Funnel of Love

Last updated

"Funnel of Love"
Wanda Jackson--Funnel of Love.jpg
Single by Wanda Jackson
A-side "Right or Wrong" [1]
ReleasedApril 1961
RecordedOctober 28, 1960 [2]
Studio Bradley Film & Recording, Nashville
Genre
Length2:08
Label Capitol
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s) Ken Nelson
Wanda Jackson singles chronology
"Little Charm Bracelet"
(1961)		"Right or Wrong" / "Funnel of Love"
(1961)		"In the Middle of a Heartache"
(1961)

"Funnel of Love" is a song by Wanda Jackson written by Charlie McCoy (credited as "Charles McCoy") and Kent Westbury. Recorded in 1960 and released in 1961, "Funnel of Love" was released as the B-side to Jackson's major country-pop single, "Right or Wrong". Although the song never became a hit independently from the A-side, it has received notable critical acclaim and attention. The song's unique combination of country, rock, and blues have made it a favorite of fans and critics. Many also consider "Funnel of Love" to be one of Jackson's best vocal performances.

Contents

Background

Charlie McCoy, a country musician, and Kent Westbury, a country songwriter, wrote the lyrics and melody to "Funnel of Love". [3] The song came to the attention of Jackson while recording for Capitol Records in 1960, under the direction of producer Ken Nelson. [4] Up to this point, Jackson had been known as a country performer and more significantly as a rock and roll performer. She had previously enjoyed both country and rock hits, including "You Can't Have My Love" (1954) and "Let's Have a Party" (1960). [5] In an interview with Philadelphia Weekly , Jackson recounted that it was difficult identifying "Funnel of Love" with a specific musical genre, stating that its style was not like that of a typical country or rock recording: "It wasn’t country, it wasn’t rock, but we knew it was a good song. So we made a good record on it." [4]

Regardless, the song was well received by both Jackson and Ken Nelson, leading to the song's initial recording. [4] "Funnel of Love" was recorded at the Bradley Film and Recording Studio in Nashville, Tennessee, United States on October 28, 1960. The session was Jackson's third recording session in Nashville. Jackson and Nelson had been recording material in Hollywood, California since the early 1950s. Also cut at the session was the eventual A-side to "Funnel of Love" entitled "Right or Wrong", as well as "Riot in Cell Block #9" and "Little Charm Bracelet". The latter was the precessing single to "Right or Wrong". Included in the recording session was The Nashville A-Team of musicians, which appeared on most country recording sessions in the late 1950s and 1960s. [1] The song's guitar solo is performed by Roy Clark, who was a member of Jackson's band "The Party Timers" and would later have a successful country music career. [6]

Release and reception

"Funnel of Love" was released as B-side of the "Right or Wrong" single in April 1961. The songs were released on Capitol Records, and later anthologized by Omnivore Recordings as part of The Best of the Classic Capitol Singles. [2] [7] The A-side became Jackson's second top-ten entry on the Billboard Hot Country and Western Sides chart, peaking at number nine. It also became her second top-forty single on the Billboard Hot 100, reaching number twenty-nine. [8] "Funnel of Love", however, failed to enter any Billboard charts. [7]

"Funnel of Love" was never released via an album during Jackson's time at Capitol Records. [7] The song went unreleased on an album until Bear Family Records released the Jackson box set Right or Wrong in 1992. "Funnel of Love" was then released onto various compilations during the 1990s and 2000s. [3] The song has since received vast critical acclaim from multiple music critics. Adam Gold of Rolling Stone called Jackson's song a "greasy classic" [9] and Tim Sendra of AllMusic explained that although "Funnel of Love" is not associated with the "girl group" sound of the 1960s, it "adds historical interest" and is "really quite good too". [10] Chris Parker of Philadelphia Weekly stated that "Funnel of Love" was one of his favorite songs by Jackson. [4]

Legacy

With the renewal of interest in Jackson's career since the 1990s, [5] "Funnel of Love" has become a favorite of Wanda Jackson fans. Many were surprised that the B-side did not become more successful. [7] It has since been covered by various musical artists. In 2001, foreign music group Velvetone released a single version of "Funnel of Love", featuring Jackson herself. [11] [12] Jackson revisited "Funnel of Love" on her 2003 studio album, Heart Trouble. The new version featured the punk rock band The Cramps as guest performers. [13]

"Funnel of Love" has also served as an inspiration for new musical artists, most notably British soul artist Adele. According to Jackson, Adele mentioned to her that if she had not heard "Funnel of Love", then her 2010 single "Rolling in the Deep" may have never existed. [4] [9] In 2010, Adele explained how Jackson's music affected her, "I got addicted to this Wanda Jackson hits album," says the singer. "She's so cheeky and so raunchy. She's kind of like the female Elvis: really sexual, not afraid to embarrass herself." [14] Adele's interest in her music led to a stint as Jackson serving as her opening act in Britain between 2011 and 2012. [4] Jim Jarmusch used a version of the song, performed by his own band SQÜRL and featuring Madeline Follin of Cults on vocals, to open his 2013 film Only Lovers Left Alive .

Personnel

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wanda Jackson</span> American singer, songwriter, and musician

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.

