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.
Losing You
Brenda Lee Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Don't ever cry for me
This is goodbye for me
I know we're through
I'm losing you
Love sang it's song for me
Then things went wrong for me
Because I'm losing you
Our love and our devotion
Were deep as any ocean
Then, one day, like the tide you began to change
And you became a perfect stranger
Someone is holding you
Sharing the lips I knew
I can't believe it's true
That I am losing you
I can't believe it's true
That I am losing you
In this song, Brenda Lee is saying goodbye to someone who has become a stranger to her. She tells her lover (or ex-lover) not to cry for her as she has accepted that they are through. She reminisces about how their love was as deep as any ocean, but suddenly things went wrong and the love they had was lost. The singer expresses her sadness and frustration that someone is now holding her loved one, sharing the same lips that she once knew. The last line, "I can't believe it's true that I am losing you" denotes the pain and disbelief that the singer is feeling.
This song highlights the theme of lost love and the pain that comes with it. It captures the emotions of someone trying to come to terms with the end of a relationship. The lyrics are straightforward and relatable, especially for those who have gone through a breakup.
Line by Line Meaning
Don't sigh a sigh for me
Please don't feel sorry for me
Don't ever cry for me
Please don't shed tears over me
This is goodbye for me
I am saying farewell for good
I know we're through
I understand that our relationship is over
I'm losing you
I am losing your love and affection
Love sang it's song for me
At one point, our love was something beautiful
Then things went wrong for me
However, our love didn't last
Nights are too long for me
I find myself lonely without you
Because I'm losing you
My sadness is due to your absence from my life
Our love and our devotion
We were deeply committed to each other
Were deep as any ocean
Our love was immeasurable
Then, one day, like the tide you began to change
Suddenly, you began to act differently towards me
And you became a perfect stranger
It was as though I didn't even know you anymore
Someone is holding you
You are in a relationship with someone else
Sharing the lips I knew
You are intimate with this person, just as you were with me
I can't believe it's true
I struggle to accept this reality
That I am losing you
I am losing you to someone else
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: PIERRE HAVET, JEAN GATSON RENARD, CARL SIGMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Iluvmoviestoomuch 143
Oh…I love Alison! My favorite female vocalist ever. Her voice pierces your soul. So genuine and pure.
Mark Harold
Hello my lady
Michael Sigman
My dad, Carl Sigman (1909-2000), wrote the lyric to "Losing You" for Brenda Lee in 1963. He would be floored if he could hear this beautiful version of his song.
John K
Your dad was clearly an amazing writer. I wish that I could thank him for writing such a beautiful song.
Thanks, Carl.
John Mackey
This is a Beautiful song for which your father wrote and will have to admit Alison Krause does an Amazing job on it.
BALibby
Bless your Dad, Michael, for his beautiful lyrics in this song that Alison performs so lovingly.
Sherry Collins
Gorgeous song! Both versions are amazing!
Jill Wilm
I fell in love with "Losing You" by Brenda when I was in high school. Now I'm falling in love all over again as a 71 year old Alison fanatic. God bless Carl.
BobVog
Wonderful. It just doesn't get any better than this!
Jared-91
Thats a golden voice! Yet she's still incredibly underrated after all these years.