Yessum, here at
Shady's Place
THE SKA'S
THE LIMIT!
I enjoy introducing
many different
styles of music.
I am the god of swell sounds,
...and I bring you
a genre that originated in
Jamaica in the late 50s.
Jamaica in the late 50s.
MILLIE SMALL
Meet Millicent "Millie" Small,
a Jamaican teenager who was
one of the few female perfor-
mers during the early years
of the ska movement. You
are about to experience a
few of Millie's hit songs
and performances.
THE CADILLACS
BARBIE GAYE/ALAN FREED
BARBIE GAYE/ALAN FREED
Millie Small's signature song, "My Boy Lollipop," is a cover
of the song "My Girl Lollypop" originally written by a
member of the 1950s doo-wop group The Cadillacs.
of the song "My Girl Lollypop" originally written by a
member of the 1950s doo-wop group The Cadillacs.
The song was given to Barbie Gaye,
a 14 year old girl discovered singing
on a Brooklyn street corner. Barbie embellished the song and changed
the title to "My Boy Lollypop."
In the fall of 1956, Barbie
played hooky from school
to record the song in a style
known in R&B as shuffle beat.
Barbie's record caught the
attention of legendary DJ
and promoter Alan Freed
and burned up the boss lines
on his WINS radio show.
"My Boy Lollypop" - Barbie Gaye
(Nov. 1956, uncharted nationally,
highest chart pos. #25 on
Alan Freed's Top 25 chart
WINS NYC)
Alan Freed's Top 25 chart
WINS NYC)
In the summer of 1964, at the height of Beatlemania, Millie Small's cover
of "My Boy Lollipop," became one of the top selling ska singles ever.
I'm not ashamed to admit that I'm a sucker for "Lollipop."
of "My Boy Lollipop," became one of the top selling ska singles ever.
I'm not ashamed to admit that I'm a sucker for "Lollipop."
"My Boy Lollipop" - Millie Small
(June/July 1964, highest chart pos. #2 Hot 100/#4 Cash Box)
"Lollipop" was still licking the competition
on the pop chart when Millie's folo-up
single "Sweet William" hit the street
and worked its way to #40 on the
Billboard chart, #33 on Cash Box.
Here's a nicely preserved clip of
Millie performing the song on
The Millie Show, a TV special
taped at a studio in Finland.
on the pop chart when Millie's folo-up
single "Sweet William" hit the street
and worked its way to #40 on the
Billboard chart, #33 on Cash Box.
Here's a nicely preserved clip of
Millie performing the song on
The Millie Show, a TV special
taped at a studio in Finland.
"Sweet William" - Millie Small
(Aug. 1964, highest chart pos.
#40 Hot 100/#33 Cash Box,
Dec. 1964 performance on
The Millie Show taped at
Helsinki, Finland studio)
The Millie Show taped at
Helsinki, Finland studio)
SHADY'S PICK-TO-CLICK #1
In 1965 Millie Small was the "fill"
singer on the Spencer Davis Group's
cover of Ike Turner's "I'm Blue
(Gong Gong Song)" released on
the British rock band's debut
album. In 1962 "I'm Blue"
was a hit for Ike & Tina
Turner's backing singers
The Ikettes. On a 1965
episode of the TV music
show Shindig, Millie Small,
sounding like Tina Turner
on helium, delivered what
I think is one of the most
electrifying performances
in pop history singing the
song backed by series
regulars, the folk-pop
trio The Wellingtons.
singer on the Spencer Davis Group's
cover of Ike Turner's "I'm Blue
(Gong Gong Song)" released on
the British rock band's debut
album. In 1962 "I'm Blue"
was a hit for Ike & Tina
Turner's backing singers
The Ikettes. On a 1965
episode of the TV music
show Shindig, Millie Small,
sounding like Tina Turner
on helium, delivered what
I think is one of the most
electrifying performances
in pop history singing the
song backed by series
regulars, the folk-pop
trio The Wellingtons.
"I'm Blue (The Gong Gong Song)" - Millie Small/The Wellingtons
(live perf. on April 14, 1965 ep. of Shindig! - song released Oct. 2011
on CD Millie Small - My Boy Lollipop + 31 other Songs
(live perf. on April 14, 1965 ep. of Shindig! - song released Oct. 2011
on CD Millie Small - My Boy Lollipop + 31 other Songs
This one sounds like the old Mickey
and Sylvia hit "Love Is Strange."
