“Wanda Jackson” by Wanda Jackson - album review

features in: Album Chart of 1958Album Chart of the Decade: 1950s

TJR says

Issued in July, this was the debut LP set from the 20 year old country glamour-gal-cum-rockabilly-raver. She has a fine band with her for these April sessions; in actual fact a working band in their own right, the Poe Kats. They’re equally adept with the torch ballads as the ballsy rockers. The album, mainly cover versions, veers towards the country side of the side of the fence, with her version of Jimmy Work’s “Making Believe”, paying dues to Kitty Wells, but in her own fine style. The influence of ex-boyfriend Elvis is occasionally apparent – “Party” is covered as “Let’s Have A Party”, and Wanda lets rip with that trademark rasp, generating much excitement in the house. Best of the lot is “Here We Are Again”, a wistful ode to infidelity delivered with a whole lot of country soul. The album may not be dynamic at every turn, but it’s a solid set which still sounds good on the 30 minute playback all these years later.

The Jukebox Rebel
08–Aug–2015

Tracklist
A1 [03:09] 5.9.png Wanda Jackson - Day Dreaming (William E. Cantrell, Quinton Claunch, Bud Deckelman) Blues / Rhythm n Blues
A2 [02:04] 6.0.png Wanda Jackson - I Wanna Waltz (Thelma Ingram) Rock n Roll / Rockabilly
A3 [02:49] 6.1.png Wanda Jackson - Heartbreak Ahead (Dorothy Summers Brown) Country
A4 [02:21] 7.0.png Wanda Jackson - Making Believe (Jimmy Work) Country
A5 [02:49] 8.0.png Wanda Jackson - Here We Are Again (Don Everly) Rock n Roll Ballad
A6 [02:01] 6.6.png Wanda Jackson - Long Tall Sally (Richard Penniman, Robert Alexander Blackwell, Enotris Johnson) Rock n Roll / Rockabilly
B1 [03:09] 6.0.png Wanda Jackson - Just Call Me Lonesome (Rex Griffin) Country
B2 [02:11] 6.5.png Wanda Jackson - Let Me Go, Lover (Ben Weisman, Fred Wise, Kay Twomey, Jenny Lou Carson) Rock n Roll Ballad
B3 [02:16] 6.4.png Wanda Jackson - Money Honey (Jesse Stone) Rock n Roll / Rockabilly
B4 [02:24] 5.8.png Wanda Jackson - I Can’t Make My Dreams Understand (James West, Buck Bryant) Country
B5 [02:40] 7.1.png Wanda Jackson - Happy, Happy Birthday (Margo Sylvia, Gilbert Lopez) Rock n Roll Ballad
B6 [02:11] 7.2.png Wanda Jackson - Let’s Have A Party (Jessie Mae Robinson) Rock n Roll / Rockabilly
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