Audio CD review:
Brenda Lee - The Brenda Lee Story (Her Greatest Hits)

Brenda Lee - The Brenda Lee Story (Her Greatest Hits)

Band: Brenda Lee Title: The Brenda Lee Story (Her Greatest Hits) Rating: Release Date: 1991-12-10 Media: Audio CD Tracks: 1: Johnny One Time - Brenda Lee, Frazier, Dallas 2: All Alone Am I - Brenda Lee, Altman, Arnie 3: Sweet Nothin's - Brenda Lee, Self, Ronnie 4: As Usual - Brenda Lee, Zanetis, Alex 5: Dum Dum - Brenda Lee, DeShannon, Jackie 6: You Can Depend on Me - Brenda Lee, Carpenter, Charles 7: Coming on Strong - Brenda Lee, Wilkins, David 8: Losing You - Brenda Lee, Renard, Jean Marie 9: Fool #1 - Brenda Lee, Fulton, Kathryn R. 10: Jambalaya (On the Bayou) - Brenda Lee, Williams, Hank [1] 11: Emotions - Brenda Lee, Kearney, Ramsey 12: Just Out of Reach - Brenda Lee, Stewart, V.F. 13: Anybody But Me - Brenda Lee, Self, Ronnie 14: We Three (My Echo, My Shadow and Me) - Brenda Lee, Cogane, Nelson 15: Thanks a Lot - Brenda Lee, Miller, Eddie [2] 16: I Want to Be Wanted - Brenda Lee, Gannon, Kim 17: You Always Hurt the One You Love - Brenda Lee, Fisher, Doris 18: Too Many Rivers - Brenda Lee, Howard, Harlan 19: My Whole World Is Falling Down - Brenda Lee, Anderson, Bill [1] 20: Break It to Me Gently - Brenda Lee, Lambert, Diane 21: That's All You Gotta Do - Brenda Lee, Reed, Jerry 22: I'm Sorry - Brenda Lee, Albritton, Dub

The Best Years on Decca This CD encompasses BL's Rock years on Decca Records. With so many Brenda albums to choose from, one could be understandably overwhelmed. According to Billboard, BL had 29 chart hits from 1960-1967. 16 of the 22 tracks herein made those charts. BL also (!) had 19 country chart hits from 1971-1985, with one actually released in 1957 when she was 13 years old. That is longevity! No pure country releases are included here but "Fool # 1" and "Too Many Rivers", which both made the rock charts, have distinct country flavors. So too do "Johnny One Time" and "Just Out of Reach", which made neither chart. Favorite tracks are highly subjective but this listener especially liked "Losing You" and "Emotions". The only track that failed to impress was a far too upbeat version of Hank Williams' "Jumbalaya" which does justice to neither country nor rock. That one errant entry aside, "The Brenda Lee Story" ably showcases that talented performer from Lithonia, Georgia. Old fans of Little Miss Dynamite have a safe choice here and these tracks may well produce some new ones. Don't Miss This If You like Brenda Lee!! But all of her goodies are also here, like "Break It To Me Gently" and "Too Many Rivers To Cross. Brenda Lee's cut of "I'm Sorry" is worth the price of this album by itself. " Styles change and singers come and go. . . but it is hard to understand why talent like Brenda's does not continue to have her making top-of-the-chart recordings up to the present. Fortunately, we have these precious gems of BL to listen to - and I do!! Over and over. Classics!. Don't Miss This If You like Brenda Lee!! But all of her goodies are also here, like "Break It To Me Gently" and "Too Many Rivers To Cross. Brenda Lee's cut of "I'm Sorry" is worth the price of this album by itself. " Styles change and singers come and go. . . but it is hard to understand why talent like Brenda's does not continue to have her making top-of-the-chart recordings up to the present. Fortunately, we have these precious gems of BL to listen to - and I do!! Over and over. Classics!. LITTLE BRENDA LEE'S VERY BEST Where LeAnn Rimes was a few years ago is territory Miss Lee paved way back when. Miss Brenda Lee, that little girl who grabbed everyone's attention (and heartstrings) in the 60's is one of the finest components of song this world has to offer. Who else could put that brave front on the heartbreaking story of "AS USUAL"? All her hits are here, including the great arrangement and brass solo of "LOSING YOU", the bittersweet "YOU CAN DEPEND ON ME", and the bluesy "BREAK IT TO ME GENTLY". Brenda's rockin' sides are also spotlighted in "SWEET NOTHIN'S" and "DUM DUM". Another favorite "TOO MANY RIVERS" is included here, which I haven't seen on other CDs in a long while. Yes, "Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree" is missing, but don't us true Brenda fans already have that? A fine collection. First-Class Hits from One of The First Female Teen Idols Just a teenager when she recorded many of these songs with producer Owen Bradley , Ms. Brenda Lee was among the first and (to these ears) best female teen idols, and "The Brenda Lee Story" is an outstanding overview of her career. Lee could even then sing countrypolitan ballads the near-equal of labelmate Patsy Cline (1960's #1 "I'm Sorry," "Fool #1," the elegant "All Alone Am I"). She also fired up teenage pop fluff like "Sweet Nothins" with a rock n' roll growl her contemporary, Connie Francis, could not manage. (Listen to her line, "My baby gives me that special look," for proof. ) The collection has a few missteps: Hank Williams' "Jambalaya" is a bit too speedy, "You Always Hurt The One You Love" pales next to Clarence Henry's version. But overall, Brenda Lee's "Story" is a fine introduction to her best work, lacking only her Christmas classic "Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree" to make it perfect. You can see a complete list of all Brenda Lee discography, or go back to the Brenda Lee tabs