It's "Killer Joe," a song inspired
by Killer Joe Piro, a famous
instructor who taught the latest
dances for teenagers to jet set
adults, earning him the nickname
King of the Discothèque. In the
spring of 1963 "Killer Joe" was
a top 20 hit for The Rocky Fellers,
a group of young American-born
Filipino brothers. In 1966, Millie
Small covered the song on a single
released in the UK and Hungary
as well as on a French EP.
and Sylvia hit "Love Is Strange."
It's "Killer Joe," a song inspired
by Killer Joe Piro, a famous
instructor who taught the latest
dances for teenagers to jet set
adults, earning him the nickname
King of the Discothèque. In the
spring of 1963 "Killer Joe" was
a top 20 hit for The Rocky Fellers,
a group of young American-born
Filipino brothers. In 1966, Millie
Small covered the song on a single
released in the UK and Hungary
as well as on a French EP.
"Killer Joe" - Millie Small
(Sept. 1966 UK single, 1967 performance
on French TV channel Melody)
(Sept. 1966 UK single, 1967 performance
on French TV channel Melody)
SHADY'S PICK-TO-CLICK #2
Yessum, I checked and the SPMM rules clearly state that, under special
circumstances, a second Pick to Click is allowed. These are special
circumstances because Millie Small gave us so many great songs
and performances. In 1973, nearly a decade after Millie scored
her biggest hit with "My Boy Lollipop," the zinger delighted
a German audience with this dazzling performance of
"Lollipop" on the German TV network 3sat. Pure joy!
circumstances, a second Pick to Click is allowed. These are special
circumstances because Millie Small gave us so many great songs
and performances. In 1973, nearly a decade after Millie scored
her biggest hit with "My Boy Lollipop," the zinger delighted
a German audience with this dazzling performance of
"Lollipop" on the German TV network 3sat. Pure joy!
"My Boy Lollipop" - Millie Small
(1973 perf. on German TV network 3sat)
Millie Small performs with verve. She makes music fun
and her winning smile is second to none. As Gary Lewis sang,
"She's just my style. Everything about her drives me wild."
and her winning smile is second to none. As Gary Lewis sang,
"She's just my style. Everything about her drives me wild."
Thanks for the music and memories,
MILLIE SMALL!
MILLIE SMALL!
Have a Shady day!
Never heard of ska.
ReplyDeleteMillie was a beautiful young lady. And she had a healthy long career.
Hi, Alex!
DeleteThanks for hustling over to become the early bird this time, good buddy!
I'm happy that I could introduce you to the style of music known as ska and to Millie Small, the cute singer who successfully brought the sound to America in 1964 amid Beatlemania and the British Invasion.
Have a super day, good buddy Alex!
I'd never heard of ska but I remember "My boy lollipop"! She's a firecracker in that tiny body! Wouldn't it be great to have that energy bottled? Anyway, I'm glad I could be here early today. Sometimes my screening job gets slow and I have time to check my blog buddies! We're back in business on Friday doing surgery and I imagine it will be a busy catch-up time. I hope you are doing good and staying safe! Take care!
ReplyDeleteHi, YaYa!
DeleteI'm happy to see you, dear friend! Thanks for coming by so early to check out the post and meet Millicent "Millie" Small, the cutie pie with a little girl's voice who introduced ska to America in the mid 60s. I'm pleased that you remember her claim to fame "My Boy Lollipop" which was actually a cover of that mid 50s recording by Barbie Gaye. I have never seen a performer with more energy and enthusiasm than Millie Small, not even James Brown.
I am in awe of you as you continue to screen people week by week. I know you long to return to your regular duties and have some sense of normalcy, as we all do. Seems like that will start for you this Friday when surgeries resume. Two people in my family have had their cataract eye surgeries postponed due to the crisis.
You are very kind for breaking away long enough to check out Shady's post. Thank you again for coming and have a safe day, dear friend YaYa!
Hi Friend Shady. I do prefer reggae over ska, although there is some nifty Balkan Ska out there as well:) Have a busy day ahead today as tidying up, doing laundry, cooking meals ahead for my next stretch of work. Stay happy. Stay healthy. Stay safe. Love, cat.
ReplyDeleteHi, cat!
DeleteThanks for coming down, dear friend. I'm pleased to see you!
I also thank you for weighing in on ska, reggae and Balkan Ska.
I salute you for remaining vigilant in assuming your role in the ongoing battle against coronavirus. The world needs more like you. Thanks for the well wishes. I send the same lubbins up to you and your kitty TT.
Thanks again for your visit and comment, dear friend cat!
