My Boy Lollipop
My Boy Lollipop by Millie Small is a procedure published in 1964 entitled, considered the first commercial hit of ska and copies sold over six million is one of the most successful singles of this musical style.
Genesis
The still largely remained unknown original dates from the year 1956 by the at that time 17- year-old white female singer Barbie Gaye, the Rhythm & Blues title My Boy Lollypop / Say You Understand on the newly founded insignificant record label DARL Records (# 1002) had sung. The lyrically simple song about love to a boy could not in any of the official music charts place, but the radio station WINS / New York City was only in November 1956 were originally listed in a compiled by the well-known radio DJ Alan Freed hit parade on the last rank 25.
The song was composed probably by Bobby Spencer, at that time a member of the doo-wop formation Harptones, and their manager Johnny Roberts. These names also appear on the original label. Later, the plate mogul Morris Levy but claimed Bobby Spencer would be a pseudonym under which he had composed the song itself. Johnny Roberts was therefore not performed as a composer, but after 1964 replaced by Morris Levy's name.
Hit version
The British record producer Robert Blackwell brought the Jamaican Millicent " Millie " Small and guitarist Ernest Ranglin in July 1963 after London. Both were represented in the catalog of Iceland Records, which belonged to his brother Chris Blackwell. The 17 -year-old " Millie " Small had won a talent competition in her home and was famous in 1962 by a local number -one hit in Jamaica. Blackwell presented the girl Jack Baverstock, the A & R chief of Fontana Records. This was convinced of their self-confident -sounding child's voice and gave her a record deal. The first single Do not You Know / Until You're Mine was one of the first track on the now British record label Iceland Records, which had been laid in May 1962 from Jamaica to London. The title remained unheeded.
Then, however, Blackwell came across the forgotten title of Barbie Gaye. In January 1964, Jimmy Powell's band Five Dimensions was asked to take over the instrumental accompaniment during recording. She was under the musical direction of Ernest Ranglin Jamaicans, who was since 8 December 1963 a tour of England and also played guitar during the recording. However, the continued occupation is controversial in the scientific world. This begins with harmonica player Peter Hogman, who had played the instrumental parts, like Bob Marley confirmed in his autobiography. The often mentioned Rod Stewart has always denied his involvement. Was Hogman as a substitute for Stewart beginning in December 1963 came to the Five Dimensions. The other cast members were recruited from the core of Jimmy Powell's Five Dimensions, namely Rod Goodwin (guitar), Tony Lucas ( bass), Alan Shepherd (saxophone ) and Tom "Duke" Russell (drums). Added to this was Pete Peterson (trumpet ). That Jon Hiseman - who later played in the Graham Bond Organization and Colosseum - is said to have sat on drums, is rather unlikely.
Ranglin arranged with this formation, one held in the ska beat cover version of the original. Produced by Chris Blackwell in London's Olympic Studios My Boy Lollipop / Something's Gotta Be Done in March 1964 ( Fontana TF # 449 ) was first published in the UK. Fontana had taken the title licensed from Iceland Records. On March 12, 1964, the title came in the British charts, where it remained on 9 May for two weeks in second place. The plate here achieved sales of 600,000 copies in the U.S. ( also in second place listed ) sold 500,000 singles within five weeks, a total of copies worldwide transferred between 6 and 7 million.
In June 1964, came Millies English language release in the German charts, where she finished fifth place. In July 1964 German version of Heidi Bachert came under the same title with a text by Kurt Hertha out ( Polydor # 52 348 ), but penetrated only to No. 32. Maggie Mae in August 1976 after all rank 17 can occupy hereby. Millie was able to follow up on their million-seller no longer hit, so that My Boy Lollipop is one of the one- hit wonders.
BMI has Johnnie B. Roberts, Robert Spencer and Morris Levy registered as authors and gave the million seller a BMI Award. A total of 31 versions of this title are registered.