Brenda Lee Sings Top Teen Hits

Last updated
Brenda Lee Sings Top Teen Hits
Brenda Lee--Top Teen Hits.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedFebruary 15, 1965 (1965-02-15)
RecordedSeptember–October 1964
Studio
  • Columbia, Nashville, Tennessee
  • Decca #2 Studio
Genre
Label Decca
Producer
Brenda Lee chronology
Merry Christmas from Brenda Lee
(1964)
Brenda Lee Sings Top Teen Hits
(1965)
The Versatile Brenda Lee
(1965)
Singles from Brenda Lee Sings Top Teen Hits
  1. "When You Loved Me"
    Released: September 1964
  2. "Is It True"
    Released: October 1964
  3. "Thanks a Lot"
    Released: January 1965

Brenda Lee Sings Top Teen Hits is a studio album by American singer Brenda Lee. It was released by Decca Records on February 15, 1965, and contained 12 tracks. The album mostly featured songs made popular during the era in which it was released. Three additional songs were new recordings which were singles for Lee: "When You Loved Me", "Is It True" and "Thanks a Lot". Of its three singles, "Is It True" made the top 20 in the US and the UK. The album was met with positive reviews upon its release.

Contents

Background, recording and content

Brenda Lee became a commercial success as a teen recording country music and rock and roll during the 1950s. In the 1960s, Lee had further success recording pop material with songs like "I'm Sorry", "I Want to Be Wanted" and "Break It to Me Gently". These recordings reached the top ten and number one on the record charts through 1963. By 1964, Lee's singles only reached the US top 20 but were still met with a larger record-buying popularity in Europe. Among her top 20 recordings during this period was "Is It True". [4] The song would be featured on Brenda Lee Sings Top Teen Hits. [5]

The album was compiled from recording sessions held at the Columbia Studio in Nashville, Tennessee in sessions produced by Owen Bradley. It also one recording ("Is It True") produced with Mickie Most at the Decca #2 Studio in London, England. [6] [5] The album consisted of 12 tracks. [1] A majority of the album contained songs made popular by other recording artists from the era. This included "Dancing in the Street", "Can't Buy Me Love", "Wishin' and Hopin'" and "Funny How Time Slips Away". [2] [7] Three of these songs were originals that were Lee's singles from 1964 and 1965: "Is It True", "Thanks a Lot" and "When You Loved Me". [5]

Release and critical reception

Brenda Lee Sings Top Teen Hits was released by Decca Records on February 15, 1965. It was distributed as a vinyl LP, with six sides on each side of the record. It was Lee's eleventh studio album in her career. [5] Top Teen Hits was one of the first Decca albums issued in Brazil. This did not occur until 1966. [8] The album was given positive reviews from critics upon its release. Billboard gave it a positive response: "A dozen top teen hits of the past are given the inimitable Lee styling and the result is a powerful package of good material and exceptional performances." [2] Record World also praised the record: "Label has a winning album with their best bet songstress reprising some of the hits of the past year, including a couple of her own." [7]

Singles

Three singles were included on Brenda Lee Sings Top Teen Hits. [5] "When You Loved Me" was the first single released in August 1964. [9] It reached number 47 on the US Hot 100 [10] and number nine on the US adult contemporary chart. [11] "Is It True" was the album's most successful single, peaking at number 17 on both the US Hot 100 [10] and the UK Singles Chart. [12] It was her second-highest-charting single on Canada's RPM Top Singles chart, peaking at number eight. [13] The third single was "Thanks a Lot", issued by Decca in January 1965. [14] The song only reached the top 50 in both the US and the UK. [10] [12] In Canada, it reached the number 14 position. [13]

Track listing

Side one [5]
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Dancing in the Street"2:39
2."The Crying Game" Geoff Stephens 2:38
3."Thanks a Lot"
2:37
4."Let It Be Me"3:04
5."He Loves You" Lennon–McCartney
6."Snap Your Fingers"
2:54
Side two [5]
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Wishin' and Hopin'"2:54
2."Funny How Time Slips Away" Willie Nelson 3:00
3."Is It True" Carter & Lewis 2:20
4."(There's) Always Something There to Remind Me"
  • Bacharach
  • David
5."Can't Buy Me Love"Lennon–McCartney
6."When You Loved Me"
2:14

Personnel

All credits are adapted from the liner notes of Brenda Lee Sings Top Teen Hits. [5]

Release history

RegionDateFormatLabelRef.
AustraliaFebruary 15, 1965Vinyl LP (Mono) Festival Records [15]
GermanyVinyl LP (Stereo) Brunswick Records [16]
IsraelVinyl LP (Stereo)Arton Records [17]
North America
  • Vinyl LP (Mono)
  • Vinyl LP (Stereo)
Decca Records [5]
United KingdomBrunswick Records [18]
BrazilJanuary 1966Vinyl LP (Mono)Decca Records [19] [8]

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References

  1. 1 2 "Brenda Lee Sings Top Teen Hits: Brenda Lee: Songs, reviews, credits". AllMusic . Retrieved 30 December 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 "Album Reviews: Pop" (PDF). Billboard . February 20, 1965. p. 64. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
  3. Burke, Ken (January 1, 1998). "Brenda Lee". In Knopper, Steve (ed.). MusicHound Lounge: The Essential Album Guide. Detroit: Visible Ink Press. pp. 281–282.
  4. Unterberger, Richie. "Brenda Lee Biography". AllMusic . Retrieved 28 December 2023.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Lee, Brenda (February 18, 1965). "Brenda Lee Sings Top Teen Hits (Disc Information)". Decca Records . DL-4626 (Mono); DL-74626 (Stereo).
  6. "Brenda Lee Makes Ocean Hop Just to Record Disc", Billboard , September 5, 1964. p. 6. Accessed December 1, 2015.
  7. 1 2 "Album Reviews: Pick Hits" (PDF). Record World . February 13, 1965. p. 10. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
  8. 1 2 "BRAZIL" (PDF). Cashbox . January 8, 1966. p. 39. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
  9. Lee, Brenda (August 1964). ""When You Loved Me"/"He's Sure to Remember Me" (7" vinyl single)". Decca Records . 31654.
  10. 1 2 3 Whitburn, Joel (2011). Top Pop Singles 1955–2010. Record Research, Inc. ISBN   978-0-89820-188-8.
  11. "Brenda Lee Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved December 15, 2021.
  12. 1 2 "BRENDA LEE songs and albums". Official Charts Company . Retrieved 17 December 2023.
  13. 1 2 "Billboard Canadian Hot 100: Week of January 7, 2023". Billboard . Archived from the original on January 4, 2023. Retrieved January 4, 2023.
  14. Lee, Brenda (January 1965). ""Thanks a Lot"/"The Crying Game" (7" vinyl single)". Decca Records . 31728.
  15. Lee, Brenda (February 18, 1965). "Brenda Lee Sings Top Teen Hits [Australia]". Festival Records . DL-31-643.
  16. Lee, Brenda (February 18, 1965). "Brenda Lee Sings Top Teen Hits [Germany]". Brunswick Records . 267-118.
  17. Lee, Brenda (February 18, 1965). "Brenda Lee Sings Top Teen Hits [Israel]". Arton Records. 68-06.
  18. Lee, Brenda (February 18, 1965). "Brenda Lee Sings Top Teen Hits [UK]". Brunswick Records . LAT-8603 (Mono); STA-8603 (Stereo).
  19. Lee, Brenda (January 1966). "Brenda Lee Sings Top Teen Hits [Brazil]". Decca Records . DL-12003 (Mono).