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.
Shop the best of Brenda Lee’s discography on vinyl and more.
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.
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,” reflected Brenda Lee.
It’s been a thrilling time for Lee. Earlier this year, her iconic holiday hit “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree” achieved a new milestone, hitting one billion streams on Spotify, a first for Lee. The hit song, which broke multiple records this past holiday season, also spent most of the season at Number 1 on Spotify’s Top 50 US chart.
Lee said in a statement “What a year and holiday season it was for me personally, and for “Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree.” I am so thankful that Spotify listeners propelled this holiday classic to 1 billion streams – that just blows my mind! It takes geniuses like the writer (Johnny Marks) and musicians to create a song with such longevity and I couldn’t be more grateful people are still listening to “Rockin’.”
Buy or stream The International Brenda Lee (Brenda Lee Sings in German, French and Italian).
The International Brenda Lee (Brenda Lee Sings in German, French and Italian) Tracklist:
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)
