Released 23 years ago this October
Heart Trouble
Wanda Jackson · 2003
47 min · 16 tracks · country music
A vibrant blend of rockabilly roots and country storytelling, showcasing a seasoned artist's enduring charisma.
Top tracks — play these first
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Heart Trouble Start here — The title track showcases Jackson's powerful vocals combined with its catchy melody, encapsulating the emotional depth and rockabilly flair that defines the album.
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Funnel of Love — This song exemplifies Jackson's ability to blend traditional country sounds with rockabilly energy, making it a standout moment of playful nostalgia.
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Cash on the Barrelhead — A cover of the classic Everly Brothers tune, Jackson infuses it with her own vibrant personality, showcasing her versatility and deep connection to American roots music.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
The album blends rockabilly and country effectively, showcasing Jackson's style but lacks some cohesion in its pacing.
What we noticed
- The album opens with a title track that features a driving rhythm and prominent guitar riffs, establishing an energetic tone.
- Several tracks incorporate traditional country instrumentation, such as steel guitar and fiddle, while maintaining a rockabilly edge.
- The sequencing includes both upbeat tracks and slower ballads, creating dynamic shifts in energy throughout the record.
- The final track is a lively cover of 'Let's Have a Party', which serves as a celebratory conclusion to the album.
- Composition 25% of the score
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6/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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7/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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6/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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7/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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5/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Known within its scene. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- vibrant party atmosphere
- heartfelt storytelling moments
- dynamic mix of tempos
- sing-along friendly tracks
- short bursts of energy
Maybe skip if you
- prefer slow, meditative music
- seek lengthy immersive pieces
Where this album fits
- In the catalog
- Breakthrough — Revitalized interest in Jackson's work, introducing her to a new generation.
- Themes
- heartbreak ballads· rockabilly revival· Nashville storytelling
- Career context
- Heart Trouble marked Wanda Jackson's return to the studio after a long hiatus, releasing her first album in over a decade since 1995's What's a Girl to Do?. At this stage, she was lauded as a pioneering female figure in rockabilly and country music, reflecting on her illustrious career while embracing contemporary influences.
- Stylistic neighbors
- Loretta Lynn· Patsy Cline· Brenda Lee
Tracklist
- 1 Heart Trouble Start here 3:12
- 2 Cash on the Barrelhead 3:29
- 3 Funnel of Love 2:32
- 4 Woman Walk Out the Door 3:35
- 5 Crying Time 3:01
- 6 Mean Mean Man 2:04
- 7 It Happens Every Time 2:51
- 8 Riot in Cellblock #9 2:56
- 9 Anytime You Wanna Fool Around 3:33
- 10 Hard Headed Woman 2:28
- 11 Lonely for You 2:16
- 12 What Gives You the Right (To Do Me Wrong) 2:49
- 13 Rockabilly Fever 3:59
- 14 It’ll Be Me 2:46
- 15 Walk With Me 3:43
- 16 Let’s Have a Party 2:14
If this landed
Records by other artists that run on the same instinct.
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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