Too Many Rivers (album)

Last updated
Too Many Rivers
Brenda Lee--Too Many Rivers.jpg
Studio album by
ReleasedSeptember 2, 1965 (1965-09-02)
RecordedJanuary 1964–July 1965
Studio Columbia, Nashville, Tennessee
Genre
Label Decca
Producer Owen Bradley
Brenda Lee chronology
The Versatile Brenda Lee
(1965)
Too Many Rivers
(1965)
Bye Bye Blues
(1966)
Singles from Too Many Rivers
  1. "Think"
    Released: March 1964
  2. "Too Many Rivers/No One"
    Released: May 1965

Too Many Rivers is a studio album by American singer Brenda Lee. It was released on September 2, 1965, via Decca Records and was her thirteenth studio album. The disc consisted of 12 tracks that were mostly covers of songs recorded by other artists. Of its new tracks were two singles of Lee's: "Think" and "Too Many Rivers". Both tracks made record charts in the United States, Australia and the United Kingdom. The title track was the highest-charting single, reaching the US top 20 in 1965. The album was met with positive reviews from critics.

Contents

Background, recording and content

Considered a "child prodigy", Brenda Lee was 11 years old when she signed a recording contract with Decca Records in 1956. She began recording Rockabilly material and eventually graduated to pop material. Between 1959 and 1963, Lee had a series of US top ten singles, some of which topped the record charts. As the sixties decade progressed, Lee continued having chart records, but many fell into the US top 20 and were more commercially successful in other countries. [3] In 1965, Lee's single "Too Many Rivers" became a hit and would be the name of her next studio album. [2]

Too Many Rivers was taken from sessions recorded between January 1964 and July 1965. The sessions were all held at the Columbia Studio in Nashville, Tennessee. The recording sessions were all produced by Owen Bradley. [4] The album was a collection of 12 tracks. [1] Some of the tracks were new songs, including the title track, "Think" and "Truer Than True". Remaining tracks were covers of songs first recorded by other artists. Among its covers was "Call Me Irresponsible", "Everybody Loves Somebody", "Hello, Dolly!" and "Whispering". [2] [4]

Release, critical reception and chart performance

Too Many Rivers was released by Decca Records on September 2, 1965. It marked the thirteenth studio album released in Lee's career. It was distributed as a vinyl LP, offered in both mono and stereo versions. The record featured six tracks on each side. [4] The album was promoted through a series of nightclubs and venue engagements. [5] Too Many Rivers was met with positive reviews from critics and publications. Billboard commented, "Miss Lee displays her boundless versatility for equal feel of today's pop music as well as the evergreens in this well balanced program. This package should spiral to the top of the LP charts". [2] Hi-Fi Stereo Review found the album to be "great music for relaxation". [6] AllMusic rated the album 4.5 out of five stars. [1] Too Many Rivers reached the number 36 position on the US Billboard 200 record chart in 1965. It was Lee's first album to make the chart since 1964's By Request and her first top 40 entry since 1963's ..."Let Me Sing" . [7]

Singles

Two singles were included on Too Many Rivers. The earliest single was "Think", which was first issued by Decca Records in March 1964. [8] "Think" reached number 25 on the US Hot 100 [9] and number four on the US adult contemporary chart. [10] Internationally, it reached number 62 in Australia [11] and number 26 in the UK. [12] The second single was the album's title track, issued by Decca in May 1965. [13] It was the disc's highest-charting single, rising to the number 13 position on the US Hot 100 [9] and number two on the US adult contemporary chart. [10] Internationally, it reached number 99 in Australia [11] and number 22 in the UK. [12] The song's B-side "No One" reached number 98 on the US Hot 100 [9] and number 25 on the US adult contemporary chart. [10]

