Fans of music icon Brenda Lee are now, for the first time, able to listen to Lee’s special international recordings of her hits digitally with the release of The International Brenda Lee (Brenda Lee Sings in German, French and Italian), out today via UMG Nashville/UMe. Originally released on CD on Bear Family Records in 1992, the 16-song digital compilation features Lee singing in foreign languages including 12 German, two French and two Italian tracks.
Listen to The International Brenda Lee (Brenda Lee Sings in German, French and Italian) | HERE
The album contains songs recorded between 1962 and 1964 in Nashville and Hamburg, Germany, with the late, famous Bert Kaempfert among the cast of producers. Lee’s No. 1 song “Anybody But Me” as well as “Fool #1” were recorded in all three languages. With the exception of “Kansas City,” all the remaining titles were German originals, including the chart hits “Wiedersehn Ist WunderschÖn” and “Ich Will Immer Auf Dich Warten.”
“I was so lucky to not only travel many times overseas, but also to record and perform in the native languages of my international fans. It was a challenge, but something so fun and different. It’s amazing to me that six decades later, these very special songs can be heard in a new way.” – Brenda Lee
Track List:
- Wiedersehn Ist Wunderschön
- Kansas City
- Ohne Dich (Even Tho’)
- Drei Rote Rosen Blüh’n
- Ich Will Immer Auf Dich Warten
- No My Boy
- Geh Am Glück Nicht Vorbei (“Fool #1” / German)
- Am Strand Von Hawaii
- Darling Bye Bye (“Anybody But Me” / German)
- In Meinen Träumen
- Wo Und Wann Fängt Die Liebe An
- Darling Was Ist Los Mit Dir
- La Premiere Fool (Fool #1 / French)
- Pourquoi Jamais Moi (“Anybody But Me” / French)
- Sono Sciocca (“Fool #1 / Italian)
- Nulla Di Me (“Anybody But Me” / Italian)
About Brenda Lee
Brenda Lee signed with the legendary Decca Records label before her 12th birthday and went on to record such landmark hits as “Sweet Nothin’s,” “All Alone Am I,” “Break it to Me Gently” and “I’m Sorry.” Though she had success in multiple genres including rockabilly, pop and rock, Lee found her home in country music. Lee’s best-loved hit, “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” celebrated its 65th anniversary last year and continues to top the charts year after year. Not only has Lee sold more than 100 million albums globally, throughout her career she shared stages and earned the respect of the world’s most revered performers. The Beatles opened for her and the lads from Liverpool became good friends with the Southern belle from Atlanta, and Elvis Presley and Lee made their Grand Ole Opry debut on the same night. Lee had nine consecutive top 10 Billboard Hot 100 hits from 1960 to 1962 and set a record for a female solo artist that was unequaled until over two decades later. Lee churned out country hits such as “Sunday Sunrise” and “Big Four Poster Bed” and continued to have country hits into the 80s, including “I Love Her So,” a duet with George Jones. Lee was the first woman inducted into both the Rock and Roll and Country Music Hall of Fames and she is a recipient of the Grammy Lifetime Achievement award. Her hit song “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” was certified 5x Platinum by the RIAA and reached 1 billion streams on Spotify. In November 2023, “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” topped the Billboard Hot 100 chart for the first time ever, 65 years after the song’s debut, and was at the top spot for three weeks. By hitting the No.1 spot, Lee broke several records, many of which were held by Mariah Carey and “All I Want for Christmas Is You,” whom Lee beat out for the top. Lee claims just the third holiday No.1 ever on the Hot 100. “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” is also Lee’s third No. 1. She now holds the record for the longest gap between an artist’s first and most recent week at No.1 on the Hot 100, as her first No.1 was her single “I’m Sorry” in 1960. Lee and “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” now also hold the record for the longest climb to the top of the Hot 100, as the Johnny Marks-written hit was released 65 years ago, when Lee was just 13 years old. Now, at 79-years-old, Lee is also the oldest woman to top the Hot 100, surpassing previous record-holders Cher (“Believe,” age 52) and Carey (“All I Want for Christmas is You,” age 53).