"A Little Bitty Tear" is a song written by the American country songwriter Hank Cochran. It has been recorded by many musical acts, the first being American recording artist Burl Ives. It has since been recorded by others, including Wanda Jackson, Bing Crosby, Chet Atkins, The Shadows and Cochran himself.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Let's Have a Party</span> 1957 single by Elvis Presley

"Let's Have a Party" is a 1957 song written by Jessie Mae Robinson and recorded by Elvis Presley for the movie Loving You. It was released as a single in the United Kingdom under the title "Party" and peaked at #2 in the UK Singles Chart. Wanda Jackson recorded the song for her first album, Wanda Jackson, released in 1958. The song was released as a single by Jackson in 1960 and entered the UK chart on 1 September of that year, spending eight weeks there and reaching #32; it also reached #37 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1960. The Jackson version was later featured in the 1989 film Dead Poets Society. Paul McCartney also recorded and released the song on his 1999 Run Devil Run album. His original song "Run Devil Run", on the album of the same name, also has a similar melody. A cover of "Let's Have a Party" by Sonia was included on the 2010 remastered edition of her 1989 album Everybody Knows.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wanda Jackson singles discography</span>

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wanda Jackson albums discography</span>

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.

"You Can't Have My Love" is a song written by Billy Gray, Chuck Hardin, Marty Roberts, and Mark Thompson. It was recorded by American musician Wanda Jackson and American country musician Billy Gray.

"Right or Wrong" or "Right or Wrong " is a song written and originally recorded by Wanda Jackson, an American country, rock, and Christian music artist. Originally, the song was a major country and pop hit for Jackson in 1961. A second version was released in 1964 that became popular by American pop artist, Ronnie Dove.

"In the Middle of a Heartache"' is a song written by Laurie Christenson, Pat Franzese, and Wanda Jackson. The song was recorded by Wanda Jackson, an American country, rock, and Christian artist.

"The Box It Came In" is a song written by Vic McAlpin (1918-1980) that was recorded by American country, rock, and Christian artist, Wanda Jackson.

"Tears Will Be the Chaser for Your Wine" is a song written by Leroy Coates and Dale Davis. It was recorded and released as a single by American country, rock, and Christian artist, Wanda Jackson.

"My Big Iron Skillet" is a song written by Bryan Creswell and Wilda Creswell. It was recorded and released as a single by American country, rock, and Christian artist, Wanda Jackson.

"A Woman Lives for Love" is a song written by George Richey, Glenn Sutton, and Norro Wilson. It was recorded and released as a single by American country, rock, and Christian artist, Wanda Jackson.

"Two Separate Bar Stools" is a song written by Bill Graham. It was recorded and released as a single by American country, rock, and Christian artist, Wanda Jackson.

"Don't Let the Good Times Fool You" is a song written by Ronald Hellard and Gary S. Paxton. It was recorded and released as a single by American country artist Melba Montgomery in 1975.

<i>Wonderful Wanda</i> 1962 studio album by Wanda Jackson

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.

<i>Two Sides of Wanda</i> 1964 studio album by Wanda Jackson

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.

<i>Reckless Love Affair</i> 1967 studio album by Wanda Jackson

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.

<i>The Happy Side of Wanda</i> 1969 studio album by Wanda Jackson

The Happy Side of Wanda is a studio album by American recording artist Wanda Jackson. It was released in July 1969 via Capitol Records and contained 11 tracks. It was Jackson's fourteenth studio record released in her career and the fourteenth released on the Capitol label. The project included one single release titled "Your Tender Love".

<i>Wanda Jackson Country!</i> 1970 studio album by Wanda Jackson

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".

<i>A Woman Lives for Love</i> (album) 1970 studio album by Wanda Jackson

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.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 "Wanda Jackson discography, part two". Praguefrank's Country Discographies. Retrieved December 17, 2013.
  2. 1 2 "Wanda Jackson discography, part one". Praguefrank's Country Discographies. Retrieved December 17, 2013.
  3. 1 2 ""Funnel of Love" – Wanda Jackson". Allmusic . Retrieved December 17, 2013.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Parker, Chris (August 15, 2012). "Long Live the Queen: Music Pioneer Wanda Jackson". Philadelphia Weekly . Retrieved December 17, 2013.
  5. 1 2 "Wanda Jackson Biography". The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame . Retrieved December 17, 2013.
  6. ↑ George-Warren, Holly (May 2009). "Heard-Headed Woman". OffBeat . Retrieved December 17, 2013.
  7. 1 2 3 4 Hyperbolium. "CD Review: Wanda Jackson - The Best of the Classic Capitol Singles (Omnivore, 2013)". No Depression . Retrieved December 17, 2013.
  8. ↑ "Wanda Jackson > Awards and chart positions". AllMusic . Retrieved December 17, 2013.
  9. 1 2 Gold, Adam (October 10, 2012). "Wanda Jackson and Justin Townes Earle on Their 'Unfinished Business'". Rolling Stone . Retrieved December 17, 2013.
  10. ↑ Sendra, Tim. "One Kiss Can Lead to Another: Girl Group Sounds Lost and Found > Review". AllMusic. Retrieved December 17, 2013.
  11. ↑ "Dark Blossom by Velvetone". Allmusic . Retrieved December 17, 2013.
  12. ↑ "Wanda Jackson Discography" (PDF). Wanda Jackson.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 21, 2008. Retrieved December 17, 2013.
  13. ↑ "Wanda Jackson > Heart Trouble". Allmusic . Retrieved December 17, 2013.
  14. ↑ Eliscu, Jenny (July 23, 2010). "In the Studio: Adele Goes Country on Fall Disc". Rolling Stone . Retrieved December 17, 2013.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.