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ADD: Jackson (Jerry Leiber & Billy Edd Wheeler)

26 Aug 00 - 11:20 AM (#285608)
Subject: Jackson
From: Pigeye

I would like the lyrics to the song by Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash about going to Jackson. It starts off "we got married in a fever, hotter than a...I think it is called Jackson.

26 Aug 00 - 01:53 PM (#285650)
Subject: Lyr Add: JACKSON (Johnny Cash, June Carter Cash)
From: Joe Offer

Hi - here are the lyrics.
-Joe Offer
JACKSON
Written by Gaby Rodgers (=Jerry Lieber) and Billy Ed Wheeler,1963
(As performed by Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash, 1967)

(Both) We got married in a fever, hotter than a pepper sprout
(Both) We been talkin' 'bout Jackson, ever since the fire went out.
(Johnny) I'm goin' to Jackson; I'm gonna mess aroun'.
(Johnny) Yeah, I'm goin' to Jackson; look out, Jackson town.

(June) Well, go on down to Jackson; go ahead and wreck your health.
(June) Go play your hand, you big-talkin' man; make a big fool of yourself.
(June) Yeah, go to Jackson; go comb your hair.
(Johnny): Honey, I'm gonna snowball Jackson. (June) See if I care.

(Johnny) When I breeze into that city, people gonna stoop and bow.
(June) Hah! (Johnny) All them women gonna make me teach 'em what they don't know how.
(Johnny) I'm goin' to Jackson; you turn a-loose o' my coat
(Johnny) 'Cause, I'm goin' to Jackson. (June) Goodbye; that's all she wrote.

(June) But they'll laugh at you in Jackson; and I'll be dancin' on a pony keg.
(June) They'll lead you 'round town like a scalded hound with your tail tucked between your legs.
(June) Yeah, go to Jackson, you big-talkin' man.
(June) And I'll be waitin' in Jackson, behind my Jàpan Fan.

(Both) Well, now, we got married in a fever, hotter than a pepper sprout
(Both) We been talkin' 'bout Jackson, ever since the fire went out
(Both) We're goin' to Jackson, and that's a fact.
(Both) Yeah, we're goin' to Jackson; ain't never comin' back.

26 Aug 00 - 03:43 PM (#285712)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Jackson
From: GUEST,Roger in Baltimore

Anyone know if the B. Wheeler in the credits is Billy Ed Wheeler who wrote all those good coal mining songs?

Roger in Baltimore

26 Aug 00 - 04:31 PM (#285728)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Jackson
From: Joe Offer

Hello, Cookieless Roger - well, ASCAP says the song was written by Billy Edd Wheeler and Jerry Lieber. Makes no mention of G. Rodgers, so I suppose the attribution above may be incorrect.
I swear, I'm going to make a tour of the world, fixing cookies for whoever will feed and house me and sing with me.
-Joe Offer-

26 Aug 00 - 08:18 PM (#285831)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Jackson
From: DougR

Yes, Billy Edd Wheeler is one of he authors. I think one of his best, Roger, is "The Coming of the Roads."

DougR

26 Aug 00 - 09:44 PM (#285879)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Jackson
From: raredance

I'll throw in my 2 cents. A book I have "The Songs and Poetry of Billy Edd Wheeler" has "Jackson" in it and lists it as words and music by Billy Edd Wheeler and Gaby Rogers, like Joe said before he decanted. The copyright is 1963 and 1971. Unless Gaby Rogers and Jerry Lieber are the same person, I tend to favor Billy Edd's word on this. In the book Billy Edd writes:

"I wrote 'Jackson' for this friend of mine, a singer. He wasn't doing so well, so he asked me to write him a song. (Poor devil, he'd only sold about 100 million records.) You might have heard of him. Johnny Cash. I used the money I made on that song to carpet my bathroom. Liked it so well I ran it all the way up to the house."

The Kingston Trio actually recorded "Jackson" in 1963. Carter and Cash didn't have their hit with it until 1967. The Kingston Trio were quite Billy Edd fans. They also recorded his "Rev. Mr. Black", "Ann", "Desert Pete" and "Coal Tatoo"

rich r

01 Jun 05 - 12:58 AM (#1497142)
Subject: 'Jackson' (Cash/Carter) lyrics
From: GUEST

In the song "Jackson" as sung by Johnny Cash and June Carter, there's a line I'm trying to pin down. It's sung by June, and is usually rendered as "I'll be waiting (there) in Jackson, behind my Japan fan [pronounced JAY-pan fan]." I don't think that's right.

