| "Fujiyama Mama" | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Single by Wanda Jackson | |
| B-side | "No Wedding Bells for Joe" |
| Released | 1957 |
| Genre | |
| Label | Capitol Records |
| Songwriter(s) | Jack Hammer |
"Fujiyama Mama" is a song written by Jack Hammer. It was first recorded in 1955 by Annisteen Allen, and in 1957 by rockabilly singer Wanda Jackson, both for Capitol. It did not chart in the United States, but Jackson's recording became a No. 1 hit in Japan for several months in 1958.
The song was written in 1954 by Jack Hammer, best known as the co-writer of "Great Balls of Fire". Jack Hammer was a pseudonym used by Earl Solomon Burroughs. [2] Hammer wrote the song from the perspective of a Japanese woman. She says she has drunk a quart of sake and is about to "blow my top". The lyrics assert that "when I start you up, there ain't nobody gonna make me stop," and compare the woman's energy to the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the iconic Japanese volcano, Mount Fuji. [3] [4]
The song was first recorded by Annisteen Allen, an African American R&B singer, for Capitol Records in early 1955. [3] [5] It featured an instrumental and vocal group accompaniment by African American arranger Howard Biggs. [6] The song and recording received favorable reviews from The Indianapolis News , [5] The Pittsburgh Press , [6] and the Los Angeles Mirror-News . [7] Billboard magazine credited the record's "clever lyrics and Oriental sound gimmicks", but predicted that many disc jockeys would not play it due to its "off-beat lyric." [8] Nevertheless, the song was listed on Billboard's "Coming Up Fast" chart in March and April 1955. [9] [10]
Eileen Barton, a white pop singer, also recorded the song in March 1955 for Coral Records. [2] [11]
Jackson recorded the song in 1957 for the Capitol label. In her autobiography, she recalled that she had wanted to record it since hearing Annisteen Allen's version. She suggested it to producer Ken Nelson, but he was "a little worried about me singing those words." [12] She persuaded Nelson to let her record it, and it "has become a classic and is the one I think of as the start of the fully unbridled rockabilly version of Wanda Jackson that fans know me for today." [12]
One music writer called it Jackson's “most lyrically and musically daring recording," as she added "growls, shrieks, and soft deep-voiced interludes to the song." [13]
Jackson's version did not chart in the United States. In a 2009 interview, Jackson recalled: "Nobody would play it. They barely had accepted Elvis and the other ones, and they weren't too sure about accepting a teenage girl singing this kind of music." [2] Others have suggested that the song's sexually charged lyrics were too controversial for an American audience in the 1950s. [2] One author observed: "Wanda Jackson offers us the ultimate Virile Female metaphor here. [Jackson] did volcanic Rockabilly. Only a few female rock and rollers . . . have ever blasted Wanda’s incredible energy." [14]
The song was also covered by the American band Pearl Harbor and the Explosions. [15]
Despite the lack of chart success in the United States, the song was a major hit in Japan, reaching No. 1 in 1958. [3] It held the No. 1 spot in Japan for six months and was the first rock and roll song to become a big hit in Japan. [16] [17] An earlier recording was also a hit in Japan in 1955 under the title "I'm a Fujiyama Mama & I'm About to Blow My Top". [18]
With the song's popularity, Jackson toured Japan in February and March 1959. [3] The tour was "a sensation" among Japanese fans. [19] During her tour of Japan, she played at theatres, clubs, and military bases, and was booked for three shows a day, seven days a week, over several weeks. [20] Jackson remained popular in Japan and later recorded songs in Japanese. [3]
Some have questioned how an American song that explicitly referenced the dropping of atomic bombs on Japan could have become a major pop hit in Japan. [2] One author attributes the success of the song in Japan to its embodiment of the desire for female empowerment in post-war Japan. [3] Another author cited the song's provocative sexuality and even suggested that Jackson, a white singer, was engaged in "appropriation of the sexual allure of an oriental woman." [21]
The song was also covered by a number of Japanese singers. The first notable cover was done in 1958 by Izumi Yukimura, whose rendition became a minor hit in the US in March 1959. It was also covered by Tamaki Sawa and Haruomi Hosono, the latter of whom is better known as the founder of Yellow Magic Orchestra.
