Night Music: Brenda Lee (with Jimmy Page), “Is It True?”

With the holidays behind us, I wonder how many of you heard enough of Brenda Lee’s standard, Rocking Around the Christmas Tree?

It is a fun song and the diminutive Lee (she was around 4’9″) could really belt out a tune. She had hits like I’m Sorry and All Alone am I, and played with some pretty good sessions guys.

As in, did you know that Boots Randolf provided the sax solo in Rocking Around the Christmas Tree and that Hank Garland played the guitar on the same tune.

So, how many of you remember Lee’s 1964 hit Is it True?

Lee, who was more popular in England before she really broke through in the states, recorded Is it True in London, at Decca studios, when BritPop was just breaking through, so the song is full of the sound.

Is it True? features Bobby Graham on drums, and Jimmy Page playing some killer guitar (the piano is also deadly), and was produced by Mickie Most, who also did work with Herman’s Hermits and The Animals, among others.

Here it is: Brenda belts, Bobby slams, and Jimmy wails.

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