Jan Berry and Dean Torrence began singing together after football practice … Read Full Bio ↴Jan Berry and Dean Torrence began singing together after football practice at University High School in Los Angeles in the late 1950s. Primitive recording sessions followed soon after in a makeshift studio in Jan's garage. They first performed on stage as The Barons at a high school dance. Then they were known as Jan & Arnie. After Dean returned from a stint in the army reserves, the duo began to make music as Jan & Dean in 1958.

Jan Berry and Brian Wilson collaborated on roughly a dozen hits and album cuts for Jan & Dean, including the number one national hit, "Surf City" (1963). Subsequent Top-10 hits for Jan & Dean included "Honolulu Lulu," "Drag City," "The Little Old Lady from Pasadena," and "Dead Man's Curve" -- which became eerily portentous when Berry received severe head injuries in an automobile accident just a short distance from Dead Man's Curve in April 1966.

This accident marked the end of their commercial peak, during which they'd scored an impressive total of 26 chart hits over eight years. The group finally stopped performing after Jan Berry died in March 2004.

Jennie Lee
Jan & Dean Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

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Many a girl I met or knew
Oh, all my life I'd try for you
A name so sweet as Jennie Lee

Her heart is true and just for me
Oh, Jennie (Jennie Lee)
Oh, Jennie (Jennie Lee)
Oh, Jennie (Jennie Lee)
Oh, Jennie (Jennie Lee)

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I met her just a year ago
My love for her will grow and grow
Her bright eyes make a fire in me
Now I cannot live without Jennie Lee
Oh, Jennie (Jennie Lee)
Oh, Jennie (Jennie Lee)
Oh, Jennie (Jennie Lee)
Oh, Jennie (Jennie Lee)

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Now If I were only seventeen
There'd be no one left to bother me
I'm gonna marry just wait and see
To a sweet little girl named Jennie Lee
Oh, Jennie (Jennie Lee)
Oh, Jennie (Jennie Lee)
Oh, Jennie (Jennie Lee)
Oh, Jennie (Jennie Lee)

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Jennie Lee

Overall Meaning

The song "Jennie Lee" by Jan & Dean is a classic 1950s pop song that celebrates young love. The song is a tribute to a girl named Jennie Lee, who the singer has fallen head over heels for. The song's catchy chorus of "Oh, Jennie (Jennie Lee)" is repeated throughout the song, creating a playful and upbeat tone.

The lyrics describe the singer's infatuation with Jennie Lee, who has captured his heart. He speaks of his love for her bright eyes, her sweet name, and her true and just heart. He declares that he cannot live without her and that he intends to marry her someday. The song reflects the spirit of young love, hope, and optimism that was prevalent in the 1950s.

Overall, "Jennie Lee" is a simple, catchy pop song that celebrates the joy of falling in love. It offers a snapshot of a bygone era when love was simple, and the future was full of possibilities.

Line by Line Meaning

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Repetitive beat used for emphasis

Many a girl I met or knew
I have encountered many girls in my life

Oh, all my life I'd try for you
I have been searching for someone like you all my life

A name so sweet as Jennie Lee
Your name is incredibly lovely, Jennie Lee

Her heart is true and just for me
You have a pure and honest heart that belongs to me, Jennie Lee

Oh, Jennie (Jennie Lee)
Direct address to Jennie Lee

I met her just a year ago
I only recently met Jennie Lee

My love for her will grow and grow
My feelings for her are continually growing stronger

Her bright eyes make a fire in me
Your vibrant eyes ignite a passionate flame within me, Jennie Lee

Now I cannot live without Jennie Lee
I cannot imagine my life without you, Jennie Lee

Now If I were only seventeen
If I were younger and carefree