Wanda LaVonne Jackson is an American singer and songwriter. Since the 1950s, she has recorded and released music in the genres of rock, country and gospel. She was among the first women to have a career in rock and roll, recording a series of 1950s singles that helped give her the nickname "The Queen of Rockabilly". She is also counted among the first female stars in the genre of country music.
Annisteen Allen was an American blues and jazz singer.
The singles discography of Wanda Jackson, an American recording artist, consists of 81 singles, nine international singles, one other charted song, and three music videos. In 1954 at age 16, she signed as a country artist with Decca Records. Her debut single was a duet recording with Billy Gray which reached the eighth spot on the Billboard Hot Country Singles chart, also in 1954. Refusing to tour until completing high school, Jackson's further singles for Decca failed gaining success. She signed with Capitol Records in 1956 and began incorporating rock and roll into her musical style. Jackson's first Capitol single exemplified this format and became a national top-20 country hit. Follow-up rock singles between 1957 and 1959 failed gaining enough attention to become hits including, "Hot Dog! That Made Him Mad", "Fujiyama Mama", and "Honey Bop". In 1960 however, the rock and roll-themed, "Let's Have a Party", became Jackson's first Billboard top-40 pop hit after it was picked up by an Iowa disc jockey.
The albums discography of Wanda Jackson, an American recording artist, consists of 44 studio albums, 37 compilation albums, four live albums, one video album, two box sets and has appeared on 26 albums. In 1954 at age sixteen, Jackson signed with Decca Records as a country music artist. The label did not issue a record until the 1962 compilation Lovin' Country Style, six years after Jackson left Decca. She signed with Capitol Records in 1956, and her self-titled debut studio album was released three years later. Although Jackson had recently been identifying herself as a rock-and-roll performer, the album consisted of country music recordings. However, it did contain Jackson's future rock-and-roll hit "Let's Have a Party", which was a hit in 1960, reaching the Top 40 on the Billboard Pop chart. The success of her rock-and-roll recordings led to the release of two more rock-and-roll studio LPs: Rockin' with Wanda (1960) and There's a Party Goin' On (1961). Additionally, Capitol issued two "split" studio albums which contained rock and roll on one side and country music on the other.
"If I Cried Every Time You Hurt Me" is a song written by Harlan Howard that was originally recorded by American Rockabilly and Country artist Wanda Jackson. It was released as a single in 1962 via Capitol Records and was issued on her album titled Wonderful Wanda. The song reached chart positions on the American country, pop and adult contemporary charts following its release.
Wonderful Wanda is a studio album by American recording artist Wanda Jackson. It was released in August 1962 via Capitol Records and contained 12 tracks. It was the fourth studio album in Jackson's music career and her first to consist entirely of country music songs. Wonderful Wanda included the songs "In the Middle of a Heartache", "A Little Bitty Tear" and "If I Cried Every Time You Hurt Me". All three recordings became commercially-successful singles on both the country and pop charts respectively.
Love Me Forever is a studio album by American recording artist Wanda Jackson. It was released in May 1963 via Capitol Records and contained 12 tracks. It was Jackson's fifth studio album of her career and the second to included orchestrated production. Love Me Forever was a collection of country and pop music standards composed by other artists. The album received positive reviews from critics following its release.
Two Sides of Wanda is a studio album by American recording artist Wanda Jackson. It was released in March 1964 via Capitol Records and contained 12 tracks. It was the sixth studio release of Jackson's career; side one contained rockabilly performances, while side two featured country music selections. The album received a nomination from the Grammy Awards following its release and has since been re-released.
Blues in My Heart is a studio album by American recording artist Wanda Jackson. It was released in April 1965 via Capitol Records and contained 12 tracks. It was the seventh studio album released in Jackson's career and the first to reach the Billboard country chart. The record was a collection of traditional country songs centered around themes of having the blues. It received a positive review from Billboard magazine following its release.