Track listing

Side one [4]
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."It's Not Unusual"2:10
2."Call Me Irresponsible"2:56
3."Too Many Rivers" Harlan Howard 2:46
4."Who Can I Turn To (When Nobody Needs Me)"2:07
5."Whispering"
2:20
6."Stormy Weather (Keeps Raining All the Time)"3:31
Side two [4]
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Hello, Dolly!" Jerry Herman 2:20
2."Unforgettable" Irving Gordon 3:00
3."Everybody Loves Somebody"2:40
4."No One"2:43
5."Truer Than True"
2:32
6."Think"Peggy Whittington2:18

Personnel

All credits are adapted from the liner notes of Too Many Rivers. [4]

Chart performance

Chart (1965)Peak
position
US Billboard 200 [14] 36

Release history

RegionDateFormatLabelRef.
AustraliaSeptember 2, 1965Vinyl LP (Mono) Festival [15]
GermanyVinyl LPDecca Records [16]
Japan [17]
North America
  • Vinyl LP (Mono)
  • Vinyl LP (Stereo)
Decca Records [4]
United Kingdom Brunswick Records [18]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Joey's Song</span> 1959 single by Bill Haley & His Comets

"Joey's Song" is a 1959 instrumental single released by Bill Haley & His Comets. It was one of the band's last successful commercial releases.

<i>Merry Christmas</i> (Bing Crosby album) 1945 compilation album by Bing Crosby

Merry Christmas is a Christmas-themed compilation album by Bing Crosby that was released in 1945 on Decca Records. It has remained in print through the vinyl, CD, and downloadable file eras, currently as the disc and digital album White Christmas on MCA Records, a part of the Universal Music Group, and currently on vinyl as Merry Christmas on Geffen Records. It includes Crosby's signature song "White Christmas", the best-selling single of all time with estimated sales of over 50 million copies worldwide. The album was certified 4× Platinum by RIAA for selling over 4 million copies in United States. The original 1945 release and subsequent re-releases and re-packages spent a total of 39 weeks at no. 1 on the Billboard pop albums chart.

<i>By Request</i> (Brenda Lee album) 1964 studio album by Brenda Lee

By Request is a studio album by American singer Brenda Lee. It was released on May 18, 1964 via Decca Records and contained 12 tracks. A majority of the album featured covers of songs first made popular by other recording artists of the era. Of its new recordings were three singles: "I Wonder", "The Grass Is Greener" and "As Usual". The singles reached top ten and top 20 positions on record charts throughout the world. By Request was met with mixed reviews upon its release.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brenda Lee albums discography</span>

The albums discography of American singer Brenda Lee contains 36 studio albums, two live albums, 63 compilation albums, two video albums, two box sets, 69 extended plays (EP's) and nine additional album appearances. In August 1959, Decca Records released Lee's debut studio album titled Grandma, What Great Songs You Sang!. Her second studio album Brenda Lee (1960) was the first to make the US Billboard 200 chart, climbing to number five. In October 1960, This Is...Brenda reached number four in the US and was her highest-charting album there. Lee's fifth album All the Way (1961) was her first to make the UK albums chart, rising to number 20. All Alone Am I (1963) was Lee's highest-charting UK album, rising to number eight in 1962. The Decca and Brunswick labels also issued a series of EP's by Lee during the 1950s and 1960s. Although none of them made charting positions both labels issued 66 EP's by 1967.

<i>Brenda Lee</i> (album) 1960 studio album by Brenda Lee

Brenda Lee is the second studio album by American singer Brenda Lee. The album was released August 1, 1960 on Decca Records and was produced by Owen Bradley. The album's second single "Sweet Nothin's" became Lee's first major hit single on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking within the Top 10. This was followed by the third single "I'm Sorry" released the following year that became her first single to top the Billboard Hot 100.

<i>All the Way</i> (Brenda Lee album) 1961 studio album by Brenda Lee

All the Way is the fifth studio album by American singer Brenda Lee. The album was released August 7, 1961, on Decca Records and was produced by Owen Bradley. It was the second of two studio albums released by Brenda Lee in 1961 and spawned the single "Dum Dum", which became a Top 10 hit on the Billboard Hot 100, and a UK single "Speak to Me Pretty", which reached No.3 on the UK singles chart.

