mickyricky
pfm Member
Sad news that Millie Small has passed away .She had a big big hit in the 60’s with “My Boy Lollipop “
Maybe the start of SKA ..R.I.P
Maybe the start of SKA ..R.I.P
Millie Small R.I.P
- Thread starter mickyricky
- Start date
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-52557332
also hear again her famous song.
also hear again her famous song.
3
35451
Guest
...i wonder what became of Lollipop?
RIP Millie - song reminds me vaguely of long since distant toddler parties.
RIP Millie - song reminds me vaguely of long since distant toddler parties.
Stunsworth
pfm Member
Sad news, I remember Lollipop well.
SCIDB
Triode Man
Sad to hear about the death of Millie Small. Her record, My boy lollipop, brought Ska music to the masses. It was the first big international Ska record, hitting No. 2 in both the UK & US. It was also the record that helped to launch Island records into the big league. The tune was recorded in the UK using mainly UK musicians. The catchy nature of the song made it a big hit.
The original version was done by Barbie Gaye in 1956. Chris Blackwell picked up the tune while in New York, to sell to the Jamaican sound systems. To him, it was the ideal tune to get Millie's career going on a wider stage.
Millie Small helped to open the door for Ska and Reggae music to the international world. I'll take hat off to that.
R.I.P. Millie
The original version was done by Barbie Gaye in 1956. Chris Blackwell picked up the tune while in New York, to sell to the Jamaican sound systems. To him, it was the ideal tune to get Millie's career going on a wider stage.
Millie Small helped to open the door for Ska and Reggae music to the international world. I'll take hat off to that.
R.I.P. Millie
Mullardman
Moderately extreme...
I recall Lollipop coming out. We definitely weren't calling it Ska at that point. The phrase was Blue Beat. The other big mainstream Blue Beat hit at the time was 'Mockingbird Hill' by The Migil Five. Who were all white Brits AFAIK.
But then again I was 14 when Lollipop was released. More 'authentic' stuff such as for e.g. King of Kings by Jimmy Cliff, 'Put It On' by the Wailers and much much more was already circulating in the ethnic and R&B communities, but I didn't pick up on that for another 2 or 3 years.
But then again I was 14 when Lollipop was released. More 'authentic' stuff such as for e.g. King of Kings by Jimmy Cliff, 'Put It On' by the Wailers and much much more was already circulating in the ethnic and R&B communities, but I didn't pick up on that for another 2 or 3 years.
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wylton
Naim and Mana member
RIP Millie. Funnily enough, I was sorting through my late brother's 7" singles yesterday and what d'ya know, a copy of My Boy Lollipop was in one of the boxes. Sad to read though, that she wasn't able to capitalise on her success and had some down periods in her life.
SCIDB
Triode Man
Hi,
The first ska record was said to be Easy Snapping by Theophilus Beckford. It was recorded in 1956 but was released in 1959 in Jamaica. It is very debatable who invented the term Ska.
The music from Jamaica at that time was know as Jamaica Blues Beat. This got shorten down to Blue beat. It was referred to in the UK as Blue beat. It was a catch all term for Jamaican R&B, and ska. Alot of people use it to refer to pre reggae stuff. In 1960, the Bluebeat label was formed in the UK to deal with demand for this music.
The term "Ska" wasn't widely used until 1964. There was a big explosion of ska worldwide. Millie Small and Prince Buster had hits in the US. A delegation of ska artists played at the 1964 world fair in New York. Doing the Ska was latest dance craze in the States. Also, 1964 saw the world Ska on a number titles on record. In the UK, there did seem to be a big increase in the number of ska records being released.
There is evidence of the word "Ska" being spelt "Sca". I have seen reprints of ads from the Jamaica Gleaner (a Jamaica newspaper) from 1963 using the Sca instead of Ska. I have also seen it on the sleeve notes of a Derrick Morgan LP (UK release 1963) using the Sca spelling. I have seen, on the back of a 1963 Prince Buster (on the Blue Beat label) the term "Bluebeat Ska". There was also a label called "Ska Beat" that came out in 1963.
I have a copy of the Migil Five record. They were the first all white artists to have a hit with a ska tune. There had been other UK ska recordings before the Migil Five tune. Prince Buster had recorded in UK in 1963 and so had Georgie Fame.