Reckless Love Affair is a studio album by American recording artist Wanda Jackson. It was released in March 1967 via Capitol Records and included 12 tracks. It was Jackson's tenth studio album release and was a collection of songs tailored towards the country music market. Reckless Love Affair included four singles that reached charting positions on the American country chart, including the top 20 hit "Tears Will Be the Chaser for Your Wine". The album itself reached charting positions in the United States and received a positive review following its initial release.
You'll Always Have My Love is a studio album by American recording artist Wanda Jackson, along with her band The Party Timers. It included a total of 12 tracks and was Jackson's eleventh studio album release in her career. It was Jackson's first album that gave credit to The Party Timers. Two singles were included on the album: "Both Sides of the Line" and the title track. The recordings both reached chart positions on the American country chart in 1967, along with the album as well.
Made in Germany is a compilation album by American recording artist Wanda Jackson. It was released in 1967 via Capitol Records and contained 16 previously released tracks. It was Jackson's first compilation released outside of the American market. The songs included for the album were recorded entirely in the German language. Some of these tracks had been released as singles internationally and became successful. This included the number one single, "Santo Domingo", which was first released in 1965.
The Best of Wanda Jackson is a compilation album by American recording artist Wanda Jackson. It was released in February 1968 via Capitol Records and contained 12 previously-released tracks. It was Jackson's third compilation album released in her career and featured some of Jackson's most commercially-successful singles up to that point. The album reached a charting position on the country LP's survey in the United States following its release.
The Many Moods of Wanda Jackson is a studio album by American recording artist Wanda Jackson. It was released in December 1968 via Capitol Records and contained 11 tracks. The project was Jackson's thirteenth studio album in her career and spawned two singles. Both "I Wish I Was Your Friend" and "If I Had a Hammer" reached charting positions on the American country chart. The album itself also reached charting positions in the United States.
Wanda Jackson Country! is a studio album by American recording artist Wanda Jackson. It was released in February 1970 via Capitol Records and contained ten tracks. It was Jackson's fifteenth studio album released in her recording career and her fifteen with the Capitol label. The album included four single releases that made chart positions on the American country music survey: "By the Time You Get to Phoenix", "Everything's Leaving", "My Big Iron Skillet" and "Two Separate Bar Stools".
A Woman Lives for Love is a studio album by American recording artist Wanda Jackson. It was released in August 1970 via Capitol Records and contained ten tracks. It was the sixteenth studio album released in Jackson's career and the first to be solely-produced by George Richey. The album's title track, became a top 20 charting single on the American country chart prior to the album's original release. A Woman Lives for Love received a positive review from Billboard magazine in 1970.
Don't Worry Be Happy is a studio album by American recording artist Wanda Jackson. It was released in 1989 via Amethyst Records and contained 12 tracks. It was Jackson's thirty fifth studio recording released in her career and the third issued on the Amethyst label. Don't Worry Be Happy was a collection of gospel songs, including the title track, which was first recorded as a pop song by Bobby McFerrin.
Live in Scandinavia is a live album by American recording artist Wanda Jackson. It was released in 1989 on Tab Records and contained 14 tracks. The album was collection of country and Rockabilly songs. It was also her third live project in her career and her second released through the Tab label. The album was released exclusively to markets in Scandinavia, notably Sweden.
The Queen of Rock' a 'Billy is a studio album by American recording artist Wanda Jackson. It was released in 1997 via Elap Music and contained eleven tracks of material. The album was a collection of Rockabilly recordings, most of which were new to Jackson's catalog. The disc was the second Jackson recorded with rock group The Alligators. It was released exclusively for the European market.
The Wanda Jackson Show: Live and Still Kickin' is a live album by American recording artist Wanda Jackson. It was released on March 25, 2003 via the Digital Club Network and contained a total of 27 tracks. The album was recorded in New York City nearly a year prior and marked Jackson's first American live record in over two decades. It was also the third live album of her career. The disc received positive reviews from critics following its release.
Along with her famous novelty single "Fujiyama Mama"...