<i>Brenda, Thats All</i> 1962 studio album by Brenda Lee

Brenda, That's All is the seventh studio album by American singer Brenda Lee. The album was released October 15, 1962 on Decca Records and was produced by Owen Bradley. It was the second of two studio albums released in 1962 and included two Top 10 hit singles on the Billboard Hot 100 between 1962 and 1963.

"Too Many Rivers" is a Harlan Howard composition which was a 1965 hit single for Brenda Lee.

<i>Jan Howard Sings Evil on Your Mind</i> 1966 studio album by Jan Howard

Jan Howard Sings Evil on Your Mind is a studio album by American country artist, Jan Howard. It was released in July 1966 via Decca Records and contained 12 tracks. It was the second studio album of Howard's music career and her first with the Decca label. The disc combined new recordings with cover tunes. Among its songs was the title track, which was one of the four singles included on the album. It became top five single on the American country chart in 1966 while the album itself reached the top ten of the American country albums chart around the same time.

<i>Bad Seed</i> (Jan Howard album) 1966 studio album by Jan Howard

Bad Seed is a studio album by American country music artist Jan Howard. It was released in November 1966 via Decca Records and featured 12 tracks. The third studio album of her recording career, Bad Seed was named for its title track, which reached the top ten of the country charts in 1966. The disc was met with a favorable review from Cashbox following its release.

<i>Count Your Blessings, Woman</i> (album) 1968 studio album by Jan Howard

Count Your Blessings, Woman is a studio album by American country music artist, Jan Howard. It was released in June 1968 on Decca Records and contained 11 tracks. Most of the disc featured covers of popular songs of the era. The album's title track was spawned as a single, becoming a top 20 song on the Billboard country chart in 1968. Additionally, the album would reach peak positions on the American country albums chart. It was reviewed positively by Billboard magazine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brenda Lee singles discography</span>

The singles discography of American singer Brenda Lee contains 90 as a lead artist, four as a collaborative and featured artist, nine released in foreign languages, 21 promotional singles, 19 other charting songs and two music videos. Lee's debut single was released by Decca Records in 1956 called "Jambalaya ". The 1957 single "One Step at a Time" was her first to make the US charts. The 1958 release of "Rockin' Around the Christmas Tree" did not chart until Lee had further charting singles in 1960. Originally the US Hot 100 top 20, it would later top the same chart 65 years later in 2023. In recent years, it has also made chart positions in several other countries.

<i>Brenda Lee Sings Top Teen Hits</i> 1965 studio album by Brenda Lee

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.

<i>The Versatile Brenda Lee</i> 1965 studio album by Brenda Lee

The Versatile Brenda Lee is a studio album by American singer Brenda Lee. It was released on May 17, 1965, by Decca Records and was her twelfth studio album. The album was a collection of 12 tracks and was named for the album's mixed range of material. Of its songs was Lee's single "Truly, Truly True", which became a charting US single in 1965. The album was met with mixed reviews following its release.

<i>Bye Bye Blues</i> (album) 1966 studio album by Brenda Lee

Bye Bye Blues is a studio album by American singer Brenda Lee. It was released on March 14, 1966, via Decca Records and was her sixteenth studio album. The project consisted of 12 tracks, most of which were cover tunes recorded originally by other artists. A new song was also included called "Rusty Bells", which was the album's only single. The song made the US top 40 and the US adult contemporary top ten in 1965.

<i>10 Golden Years</i> 1966 compilation album by Brenda Lee

10 Golden Years is a compilation album by American singer Brenda Lee. The album was released on May 23, 1966, by Decca Records and consisted of ten tracks. The album was meant as a celebration of Lee's ten years as a recording artist for the Decca label. It featured ten tracks recorded between 1956 and 1965, many of which were her most popular singles from her career up to that point.

