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.
Just Out of Reach
Brenda Lee Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Dreams that just won't let me be
Blues that keep on bothering me,
Chains that just won't set me free
Too far away from you and all your charms
Just out of reach of my two empty arms
Each night in dreams I see your face,
Then I awake and find you gone,
Then I'm so blue and all alone
So far away from you, so sweet and warm
Just out of reach of my two empty arms
Each night in dreams I see your face,
The moonbeams time cannot erase
Then I awake and I find you gone,
You've made me blue and all alone
So far away from you, so sweet and warm.
Just out of reach of my two empty arms
The lyrics to Brenda Lee's "Just Out of Reach" convey a sense of longing and heartache that come from being unable to be with the person you love. The love described in the song is one that is unattainable, just out of reach. The singer laments the love that "runs away" from her and the dreams that won't let her be, perhaps referring to the constant thoughts and hopes of being reunited with her love. These unfulfilled dreams lead to a persistent feeling of sadness, as the blues keep bothering the singer and the chains won't set her free.
The lyrics go on to describe the vivid imagery that comes to the singer's mind each night in her dreams, where she sees the face of her love. The beauty of these dreams is bittersweet, as they cannot erase the pain of reality when she awakes to find her love gone. The singer is left with a sense of loneliness and yearning, so far away from her love's charm and warmth. The final line of the song, "just out of reach of my two empty arms", drives home the powerful sense of distance between the singer and her love.
Overall, the lyrics to "Just Out of Reach" are a poignant description of unrequited love and the difficult feelings that come with it. The song is a classic in the country and pop genres, and has been covered by several artists over the years.
Line by Line Meaning
Love that runs away from me,
The love I want always seems to escape me and leave me behind.
Dreams that just won't let me be
My dreams keep me longing for things that are out of my reach.
Blues that keep on bothering me,
I'm constantly feeling down because of my unfulfilled desires.
Chains that just won't set me free
I feel trapped by my unrequited love and cannot shake off these feelings.
Too far away from you and all your charms
You are too far away from me, making it impossible for me to experience your affection.
Just out of reach of my two empty arms
No matter how hard I try, I cannot physically reach and hold you, which leaves me feeling empty and alone.
Each night in dreams I see your face,
Despite being apart from you, I continue to envision your face every night in my dreams.
The moonbeams time cannot erase
Even the passage of time does not diminish the love I feel for you.
Then I awake and find you gone,
When I wake up, I realize that you are not actually there, and the reality hits me.
Then I'm so blue and all alone
My feelings of sadness and loneliness are overwhelming when I face the reality of your absence.
So far away from you, so sweet and warm
You are so far away from me, yet the memory of your warmth and sweetness still lingers.
Just out of reach of my two empty arms
I am still unable to hold you, and my longing for your touch persists.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Virgil Stewart
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Linda Walker
I've listened to this 1000 xs and could listen another 1000. She has such a pure voice.
Lester Parfitt
No matter what song brenda sings it makes my heart quiver💓
carb10
Her singing gives me goosebumps and this particular song reduces me to tears for no particular reason
arief budiman
great sound
steelmanK
Many fine artists have recorded this song, among the best are Jim Reeves and George Morgan. This release by Brenda is absolutely magnificent, due in no small part to her orchestra and background singers on this recording. SUPERB!
Sandra Mcknight
beautiful
Nedra Bradley
For real 💞
arief budiman
i swear i love u brenda lee