythm n Blues
B5	[02:21] Wanda Jackson - Who Shot Sam? (Darrell Edwards, George Jones, Ray Jackson) Blues / Rhythm n Blues
B6	[02:12] Wanda Jackson - My Baby Left Me (Arthur Crudup) Rock n Roll / Rockabilly

ratings by TJR