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.
Everybody Loves Me but You
Brenda Lee Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When they told me what to do
Yes, I still have my friends
But I don't have you
And like true friends
They still come around
And say, I'm sorry you're blue
My friends don't know what they've done
Well, they wouldn't understand anyhow
I can't tell them they were wrong
'Cause I'm afraid they'll leave me, too
Now, it's funny but more than ever
I need them now
I still ask my friends what to do
But it seems they don't know how to bring
How to bring you back
They say, what made him go
Yes, like true friends
They still come around
And say, I'm sorry you're blue
Whoa, everybody loves me but you
The lyrics of Brenda Lee's song 'Everybody Loves Me but You' express the profound sadness and loneliness of the singer, who is seemingly surrounded by friends who care about her, but who cannot fill the void left by the one person who truly mattered to her. The first verse sets up the scenario, with the singer regretting having followed the advice of her friends, which led to her losing the one person she cared about. She recognises that she still has her friends, but the second verse suggests that their companionship is not enough. The singer's friends are depicted as kind and empathetic, expressing their concern for her well-being, but they are unable to understand what she is going through. The singer feels unable to confide in them, fearing that they too will abandon her.
The chorus, 'everybody loves me but you', is a stark reminder of the person who is missing from the singer's life. Despite being surrounded by people who care about her, the singer's loneliness is amplified by the absence of the one person she truly loved. The repetition of the phrase in the chorus gives the impression that the singer is trying to convince herself that she is still loved, but it is clear that she is not able to fill the emotional void left by the absence of her loved one. The final verse reveals that the singer is still seeking advice from her friends, but it is clear that they do not have the solution she is looking for. The singer is still searching for an answer, but it seems that none of the people around her are capable of providing the one thing she really needs: the return of the person she loves.
Line by Line Meaning
Why did I listen to my friends
I regret following the advice of my friends
When they told me what to do
When they told me what choices to make
Yes, I still have my friends
I still have my friends in my life
But I don't have you
But I lost you
And like true friends
As true friends do
They still come around
They still visit me
And say, I'm sorry you're blue
And console me for being sad
Whoa, everybody loves me but you
Everyone else cares about me except you
My friends don't know what they've done
My friends are unaware of their mistake
Well, they wouldn't understand anyhow
They wouldn't comprehend it anyway
I can't tell them they were wrong
I cannot tell them they made a mistake
'Cause I'm afraid they'll leave me, too
Because I fear they will abandon me as well
Now, it's funny but more than ever
Now it's ironic but more important than ever
I need them now
I need my friends now
I still ask my friends what to do
I still seek advice from my friends
But it seems they don't know how to bring
But they seem to be unable to help me bring
How to bring you back
How to bring you back to me
They say, what made him go
They ask me what caused you to leave
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: RONNIE SELF
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@sauquoit13456
On this day in 1962 {May 27th} "Everybody Loves Me But You" by Brenda Lee peaked at #2 {for 1 week} on Billboard's Easy Listening chart, for the week it was at #2, the #1 record for that week was "Stranger On The Shore" by Mr. Acker Bilk...
"Everybody Love Me But You" reached #6 on Billboard's Top 100 chart...
Between 1962 and 1998 the Atlanta, Georgia native had twenty records on the Easy Listening chart, fifteen made the Top 10 with one reaching #1, "All Alone Am I", for five weeks in November of 1962...
Brenda Lee, born Brenda Mae Tarpley, celebrated her 75th birthday five months ago on December 11th, 2019...
*And from the 'For What It's Worth' department, the remainder of the Easy Listening Top 10 on May 27th, 1962:
At #3. "Old Rivers" by Walter Brennan
#4. "Second Hand Love" by Connie Francis
#5. "P.T. 109" by Jimmy Dean
#6. "Follow That Dream" by Elvis Presley
#7. "Funny Way of Laughin'" by Burl Ives
#8. "Caterina" by Perry Como
#9. "Teach Me Tonight" by George Maharis
#10. "That's Old Fashioned" by the Everly Brothers
@pjf654
what a great song from 1962....... Why did I listen to my friends?
When they told me what to do
Yes, I still have my friends
But I don't have you
And like true friends
They still come around
And say, "I'm sorry you're blue"
Oh, everybody loves me but you
My friends don't know what they've done
And well, they wouldn't understand anyhow
I can't tell them they were wrong
'Cause I'm afraid they'll leave me, too
Now, it's funny but more than ever
I need them now
I still ask my friends what to do
But it seems they don't know
How to bring, how to bring you back
They say, "What made him go?"
Yes, like true friends
They still come around
And say, "I'm sorry you're blue"
Oh, everybody loves me but you.......1962
@prayyyyeeetttt
Why did I listen to my friends
When they told me what to do
Yes, I still have my friends
But I don't have you
And like true friends, they still come around
And say, "I'm sorry you're blue"
Oh, everybody loves me but you
My friends don't know what they've done
Well, they wouldn't understand anyhow
I can't tell them they were wrong
'Cause I'm afraid they'll leave me, too
Now it's funny but more than ever
I need them now
I still ask my friends what to do
But it seems they don't know
How to bring, how to bring you back
They say, "what made him go?"
Yes, like true friends, they still come around
And say, "I'm sorry you're blue"
Oh, everybody loves me but you
@magictime100
Cold CASE + Brenda Lee = PERFECT
@pablobroisinvacas5332
u got it damn god
@lowluvgirl79
Cold Case brought me here too! I like a few of Brenda Lee’s songs, but I’d never heard this one before! It’s a lovely song!
@charlottecasellas3478
Just watched it..love Brenda Lee
@barbarabutterfield2679
Yes! I just saw this episode of Cold Case and had to find this song!
@jeanvh1996
I just saw that episode and i figured out findin this song
@buddhacook1087
I heard this song tonight on a re-run of Cold Case (Season 5) on TV
tonight & I haven't heard that since I was very young ...
& no, I'm not that old either ...
when my dad was alive, he used to luv playing this music.
Thanks for the memories 😀
A passing Aussie 👍
@akatheheretic3014
Never Realized , how Great a Voice 😌
She Had . . till the "Cold case" episode ! 😉👍
Who's here . . In 2023 ?? 🤔
@Gay-Shuh_Edwards
🙋🏽♀️🙋🏽♀️ here in 2023 and just saw that Cold Case rerun 😊🧡💕
@akatheheretic3014
@Gasha Edwards
Heard her sing , a few times . . Back in the 1960's .
She was a real Spit fire 🔥 !! 😉