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.
Hold me
Brenda Lee Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When you're far away I'm always blue
If you want me to remain romantic
Here are all the things you'll have to do
Hold me honey won't you hold he
Hold me never let me go
Take me honey won't you take me
'Cause I love you so
Thrill me, let your kisses thrill me
Just like you alone can do
Hold me tenderly enfold me
Never try to hold me from you
I love every little thing about you
Every thing you say and all you do
I would be a total loss without you
What becomes of me is up to you
Hold me honey won't you hold me
Hold me never let me go
Take me honey won't you take me
Never to forsake me
'Cause I love you so
Thrill me Let your kisses thrill me
Just like you alone can do
Hold me tenderly, enfold me
The song "Hold Me" by Brenda Lee is a classic love ballad that speaks to the feeling of love and longing. The opening line sets the tone of the song, as the singer expresses how being near the person she loves makes her feel romantic, but when they are apart, she feels blue. The rest of the lyrics then lay out what the singer wants the person she loves to do to maintain that romantic feeling. She wants to be held, taken, and thrilled by the one she loves.
The chorus of the song repeats the same plea for the person to hold and take her and never forsake her because she loves him so much. She wants her lover's kisses to thrill her, to make her feel alive, and to be tenderly held and enfolded. The final verse speaks to how much the singer loves everything about her lover and how lost she would be without him. She ultimately leaves her fate up to her lover, indicating that if he holds her, she will remain in love with him.
Overall, the song "Hold Me" by Brenda Lee is a simple yet powerful expression of love, wanting to be close to the one you love, and the importance of physical touch and affection in maintaining a romantic connection.
Line by Line Meaning
When you're near me I feel so romantic
Being around you gives me a feeling of love and affection
When you're far away I'm always blue
I feel sad and gloomy when you are not here with me
If you want me to remain romantic
In order for me to keep feeling this way, there are certain things you'll need to do
Here are all the things you'll have to do
I have a list of requirements to stay in love
Hold me honey won't you hold me
Embrace me and never let me go, my love
Hold me never let me go
Keep your arms around me tight and never release me
Take me honey won't you take me
Take my hand and lead me wherever you go
Never to forsake me 'Cause I love you so
Promise me that you will never leave my side because my love for you is strong
Thrill me, let your kisses thrill me
Give me the excitement and pleasure only your loving kisses can provide
Just like you alone can do
There's no one else who can make me feel this way except for you, my love
Hold me tenderly enfold me
Wrap your loving arms around me gently and securely
Never try to hold me from you
Never distance yourself from me or push me away, my dear
I love every little thing about you
I adore every aspect of your being, my love
Every thing you say and all you do
Your words and actions captivate me, my love
I would be a total loss without you
Without you, I would be completely lost, my dear
What becomes of me is up to you
You hold my heart in your hands and my future is in your control, my dear
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: Barry Gibb, Maurice Ernest Gibb, Robin Gibb
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind