"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 The A-side and B-side are the two sides of phonograph records and cassettes; these terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side usually features a recording that its artist, producer, or record compan ...

to his #2 C&W hit "Why, Why". 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. Lee recorded "Emotions" in an August 16, 1960 session at Bradley Film & Recording Studio in Nashville, TN: the session - produced and arranged by

Owen Bradley William Owen Bradley (October 21, 1915 – January 7, 1998) was an American musician and record producer who, along with Chet Atkins, Bob Ferguson, Bill Porter, and Don Law, was one of the chief architects of the 1950s and 1960s Nashville sou ...

and featuring Floyd Cramer on piano - also produced Lee's #1 hit "

I Want to Be Wanted "I Want to Be Wanted" is a popular song performed by Brenda Lee. Background It is an Italian song, ''Per tutta la vita'' (''For all lifetime''),written by Pino Spotti and Alberto Testa. The song was in the original version of ''Never on Sunday''. ...

" 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.

Other versions

*1957 Carl Smith as the

to his #2 C&W "Why, Why" (original solo composition by Ramsey Kearney) *1984 Sami Jo Cole: single released in January and then withdrawn *1987 Juice Newton on her album ''Emotion'' *2002 Pam Tillis on her album '' It's All Relative: Tillis Sings Tillis''

References

1957 songs 1957 singles 1960 singles Songs written by Mel Tillis Brenda Lee songs Carl Smith (musician) songs Pam Tillis songs Decca Records singles Columbia Records singles Song recordings produced by Owen Bradley {{1950s-single-stub