Hi Shady,
ReplyDeleteI've never heard of Millie Small, but boy, I do love her! She does sound like a Tina Turner on helium, but her melodies have me groovin' as I work. I just love "My Boy Lollipop" and think she did it better than Barbie Gaye (another one I'm not too familiar with).
I see she charted, but it's funny that I never heard of her before your post. I think she needs to give new singers some lessons on energy. She's a firecracker, but I notice that small people tend to be firecrackers. ;)
Have a great day, dear friend.
Hi, Jessica Marie!
DeleteThanks a lot for taking a break from work and coming over to play, dear friend!
I'm thrilled that you like Millie Small. I predicted you would not remember her by name, but I thought you might remember her catchy "Lollipop" hit from 1964. I'll bet your dad remembers it. Why don't you ask him? I think it's remarkable that Millie and her unusual sounding ska record were able to catch on in America when music fans were going wild over the Beatles and other British acts. Millie was indeed a high energy performer, a spark plug. I admired her for bringing so much joy and enthusiasm to her performances.
Thanks again for joining the fun, dear friend JM, and enjoy the rest of your day!
Hi Shady,
DeleteI'll ask dad tonight. :) I might have heard "Lollipop", but it's not ringing any bells, just that other "Lollipop" doo-wop song. I remember dancing to that song, as doo-wop seemed to be the go-to for father/daughter dances. It's a pity that father/daughter dances don't play more Millie Small songs. Maybe I'll volunteer to host a dance and I can play some Millie Small! :D
I am participating in a 5k walk on Saturday, it's virtual (and to be done at my own pace) through Prevention magazine. I think I'll listen to Millie Small on Amazon as I walk. Hopefully Amazon Music has her! I think she will add pep to my steps too. :)
Have a great Thankful Thursday, dear friend!
Hi again, Jessica Marie!
DeleteThanks for mentioning the other "Lollipop" song by the traditional girl group The Chordettes which peaked at #2 in 1958. The Chordettes followed that single with "Zorro" which reached #17. I mention "Zorro" because today is "Z" day in the April A to Z Challenge. :)
I doubt that the jaunty syncopated beat of ska is a good fit for father/daughter dances. Good for you for volunteering to take part in a 5K virtual walk this weekend! Yessum, the up tempo beat of Millie's songs will surely put some pep in your step if you can find them on Amazon.
Happy TT to you as well, dear friend Jessica Marie!
Hi Shady,
DeleteI think you're right about that. Then again, when I was a little girl, I was listening to TLC and Coolio. The joys of being an only child, Nan housing a foreign exchange college student, and having access to all types of music.
So, I listened to Millie Smalls yesterday during my walk. Also, Millie Smalls is featured on Instagram's music section. I added "Lollipop" to one of the stories yesterday. Millie was on Amazon, woohoo!
I'm going to have to listen to the Chordettes now. Have a great Sunday, dear friend!
Hi, Jessica Marie!
DeleteIt's nice to see you again, dear friend. Thanks for coming back over!
I have heard of TLC and Coolio. I didn't realize TLC is the best-selling American girl group and that they were picked by VH1 as the greatest female group. I looked them up and marveled at their string of hits over the span of a decade from 1992 to 2002.
I'm glad you took more time with Millie Small and found her on Insta and Amazon. Her songs are catchy and her smile and enthusiasm infectious. The Chordettes recall the traditional pop girl groups of the WWII years.
I hope your weekend went well. Thanks again for popping in and have wonderful week, dear friend JM!
Hi, Shady.
DeleteThey were an interesting group to say the least. I believe Left Eye died around the same time Layne Staley of Alice in Chains was found dead in 2002. I loved Alice in Chains too, so it feels like April 2002 was an end of an era. I can't believe that was 18 years ago!
My weekend was busy. Between the walk, National Scrapbook Day on 2 May 2020, cleaning, grocery shopping, writing, and everything else. I'm ready for bed, dear friend!
I think I'll end the evening with some more Millie and then some classical. Happy Monday, dear friend.
Hi, Jessica Marie!
DeleteI remember reading about Left Eye passing away. Alice in Chains is one of Mrs. Shady's favorite bands along with Nirvana and Nine Inch Nails.
I'm happy to learn that you had a busy few days doing some of the things you enjoy and that you plan to cap off the night with Millie Small.
Thanks again for dropping by, dear friend JM!
