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.
If You Love Me
Brenda Lee Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
If the sea should suddenly run dry
If you love me, really love me
Let it happen, I won't care
If it seems that everything is lost
I will smile and never count the cost
If you love me, really love me
Shall I catch a shooting star?
Shall I bring it where you are?
If you want me to, I will
You can set me any task
I'll do anything you ask
If you'll only say you love me still
When at last our life on earth is through
I will share eternity with you
If you love me, really love me
Let it happen, I won't care
If you love me, really love me
Let it happen, darling, I won't care
In Brenda Lee's song, "If You Love Me," the singer is conveying that true love is unconditional. The first two lines of the song provide a sense of hyperbole. The sun tumbling from the sky and the sea drying up are impossible scenarios, yet she's saying that even in the most extraordinary of moments, her love's devotion will remain unchanged. She's telling her partner that whatever happens in their lives, good or bad, she will never question their love, and they can always count on her affection remaining whole.
The second verse of the song shows the singer’s willingness to go an extra mile for her beloved. She asks if she should catch a shooting star and bring it where her partner is, and makes a promise to do anything they ask. The final verse is a testament to the strength of the singer's commitment to her partner. She promises to share eternity with them when they pass away. She indicates that no matter what life throws at either of them, the love they share is strong enough to last forever.
Overall, this song highlights the concept of genuine love surviving any challenge present along the relationship's path, whether those are hypothetical, abstract, or concrete.
Line by Line Meaning
If the sun should tumble from the skies
Even if the most unanticipated thing happens like the sun falling down, if you love me truly, I won't be bothered about it.
If the sea should suddenly run dry
Even if the biggest catastrophe strikes like the sea drying up, if you actually love me, I won't mind it.
If you love me, really love me
True love is the only thing that matters and it makes everything else seem insignificant.
Let it happen, I won't care
Even if the worst happens, the artist will not be affected by it because of the unmatched love they share.
Shall I catch a shooting star?
The artist is willing to go to any extent to please their lover, even if it means doing the impossible like catching a shooting star.
Shall I bring it where you are?
The singer is not afraid of anything, they are willing to cross any boundary or hurdle to make their lover content.
If you want me to, I will
The singer is ready to fulfill their lover's every whim, as long as they pledge their love.
You can set me any task
The artist's devotion to their lover has no boundaries or restrictions, they are willing to do anything asked of them.
I'll do anything you ask
The artist's loyalty is unbreakable, they will stop at nothing to make their lover happy.
If you'll only say you love me still
All the artist desires is for their lover to reciprocate their love, and that is enough for them to do anything.
When at last our life on earth is through
The singer's love transcends time and mortality; even after their life on earth is over, their love for their lover will endure.
I will share eternity with you
The artist's love is eternal and infinite, and they want to spend the rest of eternity with their lover.
If you love me, really love me
The song reiterates the fact that true love is the only thing that matters and can make everything else look insignificant.
Let it happen, I won't care
The singer wants to assure their lover that no matter what happens, their love can overcome anything and they won't be affected.
If you love me, really love me
The line sums up the message of the song, that true love is all that is needed for two people to overcome every obstacle.
Let it happen, darling, I won't care
The artist's love for their lover is so intense that nothing else matters, as long as their love remains intact.
Lyrics © RAOUL BRETON EDITIONS, Kanjian Music, BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: Marguerite Monnot, Geoffrey Parsons, Edith Piaf
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind