Customer Reviews
FABULOUS BRENDA LEE!!!!
I already had a BRENDA LEE CD, but took a chance on this one, and am so glad I did! Brings back so many great memories of growing up with fun, great-to-dance-to, love ballads! I saw Brenda Lee last August at Chastain Park in Atlanta, GA. I just can't stop listening to this wonderful compilation of Brenda Lee songs! I keep putting "Weep No More My Baby" on REPEAT!!! Haven't heard that one since the early 60s. She was great! She enjoys the audience as much as we enjoy her! Was a memorable concert! I will forever be a BIG FAN of Brenda Lee!.
Little Miss Dynamite Is One Among A Very Unique Quartet
Soon she was a regular on the Ozark Jubilee and in 1956 cut the Hank Williams' hit Jambalaya for Decca, a local hit only, and clearly "country" through-and-through. Born in Atlanta, Georgia on December 11, 1944, she was just eleven when "discovered" by the late, great Red Foley in 1955. Her first national hit came in 1957 when One Step At A Time rose to # 15 Country in April AND # 43 Billboard Top 100 in March. That would also be her last Country hit for 14 years.
That August Dynamite stalled at # 72 Top 100, although it did lead to her now familiar nick-name. It was also her last Pop hit for two years, likely because the teeny-boppers realized she was younger than THEY were.
But in 1960 she returned with the huge hit Sweet Nothin's which, b/w Weep No More My Lady, charged to # 4 Billboard Hot 100 and # 12 R&B in April. Three months later she was back with the double-sided hit I'm Sorry (# 1 Hot 100 for 3 weeks/# 4 R&B) b/w That's All You Gotta Do (# 6 Hot 100/# 19 R&B).
Clearly, with those R&B crossovers, she had widespread appeal and proved it again in October when I Want To Be Wanted hit # 1 Hot 100 and # 7 R&B. Unfortunately, the flipside, Just A Little, although a # 40 Hot 100 by itself, is omitted from this anthology. That Christmas a record she had cut back in 1958, Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree, made it to # 14 Hot 100 b/w Papa Noel. What a year!
It continued in 1961 when she started off with yet another two-sided hit, Emotions (# 7 Hot 100) b/w I'm Learning About Love (# 33 Hot 100). Again, the flipside is missing from this set. In May, You Can Depend On Me (b/w It's Never Too Late) made it to # 6 Hot 100 and # 25 R&B, followed quickly by the rocking Dum Dum which rose to # 4 Hot 100 in August b/w Eventually, which also made it to # 56 Hot 100 (but is not included). Two months later came yet another double hit, Fool # 1 (# 3 Hot 100) b/w Anybody But Me (# 33 Hot 100 and not included).
The double hits rolled on into 1962 when Break It To Me Gently reached # 4 Hot 100 and the flip, So Deep, topped out at # 52 Hot 100 in February, followed in May by Everybody Loves Me But You (# 2 on the new Adult Contemporary (AC) charts and # 6 Hot 100) b/w Here Comes That Feelin' (# 89 Hot 100 and not included), and in August by Heart In Hand (# 4 AC/# 15 Hot 100) b/w It Started All Over Again (# 29 Hot 100 - not included). She then capped an excellent year with All Alone Am I which went all the way to # 1 AC (for 5 weeks)/# 3 Hot 100 in November.
Brenda began 1963 with yet another two-sided hit, Your Used To Be (# 15 AC and # 32 Hot 100 in February) b/w She'll Never Know (# 15 AC/# 47 Hot 100) - but neither side is included here. The double hits continued in April/ May when Losing You went to # 2 AC/# 6 Hot 100/# 13 R&B b/w He's So Heavenly which made it to # 73 Hot 100. And even though she would never again cross over to the R&B charts, Brenda would go on to record another ten Top 40 Hot 100 and 14 AC hits to 1967, as well as a number of lesser sides, and all but Think (# 4 AC/# 25 Hot 100 in 1964), Rusty Bells (# 3 AC/# # 33 Hot 100 in 1965), and Ride, Ride, Ride (# 37 Hot 100 in 1967) - among the major hits - are in this set.
In 1971 she would also return to her Country roots, chalking up 18 Top 40 hits to 1985, three of which you get here: Nobody Wins (# 5 Country/# 70 Hot 100 in 1973), and Big Four Poster Bed (# 4 Country) and Rock On Baby (# 6 Country) in 1974.
What we need to see now is a volume 2 of the anthology incorporating all the missing hits which continued on into the 1970s. Especially considering that she is one of a very unique quartet of singing stars who can lay claim to being the only ones to have been inducted into both the Country Music and Rock & Roll Halls Of Fame - the others being Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash and The Everly Brothers. Pretty heady company.
WOW!! "LITTLE MISS DYNAMITE!!"
This is one great compilation of Brenda Lee's early career! When I first heard her sing back in '56, her voice just blew me away! I thought, "There's no way she's only eleven years old!" Well. . she was only eleven and turned out to be a child prodigy. Brenda was also fortunate to have superb back-up musicians on her recordings. Give a listen to "Losing You" with Don Sheffield's beautiful trumpet solo. It is
extraordinary!! This anthology has all of her big hits, plus a few that
deserve some belated attention. For those of you over 55, it will definitely help you re-live the soundtrack of your life!! For you younger folks, acquaint yourselves with a remarkable voice ala Charlotte Church and Leann Rimes. Brenda Lee is one of the all-time greats!!!.
. You can see a complete list of all Brenda Lee discography, or go back to the Brenda Lee tabs
|
