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.
Night and Day
Brenda Lee Lyrics
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When the jungle shadows fall
Like the tick tick tock of the stately clock
As it stands against the wall
Like the drip drip drip of the raindrops
When the summer shower is through
And a voice within me keeps repeating
You, you , you, you
Only you beneath the moon or under the sun
Whether near to me or far
No matter darling where you are, I think of you
Night and day, day and night, oh why is it so
That this longing for you follows wherever I go
In the roaring traffic's boom
In the silence of my lonely room
I think of you night and day
Night and day, under the hide of me
There's an oh such a hungry yearning burning inside of me
And its torment won't be through
Till you let me spend my life making love to you
Day and night, night and day
And its torment won't be through
Till you let me spend my life making love to you
Day and night, night and day
Day and night, night and day
The song "Night and Day" by Brenda Lee is a yearning love song that expresses the singer’s deep desire for their loved one. The lyrics use a range of sensory details to convey the all-encompassing nature of this love, comparing it to the sound of drums beating in the jungle, a clock ticking on the wall, and raindrops falling after a summer shower. The singer’s longing for their loved one is so strong that it follows them wherever they go, whether they are in the chaos of the city or the quiet of their own room. The phrase "night and day" is repeated throughout the song, emphasizing the idea that the singer's love is constant, whether it is light or dark, near or far.
The central theme of the lyrics is that the singer cannot live without their loved one and that their love is so powerful that it is almost painful. The phrase "there's an oh such a hungry yearning burning inside of me" captures the overwhelming intensity of this feeling. The final repetition of "day and night, night and day" brings the song to a close, emphasizing the idea that the singer's love is ever-present and unrelenting.
Line by Line Meaning
Like the beat beat beat of the tom tom
When the jungle shadows fall
The tom tom's sound echoes in the jungle as the shadows stretch over, just like my love for you does.
Like the tick tick tock of the stately clock
As it stands against the wall
The clock's ticking is a constant reminder of time passing by, that's how often I think of you every day and night.
Like the drip drip drip of the raindrops
When the summer shower is through
The sound of raindrops echoes tranquillity after a summer rain shower, and my feelings for you echo in the same way, constant and calming.
And a voice within me keeps repeating
You, you , you, you
My heart can't stop saying your name to soothe me, it's as if you were always there with me.
Night and day you are the one
Only you beneath the moon or under the sun
Whether near to me or far
No matter darling where you are, I think of you
You are my only one, the one I think of day in and day out, whether you are close or far away, you are the one I always think of.
Night and day, day and night, oh why is it so
That this longing for you follows wherever I go
I can't escape this longing I have for you, no matter where I go, it always follows me, day and night.
In the roaring traffic's boom
In the silence of my lonely room
I think of you night and day
Even in the hustle and bustle of everyday life, or in the silence of my lonely room, you are always on my mind day and night.
Night and day, under the hide of me
There's an oh such a hungry yearning burning inside of me
Deep within me is an insatiable desire for you that never fades, day or night.
And its torment won't be through
Till you let me spend my life making love to you
Day and night, night and day
I'll always feel this way until I have the chance to devote myself to you completely, day and night.
Day and night, night and day
It doesn't matter the time or the circumstance, my love for you will always be there, day and night.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Red Brick Music Publishing
Written by: Cole Porter
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
MrMourice
Charming voice.
Larosa Larosa
Amazing
Stephen Lawrence
Bb Major. This song has more keys than any other!
Eli Ortega,Jr
Now l know who sings great in Bb. Thanks KickAssCarly!