Thursday, May 07, 2020

RIP: A Tribute To Millie Small: From Horace Wee, Singapore


Millie Small has just passed away after suffering a stroke at 73 years young.

Good Friend Horace was kind enough to provide the information needed when asked whether it’s true Millie Small had lived in Singapore. Thanks Horace.

Below is his reply:

In response to a question that it was mentioned on BBC that she lived in Singapore for a short while. She had Jamaica’s first million selling single from the UK.

I was in the band that backed her, during her shows here, when she had the ‘My Boy Lollipop’ hit. Many years later probably late 70’s or early 80’s she lived in Singapore for a while, writing songs, some with a distinctive Singlish flavour. She came to see me to see if I’d be interested in producing some of the songs she had written. One I recall was “Act-See Man” and had various local phrases in her lyrics. She was ahead probably of the Singlish movement and I guess nothing came of it.

She was really petite (Small) in size.
RIP Millie Small. 🙏
Condolences to Ms Small’s family, close relatives, friends and fans.
From YouTube MY BOY LOLLIPOP by MILLIE SMALL. Thanks to the YouTube contributor for video.

NB:
Looks like I “was there” witnessing the birth of what eventually became reggae. 😊. Some people have noted that I’m one of the fortunate ones that have lived from the dawn of Rock and Roll right through history.  Guess one way to describe my life is, “I’ve walked beside music history”- And that matters!

By: HORACE WEE.

Images: Google
Video: YouTube.

11 comments:

Richard R. said...

Remembered vividly, cos we were in our grownin-up Years... Walking along our beloved TIONG BAHRU Estate five-foot-ways to School. Blaring from the Reddifusion sets of the many KOPITIAMs & shops..MILLIE's *My boy lollipop* Really, the tune was catchy.. Lyrics.. Simple & nice.
Till this day, it's FLASH PAST of my childhood, hearing this song accompanying me, making life so wonderfully young🙏

Anonymous said...

RIP Millie

And respect to Horace.

Best

Steve

WEN HING said...

Wow that is an interesting story! Sad to hear of her passing, but she definitely is a Singapore musical pioneer of sorts. Never knew the Singapore influence though subtle was around so far back. The onus is now strongly on modern day musicians to showcase the Singapore sound!

JIMMY YAP said...

HORACE WEE - WOW. HE WAS REALLY MY IDOL DURING THE RTS TALENTIME DAYS.
BEFORE THE WINNING RESULTS WERE ANNOUNCED HE WOULD USUALLY DISPLAY HIS SKILLS ON THE GUITAR N SINGING. HE WAS THE YOUNGEST N MOST HANDSOME
IF I'M NOT MISTAKEN HE PICKED GUANTANAMERA ONE NIGHT. I WAS SO THRILLED N IMPRESSED WHEN HE DID THE TALKING PART SO MELODIOUSLY.
6 YRS AGO WHEN I VISITED CUBA ( AFTER MEXICO )
I WAS SO INSPIRED TO LEARN GUANTANAMERA ( ABT A PEASANT GIRL FR GUANTANANO IN CUBA ).
I COULD HELP REMEMBERING THE GOOD OLD TALENTIME DAYS

JIMMY CHNG FROM THE ‘DECIBELS’ said...

Very interesting writeup indeed. If only Horace had followed up and helped her record a couple of her compositions. 😧. Millie's really "sweet as candy" in the video. RIP Millie.

JERRY FERNANDEZ OF THE ‘NEU FACES’ said...

Andy i really don't know much about her.
Only the one hit song.
Must very catchy tune & popular too in my early days i heard on radio.
Was mentioned she did live in S'pore for awhile ( that was new to me).
Andy with just one hit *My Boy Lollipop*, it was a world wide.
Like a other artists- Connie Francis; Petula Clark , Helen Shaprio & others had follow up hits.

ANDY: Pop Music Not Pills. © said...

Thank you all for comments
I’m having a hard time doing all this typing on the phone, with just one finger, when I’m capable of using all 8.
Hopefully I’ll get my computer fixed soon.
Cheers.

FL said...

Millie Small brightened up the 1960s with a lively and easy to sing song, My Boy Lollipop, but very sad she to learn that she has passed away recently. Her hit song was one of the oft played songs over the airwaves, and Redifusion in my secondary school years. May her soul rests in peace.

CEDRIC COLLARS PERTH AUSTRALIA said...

Hi Andy here we are again putting our lives on pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic and yet in the parallel side we have lost Millie Small and Little Richard to name a few to the ravages of normal illness. May we not forget the magic of their music. Cheers buddy 😷👍

TAN SOO KHOON said...

on The Vintage Showcase on Gold90, Brian Richmond paid tribute to Millie Small and Little Richard.

mattjsltan EX FRIED ICE..NOW world super star of chaos guitar LMAO.. said...

the best dude i have ever played and recorded with .. in singapore.
horace dad and mom were stellar parents too.
i remember how my dad did not approve of me being a musicians even with the great fried ice being one of the top bands in the armed forces and SAS.

it wasn't until dad got news that horace wee recruited me for his brimstone
that finally got dad to say, "that's my boy ! he is playing with horace wee".

i sort of rubbed dad in the face too, when i told him, "you know, horace's dad sent him to england to be a doctor, but he went to play music. and his dad said, oh well, if that's what he wants... then go be a musician".
i said, "dad, if you had also given me the go-ahead in england instead of me skipping classes from becoming an ATII (tax consultant), and let me be a musician ..
i too would be successful like horace.
dad looked at me like , "ya dude! speak in the mike!"

seriously, dads are the best. like moms, there is only one of each ..
and we loved them all regardless of what they did not let us be..

we were in a different generation... like, how many dads in singapore really wanted
their sons to be musicians???
long hair scraggly and loud and disorderly!!!

well, that's what make rock n roll the best ! we are the ones who stand by our believes..
shameless and all !

and i still do...
come dig my latest recordings on my new official homepage on indiesound.
(see URL )
https://www.indiesound.com/index.php?a=profile&u=3rdsonofhughyveshy

WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS... !!! ROCK N ROLL WILL NEVER DIE !!!!

ROCK ON HORACE WEE...SUPERSTAR !
YOU ARE THE ONLY ONE I MISS ...REALLY !
JUST YOU AND AMIR AND ME JAMMING .. THAT WAS THE REAL STUFF !!!

btw, horace wee was the one who switched me into john coltrane and elvin jones,etc..
that i quit being a jack bruce copycat..and went rogue into free form guitar..a la john coltrane.