Presumably, "JAY-pan fan" is country-speak for "Japanese fan." This has always bothered me for two reasons. First, nowhere else have I heard of Japanese fans. Chinese fans, yes, and often. Japanese fans, no. Second, nowhere else have I heard JAY-pan spoken to mean Japan or Japanese. Even poorly educated people pronounce "Japan" and "Japanese" correctly, or perhaps say "Jap." JAY-pan just doesn't ring true.

I have carefully listened to my copy of this song, and it very clearly sounds like she's saying "jay pan plan." There's no way that last word is "fan" -- there may be some doubt that it's exactly "plan," but there's no doubt it certainly isn't "fan."

Of course, "jay pan plan" is meaningless to me, and I haven't been able to figure out what it should be that I might be mishearing a bit. Anyone know, or have a good guess, what she's saying and what it means?
I moved this message here from another thread on the same topic.
-Joe Offer-

01 Jun 05 - 01:17 AM (#1497146)
Subject: RE: 'Jackson' (Cash/Carter) lyrics
From: Gary T

What happened here?

The above post (JAY-pan fan vs. jay pan plan) was from me before I re-cookied. I started a new thread and it was the first post. Then all of a sudden it got added to this 5-year old thread. Huh?

Anyway, it's a current question here on June 1st, 2005, and any help would be appreciated.

01 Jun 05 - 02:19 AM (#1497157)
Subject: RE: 'Jackson' (Cash/Carter) lyrics
From: Joe Offer

Hi, Gary - I just listened to a recording of the song by Billy Edd Wheeler with Arlene Kesterson. I'd swear she says, "behind my Jay-pan fan."
There are a few differences, but I think the transcription above is pretty good. Click here for one type of "Japan Fan," and this one (click) is probably more what's meant by the song.
-Joe Offer-

01 Jun 05 - 02:30 AM (#1497161)
Subject: RE: 'Jackson' (Cash/Carter) lyrics
From: Gary T

That may be pretty significant, Joe, since he wrote the song (with Jerry Leiber, I gather). Maybe June deviated from what it was originally.

I've also just learned that the pronunciation of Japan, MO, was "ja-PAN" before WWII, but was changed to "JAY-pan" at that time and remains so today.

It's looking like my perceptions were inaccurate, though I'll happily share the blame with June Carter's inaccurate diction. :-)

01 Jun 05 - 03:13 AM (#1497173)
Subject: ADD: Jackson (Billy Edd Wheeler/Jerry Leiber)
From: Joe Offer

Well, OK, Gary, I'll tear myself away from Little Brown Shack and do a transcription of "Jackson." Here are Wheeler's notes from his Milestones CD:
    Inspired by reading Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf, this was improved by Jerry Leiber who told me to throw away all the verses, except the last one, and rewrite it. It was recorded first by Joan Summer and me on Kapp Records, a Leiber-Stoller production. But when Johnny Cash and June Carter cut it, my songwriting career took a giant step forward. This is a homemade version with Arlene Kesterson doing June's part. It's a little ragged, but I think you can tell we were having a lot of fun.


JACKSON
(Billy Edd Wheeler & Jerry Leiber)

(Both) We got married in a fever, hotter than a pepper sprout
(Both) We been talkin' 'bout Jackson, ever since the fire went out
(He) I'm goin' to Jackson, I'm gonna mess around
(He) Yeah, I'm goin' to Jackson, look out Jackson town

(She) Now, go on, my sweet daddy, go ahead and wreck your health
(She) Play your hand like a lover man, make a big fool of yourself
(She) Go on down to Jackson, but comb your hair
(He) Honey, I'm gonna snowball Jackson
(She) Yeah, see if I care

(He) When I breeze into that city, people gonna stoop and bow
(She) Who you kiddin? (spoken)
(He) All them women gonna make me... teach 'em what they don't know how
(He) Yeah, I'm goin' to Jackson, turn loose-a my coat
(He) Yeah, I'm goin' to Jackson
(She) Goodbye, that's all she wrote

