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.
Joy to the World
Brenda Lee Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Let earth receive her King
Let every heart
Prepare Him room
And Heaven and nature sing
And Heaven and nature sing
And Heaven and Heaven and nature sing
Joy to the world, the Savior reigns
Let men their songs employ
While fields and floods
Rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy
Repeat the sounding joy
Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy
He rules the world with truth and grace
And makes the nations proof
The glories of His righteousness
And wonders of His love
And wonders of His love
And wonders, wonders of His love
And wonders, wonders of His love
The song "Joy to the World" by Brenda Lee is a classic Christmas hymn that celebrates the arrival of the Lord and Savior to Earth. The song begins with the declaration that "the Lord has come" and urges the people of the Earth to "receive" him as their king. The second stanza speaks of the reign of the Savior who rules the world with "truth and grace." The third and final stanza celebrates the glories of His righteousness and the wonders of His love.
The overall message of the song is to celebrate the arrival of the Lord and Savior, and to allow Him to take his rightful place in the hearts of all people. The song encourages individuals to prepare their hearts for His arrival, and to rejoice in the hope and promise that He brings. The final stanza speaks to the greatness of His love and the wonders that He brings to the world.
Overall, "Joy to the World" is a timeless hymn that celebrates the hope and joy of the Christmas season, and is a call to all people to embrace the message of the Lord and His love.
Line by Line Meaning
Joy to the world, the Lord is come
Let us celebrate the arrival of the Lord with great joy and jubilation.
Let earth receive her King
May the whole earth welcome and honor its rightful King.
Let every heart Prepare Him room
May everyone open up their hearts to make space for the Lord and receive Him warmly.
And Heaven and nature sing And Heaven and nature sing And Heaven and Heaven and nature sing
Even the heavens and nature join in the song of praise and worship for the Lord.
Joy to the world, the Savior reigns
Let us also celebrate the Lord as our Savior who reigns over all.
Let men their songs employ While fields and floods Rocks, hills and plains
Let everyone sing songs of praise to the Lord, along with the fields, floods, rocks, hills, and plains.
Repeat the sounding joy Repeat the sounding joy Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy
Let the joyful sounds be heard repeatedly all over the world.
He rules the world with truth and grace And makes the nations proof The glories of His righteousness
The Lord leads the world with truth and grace, and His righteousness shines forth as a testimony for all nations to see.
And wonders of His love And wonders of His love And wonders, wonders of His love
The Lord's love is full of wonders that bring about awe and amazement.
And wonders, wonders of His love
The Lord's love is truly wonderful and beyond words.
Lyrics © DistroKid, CONSALAD CO., Ltd., Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Isaac Watts
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind