Emotions (Brenda Lee song)

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"Emotions" is a song written by Ramsey Kearney and Mel Tillis which became a Top Ten hit for Brenda Lee in 1961.

The original version of "Emotions" was a solo composition by Ramsey Kearney: in 1957 Kearney recorded a demo of the song with which he approached the Nashville music publishers where Mel Tillis was a staff writer. Tillis would recall: "I really liked the song and I told him...'You know, I think that I can get the song recorded by Carl Smith.'" Carl Smith did indeed record the song with the track serving as B-side to his #2 C&W hit "Why, Why".^[1]

In the summer of 1960 Tillis amended the lyrics to Kearney's original lyric for "Emotions" and successfully pitched the song for Brenda Lee to record.^[1] Lee recorded "Emotions" in an August 16, 1960 session at Bradley Film and Recording Studio in Nashville, Tennessee: the session - produced and arranged by Owen Bradley and featuring Floyd Cramer on piano - also produced Lee's #1 hit "I Want to Be Wanted" which was the precedent single to "Emotions". With the B-side "I'm Learning About Love" - recorded with the same personnel at an August 19, 1960 session at Bradley Film & Recording Studio - "Emotions" was issued as a single in December 1960 and rose to a #7 peak in February 1961. "I'm Learning About Love" also became a Top 40 hit for Lee peaking at #33.

A major hit in Australia (#20) and Flemish Belgium (#6), "Emotions" also afforded Lee a lower chart item in France (#56), Germany (#47), and the UK (#45).

An Emotions album by Brenda Lee - featuring both the title cut and "I'm Learning About Love" - was issued April 3, 1961.