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.
The Grass Is Greener
Brenda Lee Lyrics
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But I threw it away
I thought the grass was greener there
Where I wandered one day
I left your arms for someone else
But he was never true
I thought the grass was greener there
Now here am I so blue
Now another, now another, holds your hand
And there's nothing, there's nothing left for me
And it hurts so much to see her stand
Where I once used to be
It breaks my heart when you walk by
So near and yet so far
And the grass is really greener there
For that's just where you are
I know the grass is greener there
For that's just where you are
The lyrics of Brenda Lee's "The Grass Is Greener" speaks about a person who had everything when they were with their love interest, but made the mistake of leaving for someone else. It is a common human tendency to think that one can have something better than what they already have, which is usually not the case.
The singer in the song realizes that they made a mistake when they left their loved one and that the grass was not greener on the other side, but had in fact turned brown. The pain of seeing their ex-lover with someone else and feeling replaceable is excruciating, and they understand that they have lost something valuable. It serves as a poignant message to the listener that one should never take what they have for granted and that the perceived greener grass may turn out to be a mirage.
Line by Line Meaning
I had the world when you were mine
When we were together, my life was complete and I had everything I could ask for.
But I threw it away
Unfortunately, I made a mistake and gave up everything we had.
I thought the grass was greener there
I believed that there was something better out there, something that I didn't have with you.
Where I wandered one day
I went out exploring, looking for something more exciting and different.
I left your arms for someone else
I ended our relationship and started seeing someone else.
But he was never true
Unfortunately, the person I left you for wasn't faithful and didn't treat me well.
Now here am I so blue
I am now feeling sad and regretful for the decision I made to leave you.
Now another, now another, holds your hand
You have moved on and found happiness with someone else.
And there's nothing, there's nothing left for me
I am left with nothing, feeling jealous of the person who is now with you.
And it hurts so much to see her stand
It is painful for me to see the new person standing where I used to be.
Where I once used to be
I used to occupy that special place next to you.
It breaks my heart when you walk by
Seeing you reminds me of what I have lost, and it makes me sad.
So near and yet so far
You are physically close, but emotionally you are far away from me.
And the grass is really greener there
The situation is truly better when you are there.
For that's just where you are
You are the reason why the situation is better there.
I know the grass is greener there
I now realize and acknowledge that the best place for me is by your side.
For that's just where you are
You are the one who brings happiness and fulfillment to my life.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Barry Mann, Mike Anthony
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind