Disco de Brenda Lee: “This Is Brenda / Emotions [Remaster]”

Many years have passed since I was sitting in a music booth at Wallich's Music City on the corner of Sunset and Vine in Hollywood listening to Brenda Lee's latest albums This Is... & Emotions. I was all of 14 years old and thought (and still do) that Brenda Lee was the greatest female singer on the planet. I had managed to save enough of my allowance to purchase the two albums for the ungodly amount of $8.00. I'm sure I got lectured about my frivolous purchase.

Brenda's songs and vocal performances were priceless to me. As much as I was in awe of Brenda's vocals on the ballads, I was always delighted to hear the rockers as well. Too bad the people at Decca Records steered Brenda to record lounge music during most of her sixties recordings. I'm sure Brenda was always a rock and roller and heart.

If you ever want to take a journey to a better time and place these albums will take you there.

I'm glad I grew up in the musical era that I did.

This is a great two album choice for any Brenda Lee fan. Most of her best tunes are included and the digital sound quality is great. Do buy this cd, you won't be disappointed.

This is Brenda Lee's 3rd & 4th L.P. from 1960 and 61 on one C.D.

Only three months after Brenda's 2nd album charted, her third album was released.

Brenda's THIRD album, "THIS IS, BRENDA" immediately hit the chart

and stayed there for 41 weeks, achieving a peak position of #4.

"I want to be wanted" b/w "Just a little" in 1960 ~ #1 and #40 respectfully.

Later that year Brenda participated in a package show organised by Dick Clark.

She toured the U.S. for five weeks with Chubby Checker, Fabian, Freddy Cannon, and Duane Eddy.

Brenda's manager Dub Allbritten was marketing Brenda to have a global image rather then only the U.S.

So Allbritten and Brenda's producer Owen Bradley tailored her releases

for an international audience, concentrating mainly on "big sweeping ballads".

Although the hit single on this album is a ballad, half of these tracks are uptempo ~ rockers.

"When my Dreamboat comes home"

"Just a little"

"Love and learn"

"Hallelujah, I love him so"

"Blueberry Hill"

"Build a big fence".

Brenda's FORTH album "EMOTIONS" stayed on the album chart in 1961 for 33 weeks peaking at #24.

Again the single release was a ballad.

"Emotions" b/w "I'm learning about love" ~ #7 and #33 respectfully.

Here among some great ballads are these uptempo - rockers.

"Crazy talk"

"Around the world"

"Swanee River rock"

"I'm learning about love"

"Will you love me tomorrow".

These are the exact album original recordings, remastered by Ace Records in 2004.

All 24 tracks are stereo, and sound exceptional!

The 10 page cover booklet is nice in every way, heavy paper, colored photo's,

and a nice overview of Brenda's career to the point of this set.

This is an overall great collection of music that is outstandingly presented.

Mrs Lee was 16 years old when this was recorded. I f I would not have said that you would think that voice is coming from a more mature voice. It has that rock, soul rockabilly style and if you listen to it you can hear the sounds that some of our younger singers are doing . Compare it with Amy Winehouse , Duffy, ect. This is from where all that came from and it's the real thing

CD N°2 of a beautiful series of 5 CD's.

If you are intersted read my review at CD N°1: Brenda Lee, "Grandma, what great songs you sang!/Miss Dynamite".

Ciao,

Franco