I play a lot of word games and knew about the word ska, but don't know if I ever knew what it meant. Thanks for introducing us to Millie Small. She has a distinctive sound. I might like Killer Joe best of those you've featured. The Wellingtons did the theme from Gilligan's Island - my fave! :D
ReplyDeleteHi, Kelly!
DeleteThanks for dropping by for some fun and ska songs, dear friend!
I'm happy to know you were already familiar with ska, and I am delighted that you appreciated the introduction to Miss Millie Small. Hers is indeed a distinctive little girl's voice. You can i.d. her as the artist the instant she starts chirping. In the mid 60s I collected her Smash label singles "My Boy Lollipop" and "Sweet William." Her cover of the Ikettes' "I'm Blue" on Shindig backed by The Wellingtons is electrifying. Thanks for letting me know that The Wellingtons are the guys who sang the Gilligan's Island theme. Clearly they were having a good time singing backup for Millie on that exciting number. It's an impossible dream, but it would be terrific if all of the 1960s TV music shows for teenagers could be brought back to life in HD and HQ. It is quite impossible because several of those programs only exist today in the form of blurry B&W kinescopes with distorted sound. The version of "Killer Joe" I grew up knowing was the hit by the Rocky Fellers. I'm pleased that you like marvy Millie's version. Can you believe the cute little songbird will celebrate her 74th birthday this year?
Thanks again for swinging over, dear friend Kelly!
Hello my friend Shady. I've never heard of ska either but I had heard "My Boy Lollipop." Since my husband's name is William, "Sweet William" makes perfect sense to me. Millie definitely has a great smile and seems very happy singing her songs. Thanks for sharing this. Have a great rest of your day.
ReplyDeleteHi, Janet!
DeleteThanks so much for coming all the way across the country, dear friend! :)
I'm excited to have you here to sample the sights and sounds of ska princess Millie Small. It's nice to know that you were already familiar with her signature song "Lollipop." Yessum, you should learn the words to "Sweet William" and serenade your hubby with the song. :)
I am very happy that you agree with me and others that Millie sings with glee. She seems truly happy when performing and that happiness is a good kind of infectious.
Thanks again for dropping in, dear friend Janet. I'll "Z" you tomorrow! :)
I have never heard of Millie who is a firecracker for sure and maybe a chipmunk in her previous life. She is cute, adorable with a high pitched voice that you don't mind listening to. I like seeing her adolescent look and later her grown up look in that 70's pantsuit...sexy! I am still not sure what Ska is but she sounds so good. I have to look her up.
ReplyDeleteHi, Birgit!
DeleteThanks for coming down from Canada, dear friend!
I'm delighted that you enjoyed this intro to ska songstress Millie Small. I agree with you that her's is a high-pitched voice that doesn't grate on your nerves. She really did rock that pantsuit in 1973 as she sang her "oldie" to the German audience. It's hard to believe Millie is heading into her mid 70s now.
Thanks again for your friendship and support, dear friend BB. Stay home, stay healthy and I'll see you again soon!
Oh this was terrific, Shady! I feel like I watched Millie grow up. She never lost that youthful exuberance, that happy countenance. I still love the Lollipop song, and "Killer Joe" is now a new favorite.
ReplyDeleteHave a wonderful day!
Hi, diedre!
DeleteThanks a lot for swinging over as I present Millie Small, the perky, effervescent Jamaica born ska singer who made a splash in the states at the height of Beatlemania and the British Invasion with her sweet, candy-coated single "My Boy Lollipop." I agree that Millie still exhibited her trademark exuberance when she entertained that German audience with her signature song nearly a decade after it rode the charts. I'm pleased that you also enjoyed Millie's version of "Killer Joe," more famously recorded by The Rocky Fellers.
Thanks again for your kind visit and comment, dear friend diedre. Rest now and enjoy the month of May!
Tom,
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry for being slow to visit. The second of this month became more challenging for me and am working on getting caught up.
'My Boy Lollipop' is new-to-me. DH remembers it, though. Naturally, I don't know the original or cover artists. I could tell by listening to Barbie Gayle that she was young when she recorded her song. Millie is a genuine sweetness about her. I can hear and see it in these mewsic vids you shared. It was such fun to listening to both gals. Thanks for the introduction, friend. Have a good evening!
Hi, Cathy!
DeleteThank you very much for paying a visit now that the A to Z has ended! Once again I applaud you for doing such a splendid job with the Challenge again this year. I had a lot of fun with your series.
