Lee was a musical prodigy and by the time she was two she would hear songs on the radio once and be able to whistle the complete tune. She was five years old when she started to gain wider attention when she won a local singing contest sponsored by the elementary schools. At age 11, she was offered a recording contract with Decca Records and released the song “Dynamite,” leading to her lifelong nickname, “Little Miss Dynamite.”
Lee was popular in the UK very early in her career, and her 1961 rockabilly release “Let’s Jump the Broomstick” did not chart in the US, but went to #12 in the UK. Her biggest hits during this time include a rockabilly version of the country classic “Jambalaya (On the Bayou),” “Sweet Nothin’s,” “I Want to Be Wanted,” “All Alone Am I,” and “Fool #1.”
In 1960, she recorded her signature song, “I’m Sorry,” which hit number one on the Billboard pop chart and was her first gold single. Her last top-10 single on the pop charts was 1963’s “Losing You,” while she continued to have other chart songs such as her 1966 song “Coming On Strong” and “Is It True?” in 1964.
During the early 1970s, Lee re-established herself as a country music artist, and earned a string of Top 10 hits on the country charts. Her biggest selling track of her career is, oddly enough, a Christmas song: “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree.” It was released in 1958, but it sold only 5,000 copies. However, it eventually sold over five million copies and remains a perennial radio favorite each December. In December 2023, Lee became the oldest artist to ever top the Hot 100, when "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" topped the chart 65 years after its release.
Over the ensuing years, Lee has continued to record and perform all around the world, previously cutting records in four different languages. She is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Rockabilly Hall of Fame, and the Hit Parade Hall of Fame. In 1992, she recorded a duet with Willy DeVille; Chuck Berry also wrote a song about her. Lee has been married to Ronnie Shacklett since 1963, and they have two daughters and three grandchildren. She is the second recipient of the Jo Meador-Walker Lifetime Achievement award.
Throughout her career, Brenda Lee has released 41 studio albums, 12 compilation albums, and over 100 singles. She has had numerous top twenty hits on the Billboard Hot 100, Country, and AC charts in the US, UK, and Canada.
Always Something There To Remind Me
Brenda Lee Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You used to walk with me,
And every step I take recalls
How much in love, we used to be
Oh, how can I forget you
When there is always something there to remind me
Always something there to remind me
I was born to love you,
And I will never be free
You'll always be a part of me
When shadows fall, I pass a small cafe
Where we would dance at night
And I can't help recalling
How it felt to kiss and hold you tight
Oh, how can I forget you
When there is always something there to remind me
Always something there to remind me
I was born to love you, and I will never be free
You'll always be a part of me
If you should find you miss the sweet
And tender love we used to share
Just go back to the places
Where we used to go and I'll be there
Oh, how can I forget you
When there is always something there to remind me
Always something there to remind me
I was born to love you, and I will never be free
When there is, when there is
When there is always something there to remind me
In Brenda Lee's song "Always Something There to Remind Me," the singer reminisces about a past love and the bittersweet memories that continue to haunt her. As she walks along the city streets, she is constantly reminded of her former lover who used to stroll beside her. Every step she takes brings back fond recollections of the romance that they shared together. The singer laments that she cannot forget her former love, as there always seems to be something that reminds her of him wherever she turns.
The lyrics paint a vivid picture of their relationship and the places that they would go to together. The shadowy nights at the small café where they would dance, the tender moments of kissing and holding each other tightly. These memories tug at her heartstrings, making it impossible for her to move on. The singer acknowledges that she was born to love him and that he will always be a part of her. She even offers a suggestion to her former lover that if he ever begins to miss their tender love, he should revisit the places they frequented as she will always be there with the memories.
"Always Something There to Remind Me" is a nostalgic love song that captures the universal experience of yearning for a past love. It highlights the emotional baggage that comes with letting go of someone you once loved deeply. The constant reminders of the past can be both a comforting and painful experience. The song is a reminder that while we may move on from certain experiences, the memories of them remain with us forever.
Line by Line Meaning
I walk along the city streets
I am reminded of you every time I walk on these streets that we once walked on together.
You used to walk with me,
You used to be by my side, but now I am alone.
And every step I take recalls
Every step I take, I am reminded of you and the love that we shared.
How much in love, we used to be
We were deeply in love and it hurts to remember how it used to be.
Oh, how can I forget you
It is impossible for me to forget you and the memories we created.
When there is always something there to remind me
There are always things that bring you back to my mind, making it difficult to move on.
I was born to love you,
Loving you is a part of who I am and it will never change.
And I will never be free
I will never stop feeling the pain of losing you and the memories of our love.
When shadows fall, I pass a small cafe
When the night comes and the shadows appear, I pass by a cafe where we used to dance together.
Where we would dance at night
It was in this small café where we shared moments dancing together under the moonlight.
And I can't help recalling
My memories take over and I can't help but remember how it felt to be with you.
How it felt to kiss and hold you tight
I remember how warm and comforting it was to be in your arms and to kiss your lips.
If you should find you miss the sweet
If you should ever miss the love we once shared.
And tender love we used to share
The love we had for each other was pure and sincere.
Just go back to the places
If you ever want to find me or feel my presence, simply go back to the places we used to go to together.
Where we used to go and I'll be there
You will always find me in the memories that we created together because they will never fade away.
When there is always something there to remind me
The pain of losing you never goes away because there will always be memories that remind me of what we once had.
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: HAL DAVID, BURT BACHARACH
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
america1888
Brenda Lee's version of There's Always Something There to Remind Me was released in late summer or early autumn 1971. Brenda Lee's version of the song is better than the Naked Eyes cover, 'cause Brenda Lee's is melancholy, poignant and very softhearted. I prefer Brenda Lee's version for comforting me whenever I'm pissed off or suicidal.
Raymond
Great Version
ANOTHAI HONGSITTEE
I LIKE BRENDA LEE.
Survivrs
Damn, it's taken me soooo long to find an original recording of this song. However, easier said than done because it's been covered by so many people. I always get so pissed off at the version from 1983. I kept telling people it was an old song, and of course we had no internet back then, but I think this is the one I remember from my childhood. Then again there's Dionne Warwick/Burt Bacharach as well. Which one is the right one? Still frustrated but enjoying these old versions.
Survivrs
@fatloadable Thanks for that! I wasn't even 10 when Dionne sang it and I loved it so much.
fatloadable
Dionne Warwick was commissioned to sing the very first demo. Then officially released by Lou.
Chanson60svinyl
The original is by lou johnson, then sandie shaw did it in 1964 and made it a number one hit in the UK and USA, dionne didn't record it until 1968
mcihel henry
Je vous remercie