1.) Alfred Jesse Smith (born July 26, 1941 in Shreveport, Louisiana), better known by the stage name Brenton Wood, is an American singer and songwriter, best known for his two 1967 hits: Oogum Boogum Song and Gimme Little Sign.
When he was a child his family moved west to San Pedro in Los Angeles, California. In his high school years his family relocated to nearby Compton, where Brenton became a member of the Compton High School track team and received several awards for his athletic achievements.
Following his high school graduation, Wood enrolled in Compton College. Soon after he took the stage name Brenton Wood, possibly inspired by the wealthy Los Angeles enclave of Brentwood (some sources state that the name is in honor of his "home county"). During his period there his musical interests began to manifest themselves. He was inspired by Jesse Belvin and Sam Cooke, and he began cultivating his songwriting skills, also becoming an accomplished pianist.
After signing with Double Shot Records he had a hit with "The Oogum Boogum Song" in the spring of 1967. It reached number 19 on the R&B charts and number 34 on the pop listing. His biggest hit came in September the same year. "Gimme Little Sign" hit #9 on the pop chart and also #19 on the R&B charts. In the song gimme little sign is not sung, instead the chorus repeats "give me some kind of sign".
"Gimme Little Sign" was later covered by Danielle Brisebois who had a hit with it in 1994. "Gimme Little Sign" was also recorded by Ricky Nelson.
Some of his more unknown songs are also worth listening to, such as "Me and You," "Baby You Got It," and "18 With a Bullet."
Sad Little Songs
Brenton Wood Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I'll never be blind girl, to remind you of a good time!
Remember the song we used to dance all night long to?
Our favorite one that we used to hum
La tee ta, Da da dee dah, tah tah da tah
Were gone...
La tee ta, Da da dee dah, tah tah da tah
Remember our first date?
We found a good thing
I got my first job and bought you a wedding ring
Remember the first night?
Darling, you were so shy
But I was too proud to show it, but darling so was I
We had some great times
Like on babies first birthday
Seems like everything was going our way
Then suddenly the pieces didn't fit,
Then came the splitting...
La tee ta, Da da dee dah, tah tah da tah
A sad little faced girl to remind you of the good days
Remember the song we used to dance all night long to?
Too bad the songs and the good times are gone
La tee ta, Da da dee dah, tah tah da tah
The song "Sad Little Songs" by Brenton Wood dives deep into the memories of a failed relationship. The song reminisces about the time they were together and the happy moments they shared with each other. The upbeat melody contradicts the sadness underlying the lyrics which describes the relationship after it turned sour. The chorus is repeated multiple times with the lyrics "La tee ta, Da da dee dah, tah tah da tah" which signifies how the couple used to hum their favorite song when they were happy together. However, soon after their break up, the happy notes of their song turned into a sad melody as the relationship disintegrated.
The verses discuss moments from their past - the first date, the first job, getting married, and having a baby. Each memory brings forth a sense of nostalgia and happiness they shared together. However, the chorus reminds the couple that those times are gone and all they are left with are sad memories. The last verse talks about the female protagonist as a "sad little faced girl" who cherishes the past and reminds her partner of happier times when they were together.
Overall, "Sad Little Songs" sends a clear message that even though relationships might end, the memories stick around, and it's up to us how we choose to remember them.
Line by Line Meaning
I'll never be blind girl, to remind you of a good time!
I won't forget the happy moments we had together, even if they are gone now.
Remember the song we used to dance all night long to?
Do you recall the track we loved and danced to all night long?
Our favorite one that we used to hum
We loved humming that song more than anything else.
Then suddenly that song and the good times
Those good times and memories vanished suddenly, along with our beloved song.
Were gone...
Everything that once made us happy vanished, and we were left alone in sorrow.
Remember our first date?
Do you recollect the day we first met and fell in love with each other?
We found a good thing
We realized we had something special between us and decided to commit.
I got my first job and bought you a wedding ring
I worked hard and bought you a token of our love - a wedding ring.
Remember the first night?
Can you remember the first time we spent the night together?
Darling, you were so shy
You were a little nervous and reserved that night.
But I was too proud to show it, but darling so was I
I was also nervous like you, but too proud to show it.
We had some great times
We had a lot of wonderful moments together.
Like on babies first birthday
For example, when we celebrated our child's first birthday.
Seems like everything was going our way
It felt like everything was perfect and working out perfectly for us.
Then suddenly the pieces didn't fit,
But then everything changed dramatically, and we were no longer in sync.
Then came the splitting...
And eventually, we had to part ways, and our love was no more.
A sad little faced girl to remind you of the good days
You might see someone who looks like me and remember our happy days.
Too bad the songs and the good times are gone
It's unfortunate that all the good times and our favorite song are lost forever.
Contributed by Jayden G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.