On this day (October 24) in 1960, Brenda Lee was at the top of the Hot 100 with “I Want to Be Wanted.” She first heard the original Italian version of the song while on tour in Europe. Lee immediately fell in love with the melody. So, she had the song translated to English and recorded it for her 1960 album This Is…Brenda.
Pino Spotti and Alberto Testa wrote “Per Tutta la Vita,” which translates to “For All Lifetime” for the 1959 Festival di Sanremo. The festival is a televised contest in which 20 unreleased songs are performed by established and up-and-coming artists. Then, the public votes for the winner. The song that wins the annual Italian contest usually goes on to compete in the annual Eurovision Song Contest. “Per Tutta la Vita” didn’t come close to winning the competition. It did, however, capture Lee’s attention.
According to Songfacts, Lee knew she wanted to record the song the first time she heard it. So, she tracked down the songwriters to get the lyrics. When she returned to the United States, she enlisted Kim Gordon, who co-wrote “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” to write the English version of the song. She recorded it in March 1960 and released it in July.
“I Want to Be Wanted” was Lee’s second No. 1 single of 1960. It was also her last song to top the chart until 2023, when her 1958 holiday classic “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree” reached No. 1.
Brenda Lee Recalls Recording “I Want to Be Wanted”
Brenda Lee looked back on recording “I Want to Be Wanted” in her 2002 autobiography. “The song had the most gorgeous melody with a great big range from my lowest alto almost to the top of my voice,” she recalled. “Owen [Bradley] had Bill McElhiney do this exquisite string arrangement with the violins soaring way up high. It was like they were singing, answering the vocal,” she added. “I still think it’s one of the most hauntingly beautiful songs I’ve ever sung.”
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“I Want to Be Wanted” is just one of many songs full of romantic longing that Lee recorded early in her career. She had the power to make listeners believe every word she sang. However, she had not lived those feelings. “I had my first single date when I was 18, and I married my date,” Lee said. “So, I don’t have a clue where that emotion came from. I never kissed a boy. My mom didn’t allow me to date.”
Featured Image by Gems/Redferns
The post On This Day in 1960, Brenda Lee Hit No. 1 With an English-Language Adaptation of a Song Originally Written for Italy’s Biggest Music Festival appeared first on American Songwriter.
Go To Source | Author: Clayton Edwards