I'm happy to learn that DH remembers Millie Small's hit "My Boy Lollipop." It was a refreshingly different sound on the chart when I was age 14 and the Beatles and other English acts were flooding the U.S. market with their records. I agree that Millie had genuine sweetness about her that came across in every recording and stage performance. I'm glad you enjoyed the introduction to Millie and to Barbie and had fun listening to their mewsic.
Thanks again for coming by, dear friend Cathy. Get some rest now. You richly deserve a break after the grueling month long A to Z. I'll see you when you resume blogging. Until then please take good care of yourself and your family!
Tom,
DeleteDH is a lot like you when it comes to mewsic. He remembers who did what better than me any day. I credit him for lifting the shades of mewsic ignorance over the years with refreshing my memory or educating me on who did what. I didn't pay near the attention that I should've to the artists outside of my mewsic circle. The Internet has been an excellent source of reference, too. It's nice to not feel like I'm in the dark on any particular subject. Technology makes my life easier. :) Thanks for swinging by to vote in my May 1st BoTB. This week, I hope to rest a little when I can after a busy, busy April. Have a good day, my friend!
Hi, Cathy!
DeleteThanks for coming back over to continue our conversation, dear friend! Yessum, I have always been pretty good at connecting songs with artist names. Strangely I am not very good at learning and remembering the words to songs. Some people can recite all the lyrics to many songs. Mrs. Shady is one such person. When I listen to a mewsic recording, the words aren't as important to me as the overall soundscape and its impact on the emotions, the mood generated by manner in which the producer has mixed the various elements.
Yessum, the internet is a vast resource for continuing education. I can't imagine life without access to it.
Get some rest this week, Cathy. I will need to take a 10-day blog break of my own at the start of June because we were able to reschedule those eye surgeries that got bumped last month due to the COVID outbreak. Take care and I will see you soon, dear friend!
Hi Shady! This is a fun post! I don't recall knowing about Millie Small, but I prefer her cover of "My Boy Lollipop" to the original Barbie Gaye recording. This was a popular song, and one we loved to hate, but knew all of the words, haha! I guess I wasn't paying attention in the early 60's to the terminology, because I didn't know about the 'ska movement'.
ReplyDeleteMillie breathes more life into the "Lollipop" song, because she is so cute and fun to watch. You are right about the explosive video and performance of "I'm Blue". It is another one of my 2 million favorite songs, and Millie & company do a bang up performance! I love it! I wasn't so fond of "Sweet William", although, Millie makes excuses for the goofy song with her fun and cute presence.
Thank you for this fun post, and, yes, I can see how you have a special place in your heart for "Lollipop"! That's okay, we all enjoy seeing what makes you tick, Shady! Just kidding!
I apologize for my continued tardiness. I'm pretty much off schedule these days, and can't wait for the school session to end. Thank you for your great posts and giving us performances we would otherwise never gotten to experience.
Have a wonderful weekend, Shady! ♫
Hi, Suzanne!
DeleteI am thrilled to see you, dear friend! Thanks for coming over to check out my salute to Jamaican ska zinger Millie Small.
I'm glad you remember Millie's hit ditty even if you don't remember her by name or the genre of music she represents. I recall "My Boy Lollipop" being a guilty pleasure, a record that I just had to run out and buy. I also bought her folo-up "Sweet William" which I admit is derivative with its references to candy and all. With lyrics like the following, I don't think the song stands the test of time as well as "Lollipop" and would not go over very well with modern women:
I love sweet William
Yes, he's my boy
And I'm his little doll
His favorite toy
He brings me candy
And kisses too
Because I'm stuck on him
I'll stick to him like glue
Hey, Millie... I wish you were Stuck Like Glue on Shady Blue! :)
I am very excited to know that Ike Turner's "The Gong Gong Song" is one of your all time favorites and that you were able to mentally filter out the blurry B&W picture and distorted sound and appreciate Millie's electrifying performance on Shindig! Whenever I watch it I can't help but smile and get a little misty knowing that I am witnessing one of the great R&B performances of the 60s. Imagine if we could experience that Shindig clip in HD color and HQ. We'd be completely blown away!
Yessum, I'm a sucker for "Lollipop" and for Millie Small, the artist who made the song famous. :)
Dear Suzanne, I know what you're dealing with over there, and you do not need to apologize. Hang in there. The school year will soon be over. I pray that they can get a handle on this COVID thing before Scootie is set to start his next grade. This is no way for any of us to live. I'm glad you appreciate having a few minutes of distraction listening to the songs I post.
Thanks again for joining the fun, dear friend Suzanne. I hope you and Scootie have a safe, healthy and happy weekend!