<i>Coming On Strong</i> (Brenda Lee album) 1966 studio album by Brenda Lee

Coming on Strong is a studio album by American singer Brenda Lee. It was released on November 28, 1966, via Decca Records and was her seventeenth studio project. The album consisted of ten tracks, many of which were covers of songs recorded by other artists. The album's title track was the only single included. It reached the top 20 on the US record chart and the top ten of the Canadian record chart. The album itself also made the US chart following its release. Coming Strong received mixed reviews from critics following its release.

<i>Reflections in Blue</i> (Brenda Lee album) 1967 studio album by Brenda Lee

Reflections in Blue is a studio album by American singer Brenda Lee. It was released on October 16, 1967, by Decca Records and was her eighteenth studio project. The album was considered a departure from Lee's previous studio projects in its musical style. Many of the tracks incorporated a Blues element and many were covers of previously recorded tracks. The album was met with positive reviews from publications.

<i>For the First Time</i> (Brenda Lee and Pete Fountain album) 1968 studio album by Brenda and Pete

For the First Time is a studio album by American singer Brenda Lee and American instrumentalist Pete Fountain. Credited under the names "Brenda and Pete", For the First Time was released by Decca Records on March 15, 1968, and featured 11 tracks. The recordings featured Lee performing lead vocals while Fountain provided instrumentation solos on his clarinet. The album was met with positive reviews from critics following its release. It also made the US albums chart in 1968.

<i>Johnny One Time</i> (album) 1969 studio album by Brenda Lee

Johnny One Time is a studio album by American singer Brenda Lee. It was released on May 19, 1969, by Decca Records and was her twentieth studio album. A total of 11 tracks comprised the album, many of which were covers. The title track was a charting single in the US and Canada in 1969. The album was met with positive reviews from critics after its release.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "Too Many Rivers: Brenda Lee: Songs, reviews, credits". AllMusic . Retrieved 31 December 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Album Reviews: Pop Spotlight" (PDF). Billboard . September 18, 1965. p. 76. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
  3. Unterberger, Richie. "Brenda Lee Biography". AllMusic . Retrieved 28 December 2023.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Lee, Brenda (September 2, 1965). "Too Many Rivers (Liner Notes)". Decca Records . DL-4684 (Mono); DL-74684 (Stereo).
  5. "CURRENTLY ON A TOUR" (PDF). Billboard . August 28, 1965. p. 1. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
  6. "Too Many Rivers by Brenda Lee". Hi-Fi Stereo Review . Vol. 30. 1966. p. 6.
  7. Whitburn, Joel (2006). The Billboard Albums Includes Every Album that Made the Billboard 200 Chart : 50 Year History of the Rock Era. Record Research, Inc. p. 591. ISBN   978-0898201666.
  8. Lee, Brenda (March 1964). ""Think"/"The Waiting Game" (7" vinyl single)". Decca Records . 31599.
  9. 1 2 3 Whitburn, Joel (2011). Top Pop Singles 1955–2010. Record Research, Inc. ISBN   978-0-89820-188-8.
  10. 1 2 3 "Brenda Lee Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved December 15, 2021.
  11. 1 2 Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. ISBN   0-646-11917-6.
  12. 1 2 "BRENDA LEE songs and albums". Official Charts Company . Retrieved 17 December 2023.
  13. Lee, Brenda (May 1965). ""Too Many Rivers"/"No One" (7" vinyl single)". Decca Records . 31792.
  14. "Brenda Lee Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved December 31, 2023.
  15. Lee, Brenda (September 2, 1965). "Too Many Rivers [Australia]". Festival Records . DL-31-786 (Mono).
  16. Lee, Brenda (September 2, 1965). "Too Many Rivers [Germany]". Decca Records . SLK-86-007-P.
  17. Lee, Brenda (September 2, 1965). "Walk Away [re-titled in Japan] [Japan]". Decca Records . SDL-10216.
  18. Lee, Brenda (September 2, 1965). "Too Many Rivers [UK]". Brunswick Records . LAT-8622 (Mono); STA-8622 (Stereo).