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.
You Can Depend On Me
Brenda Lee Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'll always love you
And you can depend on me
Though someone that you've met
Has made you forget
Honey, you know
You can count on me
When I wish, I wish you success
And loads, loads of happiness
But baby, I gotta confess
I'll be lonely
If you ever, ah, if you ever need a friend
I'll be yours until the end
And you can depend on me
I wish you success
And loads of happiness
But, darling, I gotta confess
I'm gonna be lonely
Oh if you ever, ah, if you ever need a friend
I'll be right by your side ah, until the end
And you can depend on me
Brenda Lee's You Can Depend on Me is a song about a love that persists even after a breakup. The song is composed of two parts. In the first part, the singer tells the listener that she still loves him even though they are no longer together. The singer assures the listener that he can always depend on her, no matter what, and that she will always be there for him.
In the second part of the song, the singer wishes the listener happiness and success, but admits that she will be lonely without him. She tells him that if he ever needs a friend, she will be there for him until the end. The song conveys a sense of sadness and longing, but also of loyalty and devotion.
The lyrics are simple but emotional, and Brenda Lee delivers them with her signature soulful voice. The song is a testament to the enduring power of love, even when it seems to have ended.
Line by Line Meaning
Though you say we're through
Despite the fact that you say our relationship is over
I'll always love you
My love for you will endure even if we're not together
And you can depend on me
I will be there for you no matter what
Though someone that you've met
Even though you've met someone else
Has made you forget
Who has caused you to forget about our love
Honey, you know
My dear, you understand
You can count on me
You can trust and rely on me
When I wish, I wish you success
When I hope, I hope for your success
And loads, loads of happiness
And an abundance of joy
But baby, I gotta confess
But my love, I need to admit
I'll be lonely
I will feel alone
If you ever, ah, if you ever need a friend
If you ever require companionship
I'll be yours until the end
I will always be there for you
And you can depend on me
As always, you can trust and rely on me
I wish you success
Once again, I hope for your success
And loads of happiness
And an abundance of joy
But, darling, I gotta confess
However, my love, I need to tell you
I'm gonna be lonely
I will be lonely without you
Oh if you ever, ah, if you ever need a friend
If you ever find yourself in need of companionship
I'll be right by your side ah, until the end
I will always be there for you until the end
And you can depend on me
And as always, you can trust and rely on me
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing
Written by: CHARLES CARPENTER, EARL HINES, LOUIS DUNLAP
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
peter .farias
great song from 1961 "You Can Depend On Me"
Though you say we are through
I'll always love you
And you can depend on me
Though someone that you met
Has made you forget
Honey, you know, you can count on me
Well, I wish, I wish you success
And loads, loads of happiness
But, baby, I've gotta confess
I'll be lonely
If you ever, ah, if you ever need a friend
I'll be yours until the end
And you can depend on me
I wish you success
And loads of happiness
But, darling, I've gotta confess
I'm gonna be lonely
If you ever, ah, if you ever need a friend
I'll be yours right by your side ah until the end
And you can depend on me........1961
peter .farias
great song from 1961 "You Can Depend On Me"
Though you say we are through
I'll always love you
And you can depend on me
Though someone that you met
Has made you forget
Honey, you know, you can count on me
Well, I wish, I wish you success
And loads, loads of happiness
But, baby, I've gotta confess
I'll be lonely
If you ever, ah, if you ever need a friend
I'll be yours until the end
And you can depend on me
I wish you success
And loads of happiness
But, darling, I've gotta confess
I'm gonna be lonely
If you ever, ah, if you ever need a friend
I'll be yours right by your side ah until the end
And you can depend on me........1961
Mycroft Vieira
músicas antigas sempre melhores 🖤
mkl62
This hit from Brenda Lee went to #6 on the Top 40 charts. It went to #7 on the Cash Box charts and to #25 on the Rhythm & Blues charts. It would finish at #93 for the year, 1961.
Savadorason1
-Damn, this is 1 of the sweetest songs ever, & I haven't even heard All the songs ever made. But this got my heart.
S.D
Amazing Brenda Lee With Another Great Song & Voice. Massive Fan For Decades. So Touching & Emotional Song. ❤️👩🦳🇬🇧👍
Bronxboy47
The unforgettable, Miss Lee!
Mario, Gino Linder
One of my favorite 🥰 thanks my best Ballade and Rocks Singer ever.
Marcus Brown
I tried to help a old friend, she refused. But you can count on me. Put your pride away.true friends are rare.
S.D
Beautiful Song From Brenda…❤️❤️🇬🇧👍
James Perry
This song is actually from the 1930's Swing Era ...and was a hit for Count Basie and Jimmy Rushing.