string(3) "dev" Brenda Lee - This Is Brenda/Emotions - Ace Records

This Is Brenda/Emotions Brenda Lee

£11.50

Genre:
Girls
Label:
Ace Records
Format:
CD
Catalogue Id:
CDCHD 1028

Brenda Lee holds a unique position in my personal record collecting history as the only artist that both my mother and I owned singles by. This seemingly embarrassment-raising conjunction was heightened by the fact that we both appeared to see the worth of each other's choices. On the one hand was the raunchy, gutsy song belting girl whose apparent maturity on disc was only countered by press reports of chaste teen family-based activity, and on the other was the balladeer whose delivery of country tinged material appealed to those over a certain as yet unspecified age. And before some smart-alec Ace staffers assume otherwise, it was my lovely mum who liked the ballads! All this was of course intentional, with American Decca quickly realising her dual appeal as she hit with examples of both styles. Ace's first twofer issue, Grandma What Great Songs You Sang! (1959)/Miss Dynamite (1960) CDCHD 1027, ran the gamut from cosy to dangerous, from the loneliness of I'm Sorry to the rockin' Let's Jump The Broomstick, and as such introduced the incredible range of the talented teen.

This companion issue brings us the third and fourth albums from Ms Lee that were aimed to establish her further on the US scene with a similar mix of known standards and new interpretations of then contemporary songs that partially crossed over to R&B fields. She adds a youthful perspective to Teach Me Tonight, and enjoyed a US No 1 with I Want To Be Wanted with its English lyrics added to the original Italian ballad. She sings Ray Charles' Hallelujah I Love Him So in undeniably cutsie style, slows down Walkin' To New Orleans and also dips into the Domino hit-songbook for Blueberry Hill that she climbs as if it was built for her.

Along with her contemporary Roy Orbison, Brenda was recording in Nashville where she continued to be overseen by the legendary Owen Bradley who was able to draw upon the best of the town's players to cut the clean and professional tracks that never detracted from the primary focus on the teenager. With the release of Emotions (her fourteenth Decca single issued since 1956, and title track to the second album here) as the follow-up to I Want To Be Wanted, it seemed that she was being fully positioned in lush string land. The company, whilst fully exploiting this option on this fourth album with versions of When I Fall In Love and If You Love Me (Really Love Me), were wise enough to also steer her towards more pop orientated material with an excellent version of Will You Love Me Tomorrow and the bouncy Crazy Talk. The latter, in the vein of Sweet Nuthin's, surely should have been allowed a single release but no. Never mind, there was still Dum Dum (not included here) to come along a year or so later.

What perhaps is most noticeable on these two albums, apart from the continuing variety of material, is the assuredness on both Brenda's and the company's part in presenting her to the public. She truly sounds like the seasoned pro that she was, and the arrangements of the better-known standards remain restrained enough to allow her maturing tones to drive everything. Thus Georgia On My Mind and I'm In The Mood For Love, as closing songs on the Emotions album, stand up as amongst the richest and most successful versions of these classics. Brenda had, and continues to have, one of the most distinctive and expressive voices to have emerged in the rock'n'roll era   one that was able to appeal across the generations as in my own case, and one that could handle lyrics from the sublime to the ridiculous and still keep that same appeal. This twofer issue, together with its recent predecessor, make a wonderful way of re-discovering her talent.

by KINGSLEY ABBOTT

 

Share

Track listing

Show

Side 1

Delivery & Returns

Show

We offer free P&P to UK addresses. For all other territories packaging is free and postage is charged on a weight basis.

We use Royal Mail First Class for UK deliveries and standard Air Mail for all other territories, very large orders will usually be sent via parcelforce. You may cancel your order at any time prior to your order being dispatched by emailing us at orders@acerecords.com ensuring that you quote your name, address and order reference number or by telephoning +44 (0) 208 453 1311 between 9am and 5pm GMT/BST, Monday to Friday. Please note: As music downloads are dispatched immediately after purchase, there is no possibility of cancelling these orders.

In the event that any products supplied to you by us are damaged or defective, we agree to replace or repair the damaged or defective products or refund the amount you paid for such goods (including postage & packaging) providing you notify us (either via post at or e-mail: orders@acerecords.com ) and return the goods within 28 days of purchase. Physical goods should be sent back to us in the same condition you received them to: “Returns” Bus Stop Mail Order Ltd, 42-50 Steele Road, London, NW10 7AS. Music downloads should be returned to us via the e-mail address above including a copy of your notification.

You have the right to cancel your order within seven days of purchase, or seven days of receipt of the goods (whichever is the longer). If you choose to cancel your order, full payment will be returned to you. Returned items should be sent to: “Returns” c/o Bus Stop Mail Order Ltd, 42-50 Steele Road, London, NW10 7AS. Music downloads should be returned to us via the email address: orders@acerecords.com including a copy of your notice of cancellation and order number.

Customer reviews

Show

Related products

Customers who bought this item also bought