Brenda Mae Tarpley (born December 11, 1944), known professionally as Brenda… Read Full Bio ↴Brenda Mae Tarpley (born December 11, 1944), known professionally as Brenda Lee is an American country-pop singer who was popular during the 1950s and 1960s. She was given the nickname Little Miss Dynamite after recording Dynamite in 1957, and in the 1960s she had more charted hits than any other woman. Her father was an excellent left-handed pitcher in the Army, and her mother had a Cherokee great-grandparent. She first attracted attention performing in country music venues and her first single, 1957’s “One Step at a Time,” was a country hit.

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.

In The Garden
Brenda Lee Lyrics

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[Chorus]
I beg your pardon
I never promised you a rose garden
Along with the sunshine
There's gonna be a little rain sometime
When you think you gotta give live and let live
Or let go oh

I beg your pardon
I never promised you a rose garden

I could promise you things like big diamond rings
But you won't find roses growin' on a stalk of clover
So you better think it over
With a sweet talkin' you
If I could make it come true
I would give you the world right now on a silver platter
But what would it matter
So smile for a while and let's be jolly Life

Shouldn't be so melancholy Come along and
Share the good times while we can

[Chorus]

I could sing you a tune and promise you the moon
But if that's what it takes to hold you I'd just soon let you go
But there's one thing you ought to know
You better look before you leap, still waters run deep
And there won't always be someone there
To pull you out so you know what I'm talkin' about
So smile for a while and let's be jolly
Life shouldn't be so melancholy
Come along and share the good times while we can

I beg your pardon

I never promised you a rose garden
Along with the sunshine there`s going to be a little rain sometimes

Overall Meaning

In Brenda Lee's song "In the Garden," the chorus repeats "I beg your pardon, I never promised you a rose garden." The metaphorical use of a rose garden represents the illusion of a perfect, easy life. The singer acknowledges that they cannot promise a life without rain, or without hardships. The lyrics go on to discuss the unrealistic expectations people may have in a relationship, such as wanting big diamond rings or being promised the moon, but the singer argues that material possessions and empty promises will not bring happiness. Instead, the singer suggests enjoying the good times together while they can, and being aware that life will not always be easy.

The song's lyrics emphasize that life is not always full of sunshine and good times. It is important not to overpromise on something that cannot be delivered. Instead, people should appreciate the little moments of happiness and be prepared for the hardships that will undoubtedly come in life. By acknowledging the presence of rainy days, people can better cherish the sunny ones.

Line by Line Meaning

I beg your pardon
I apologize for any misconceptions or misunderstandings that may have happened

I never promised you a rose garden
I never offered you a perfect, trouble-free life

Along with the sunshine
Good times and happiness

There's gonna be a little rain sometime
Difficulties and hardships are inevitable

When you think you gotta give live and let live
When you feel like you need to be patient and accept others for who they are

Or let go oh
Or simply move on from something or someone

I could promise you things like big diamond rings
I could make grand promises to impress you

But you won't find roses growin' on a stalk of clover
However, reality is different from what I can offer

So you better think it over
So it's important to consider what really matters

With a sweet talkin' you
With charming words and flattery

If I could make it come true
If I could fulfill all of your dreams

I would give you the world right now on a silver platter
I would do anything to please you and give you the best life possible

But what would it matter
But ultimately, material things don't bring happiness or fulfillment

So smile for a while and let's be jolly Life
So let's enjoy life and find reasons to be happy, even in difficult times

Shouldn't be so melancholy Come along and
Life is not meant to be sad or depressing, so let's come together and

Share the good times while we can
Enjoy and cherish positive moments whenever possible

I could sing you a tune and promise you the moon
I could try to woo you with music and lofty promises

But if that's what it takes to hold you I'd just soon let you go
But if that's what it takes to keep you, then it's probably best to part ways

But there's one thing you ought to know
However, there's an important truth you need to understand

You better look before you leap, still waters run deep
You need to be careful and consider all factors before making a decision, as things may not be as they appear

And there won't always be someone there
You may not always have support or help from others

To pull you out so you know what I'm talkin' about
To rescue you from a difficult situation, so you need to be aware and prepared

Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DANIEL ROLAND LANOIS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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