(She) When they laugh at you in Jackson
(She) I'll be dancin' on the pony keg
(She) Then I'll lead you 'round town like a scolded hound
(She) With your tail tucked between your legs
(She) Go on down to Jackson, you big-talkin' man
(She) And I'll be waitin' in Jackson, behind my Japan Fan


(Both) Well, we got married in a fever, hotter than a pepper sprout
(Both) We been talkin' 'bout Jackson, ever since the fire went
(He) I'm goin' to Jackson, that's a natural fact
(He) I'm goin' to Jackson, ain't never comin' back
(Both) We're goin' to Jackson, that's a fact
(Both) Yeah, we're goin' to Jackson, ain't never comin' back


transcribed by ear from the Billy Edd Wheeler CD, Milestones: a self portrait

No mention of Gaby Rogers here.

15 Feb 07 - 05:52 PM (#1969055)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Jackson (G Rodgers & B Wheeler)
From: GUEST,Peter Stoller

Just to clear up the confusion: actress/director/writer Gaby Rodgers was married to songwriter Jerry Leiber at the time that Leiber wrote "Jackson" with Billy Edd Wheeler. Leiber & Stoller were given to using pseudonyms when collaborating with third parties, so Leiber used his wife's name for "Jackson." Similarly, "The Reverend Mr. Black" is credited to Billy Edd Wheeler and Jed Peters, "Jed Peters" being a pseudonym for Jerry Leiber & Mike Stoller derived from the first names of their eldest sons, Jed Leiber and Peter Stoller (yours truly.)

08 Jul 10 - 11:58 PM (#2942169)
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: Jackson (G Rodgers & B Wheeler)
From: GUEST,kalamity kat

Yes Jerome "Jerry" Leiber used his wifes name, but it is the work of Wheeler and Leiber...
I sing this song and I'm sure that it's Japan, pronounced Jay-pan, accent on the Jay. It makes sense in the sense that both Johnny and June had a great sense of humor and utilized it frequently in their act. I understand as a performer the value of intelligently poking fun at yourself and I don't think there is anything strange about the way they recorded this song.

08 Jul 23 - 06:11 AM (#4176348)
Subject: RE: Lyr Add: Jackson (Jerry Leiber & Billy Edd Wheeler
From: Joe Offer

June Carter Cash is so funny.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QX64YbqGUo

08 Jul 23 - 10:56 AM (#4176368)
Subject: RE: ADD: Jackson (Jerry Leiber & Billy Edd Wheeler)
From: gillymor

From the post by rare dance in 2000, a quote from Billy Edd's book-
"I used the money I made on that song to carpet my bathroom. Liked it so well I ran it all the way up to the house."
LOLOL

Wheeler wrote that great song "High Flyin' Bird" that was covered by so many way back when.

10 Jul 23 - 11:57 AM (#4176530)
Subject: RE: ADD: Jackson (Jerry Leiber & Billy Edd Wheeler)
From: sciencegeek

enjoy

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08kEFELCb3I

Kingston trio Desert Pete

12 Jul 23 - 07:34 AM (#4176663)
Subject: RE: ADD: Jackson (Jerry Leiber & Billy Edd Wheeler)
From: clueless don

I first heard this song sung by Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazlewood. It got a lot of radio airplay back in the day. Perhaps it was Ms. Sinatra following on to June Cash's performance, but it always sounded to my ears (never a reliable indicator!) like she was saying "plan".

Don

12 Jul 23 - 09:44 AM (#4176676)
Subject: RE: ADD: Jackson (Jerry Leiber & Billy Edd Wheeler)
From: cnd

Gillymor - wholly off topic, but your quote reminds me of a story a naval friend of mine likes to make. I don't know for sure if it was his own joke, a real story, or a widely read one. Usually, it went something like this:

I was on the deck a few weeks back when I saw a new greenhorn with a letter in his hand, rejoicing. 'What are you so happy about?' I asked him.

'Whale,' he said (imitating a rural drawl), 'I just got this here letter from home a-tellin' me that th' bathroom on the family farm burnt down.'

'Well, I don't see why you'd be celebrating about that!'

'Fortunate enough, they was able to put out the fire afore it reached the house.'

14 Jul 23 - 07:19 PM (#4176878)
Subject: RE: ADD: Jackson (Jerry Leiber & Billy Edd Wheeler)
From: keberoxu

Nancy Sinatra also recorded it with her father Frank.
They played it poker-faced, very straight.