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.
As Usual
Brenda Lee Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
As usual
When I awake I'll find you gone
As usual
But I can't find a way to let
This crazy heart of mine forget
I pretend you're still beside me
Each evening I take a walk
As usual
I make believe that we still talk
As usual
People always stop and stare
I guess they just don't see you there
Don't they know you'll always be right here
As usual
Today I looked into my mirror
As usual
I told myself that you're still here
As usual
And as I stood there telling lies
The tears began to fill my eyes
'Cause I know I'm only fooling myself
As usual
Brenda Lee's song As Usual is a melancholic ballad that speaks of a love that has ended but still lingers on. The lyrics tell the story of the singer waking up alone, going through her day, and pretending that her lover is still with her. She takes walks each evening, imagining that they are still talking, and even when she looks into the mirror, she tells herself her lover is still there. However, the truth is that she is only fooling herself, and the tears she sheds are proof of that.
The opening lines of the song present a sense of inevitability about the lover's absence. The sun comes up, bringing the dawn - this is what always happens, as usual. The next line shows that the singer has gotten used to her lover's absence in the morning, and she expects to find him gone from her side when she wakes up. The second verse is similar to the first; the singer takes an evening walk, as she usually does, but she imagines that her lover is still with her, talking to her. People who see her talking to herself do not understand that she is only talking to her imagination. The third verse is a reflection of the singer's innermost thoughts - she looks at herself in the mirror and starts telling herself the same lie again.
In conclusion, As Usual is a powerful song that speaks of the difficulty of letting go of a love that has ended. The singer's desperate attempts to hold on to her lover is a universal experience, and the song speaks to many who have gone through similar experiences.
Line by Line Meaning
The Sun comes up and brings the dawn
The day begins as it always does
When I awake I'll find you gone
I wake up every morning to find you're not there
But I can't find a way to let
This crazy heart of mine forget
Despite my efforts, I can't forget about you
I pretend you're still beside me
As usual
I pretend that you're still with me, even though you're not
Each evening I take a walk
As usual
I take a walk every evening, like I always do
I make believe that we still talk
As usual
I imagine that we're still talking, even though we're not
People always stop and stare
I guess they just don't see you there
Don't they know you'll always be right here
As usual
People look at me strangely because they don't see you, but I know you'll always be with me
Today I looked into my mirror
As usual
I looked in the mirror today, like I always do
I told myself that you're still here
As usual
I tell myself that you're still here with me, even though you're not
And as I stood there telling lies
The tears began to fill my eyes
'Cause I know I'm only fooling myself
As usual
As I lied to myself, I started to cry because I knew the truth – I'm just fooling myself like I always do
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: BILL DEMAIN, LARRY GOLDINGS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@pecelirovucago7149
One of my favorites in the beautiful island of Fiji 🇫🇯.
At 15 days away from my 80 year birthday, I’m listening to Brenda Lee As Usual.
@kurman4749
One of the best ballads from the 1960s. I remember it with great affection and the wonderful memories of this song when it was in the charts in February 1964.
@brucewerner6023
Been listening about 65 years---does one ever tire of her music? I think I will just continue as is.
@johnlevison9552
What a great Ballad sung but the fantastic Brenda Lee! Wish they played this one more often! Feel the emotion from this great entertainer! Thanks Brenda,we love you!
@MsMeganstar
I can only listen to so many Brenda Lee songs before I start to cry .... she's brilliant xxx
@colindant3410
I listened to a CD of hers on a car journey yesterday. I thought I'd better something else on to lighten my mood!
@kentcharles6334
Hmm!!...would you believe when that song came out I was only a kid???...And even now as I still listen to it,..it has so much meaning to the life I've been through!!..amazing!!...what a woman!!...she had such powerful voice!!....Brenda your song will always be right here with me!!....
as usual!!....❤
@conwaynick1
I think we have all walked in the shoes of this song...….beautiful
@karenkay8745
Sad but Brilliant song... No harm shedding a tear or two now n again
@Iamedsmum
So many singers in the world - then and now - but for me no-one could ever take the number one place in my heart from Brenda. In a world where stardom and celebrity is so laughingly spread, she is a true star and enduring legend. Miss Lee, you have been the soundtrack to the saddest and happiest times in my life and I could never express how much your voice means to me. Marion, UK