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.
Bill Bailey
Brenda Lee Lyrics
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Won't you come home?
I mean the whole night long
I'll do the cookin; honey
I'll pay the rent
I know I done you wrong
Yeah! Remember that rainy evenin'
With nothin' but a fine tooth comb
Yeah! I know I'm to blame
Well, ain't it a shame
Bill Bailey, won't you please come home?
Well, won't you come home, Bill Bailey
Won't you come home?
I mean the whole night long
I'll do the cookin; honey
I'll pay the rent
I know I done you wrong
Yeah! Remember that rainy evenin'
I threw you out
With nothin' but a fine tooth comb
Yeah! I know I'm to blame
Well, ain't it a shame
Bill Bailey, won't you please come home?
Well remember that rainy evenin'
I threw you out
With nothin' but a fine tooth comb
Yeah! I know I'm to blame
Well, ain't it a shame
Bill Bailey, won't you please come home?
In "Bill Bailey Won't You Please Come Home," Brenda Lee is pleading for her lover, Bill Bailey, to return home. She admits that she is at fault for the breakup, but she promises to make it up to him by doing the cooking and paying the rent. The song is a classic form of the blues, with Brenda Lee singing in a mournful tone that is typical of the genre.
The song's lyrics suggest that Brenda Lee regrets her past behavior that led to her lover's departure. The line "I know I done you wrong" suggests that she knows she hurt her lover, and now she is trying to make amends. The line "Remember that rainy evening, I threw you out, with nothing but a fine tooth comb" emphasizes just how much she wants her lover to return, by showing how much she has lost without him.
The song's title and refrain are taken from the traditional song "Bill Bailey, Won't You Please Come Home," which was written in 1902 by Hughie Cannon. The song has been covered by numerous artists over the years, including Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, and B.B. King. It has also been featured in several films, including "Palm Springs" and "The Cotton Club."
Line by Line Meaning
Well, won't you come home, Bill Bailey
The singer is pleading with Bill Bailey to come home.
Won't you come home?
The singer desperately wants Bill Bailey to return home.
I mean the whole night long
The singer wants Bill Bailey to stay with her all night long.
I'll do the cookin; honey
The artist promises to cook for Bill Bailey.
I'll pay the rent
The artist promises to pay the rent to keep their home.
I know I done you wrong
The singer acknowledges that she has hurt Bill Bailey in some way.
Yeah! Remember that rainy evenin'
The singer reminds Bill Bailey of a specific negative event in the past.
I threw you out
The artist kicked Bill Bailey out of their home.
With nothin' but a fine tooth comb
The artist emphasizes that Bill Bailey left with very little belongings.
Yeah! I know I'm to blame
The artist acknowledges that she is solely responsible for the situation.
Well, ain't it a shame
The singer expresses regret and sadness about the situation.
Bill Bailey, won't you please come home?
The artist ends the song by repeating her plea for Bill Bailey to come back home.
Lyrics © O/B/O DistroKid, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: HUGHIE (PD WRITER) CANNON, MASON DARING
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind