The Versatile Brenda Lee

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The Versatile Brenda Lee
Studio album by
Brenda Lee
ReleasedMay 17, 1965 (1965-05-17)
RecordedOctober 1964–February 1965
StudioColumbia Studio
Genre
LabelDecca
ProducerOwen Bradley
Brenda Lee chronology
Brenda Lee Sings Top Teen Hits
(1965) 		The Versatile Brenda Lee
(1965) 		Too Many Rivers
(1965)
Singles from The Versatile Brenda Lee
  1. "Truly, Truly True"
    Released: March 1965

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.

Background, recording and content[edit]

Brenda Lee had rose to stardom in her teens recording a variety of material. Beginning in the early 1960s, Lee recorded pop music had her greatest commercial success with songs like "I'm Sorry", "I Want to Be Wanted" and "Break It to Me Gently". These songs and several others rose to the top ten in the US and the UK through 1963. Many of her singles reached progressively lower positions as the 1960s progressed, but she continued having top 20 and top 40 singles.[3] One of Lee's chart records from this period was "Truly, Truly True". It was included on The Versatile Brenda Lee.[2]

The album project was taken from sessions held between October 1964 and February 1965 at the Columbia Studio, located in Nashville, Tennessee. All recording sessions were produced by Owen Bradley. The album contained a total of 12 tracks. The album was named for its mix of material, most of which were covers. "Few singers have the gift of versatility and the voice to make the well-known standards of the past sound rich and fresh," read the liner notes.[4] Among its songs was "Don't Blame Me" and "Willow Weep for Me".[2]

Release, reception and singles[edit]

The Versatile Brenda Lee was released on May 17, 1965, by Decca Records. The label distributed the album as a vinyl LP, offered in both mono and stereo formats. Six songs appeared on each side of the record. It was Lee's twelfth studio album in her career.[4] The project was given mixed reviews by critics. It was reviewed favorably by Billboard magazine who noted the album proves how Lee "can win a teen audience with current pop material and equally appeal to the adult market".[2] Meanwhile, Hi-Fi Stereo Review gave the album a less favorable response. "She certainly is versatile, as the album title suggests; she can perform badly in more styles than anybody I can think of."[5] AllMusic rated the album two out of five stars without a written review provided.[1] The album's only single was "Truly, Truly True", which was first issued by Decca in March 1965.[6] That year, the single rose to the number 54 position on the US Hot 100[7] and number nine on the US adult contemporary chart.[8]

Track listing[edit]

Side one[4]
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Yesterday's Gone"
2:43
2."Dear Heart"
2:45
3."I Still Miss Someone"Johnny Cash2:48
4."How Glad I Am"
  • Larry Harrison
  • Jimmy Williams
2:50
5."Almost There"
–
6."Don't Blame Me"
2:59
Side two[4]
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Willow Weep for Me"Ann Ronnell2:26
2."Truly, Truly True (Tenkrat)"
2:40
3."Love Letters"
2:02
4."The Birds and the Bees"Barry Stuart2:04
5."La Vie en rose"Edith Piaf2:58
6."Maybe"
  • Al Flynn
  • Frank Madden
2:47

Personnel[edit]

All credits are adapted from the liner notes of The Versatile Brenda Lee.[4]

  • Owen Bradley – Producer
  • Hal Buksbaum – Photography
  • Louella O. Parsons – Liner Notes

Release history[edit]

Region Date Format Label Ref.
Australia May 17, 1965 Vinyl LP (Mono) Festival Records [9]
Japan Vinyl LP Decca Records [10]
North America
  • Vinyl LP (Mono)
  • Vinyl LP (Stereo)
 [4]
United Kingdom Brunswick Records [11]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b "The Versatile Brenda Lee: Brenda Lee: Songs, reviews, credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
  2. ^ a b c d "Album Reviews: Pop Spotlight" (PDF). Billboard. May 22, 1965. p. 52. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
  3. ^ Unterberger, Richie. "Brenda Lee Biography". AllMusic. Retrieved 28 December 2023.
  4. ^ a b c d e f Lee, Brenda (May 17, 1965). "The Versatile Brenda Lee (Disc Information)". Decca Records. DL-4661 (Mono); DL-74661 (Stereo).
  5. ^ "The Versatile Brenda Lee". Hi-Fi Stereo Review. Vol. 15. 1965. p. 126.
  6. ^ Lee, Brenda (March 1965). ""Truly, Truly True"/"I Still Miss Someone" (7" vinyl single)". Decca Records. 31762.
  7. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2011). Top Pop Singles 1955–2010. Record Research, Inc. ISBN 978-0-89820-188-8.
  8. ^ "Brenda Lee Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved December 15, 2021.
  9. ^ Lee, Brenda (May 17, 1965). "The Versatile Brenda Lee [Australia]". Festival Records. DL-31-712 (Mono).
  10. ^ Lee, Brenda (May 17, 1965). "The Versatile Brenda Lee [Japan]". Decca Records. SDL-10203.
  11. ^ Lee, Brenda (May 17, 1965). "The Versatile Brenda Lee [United Kingdom]". Brunswick Records. LAT-8614 (Mono); STA-8614 (Stereo).
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