He was born Delecta Clark in Blytheville, Arkansas, and moved to Chicago in 1941. His mother, Essie Mae Clark, was a gospel singer and encouraged her son to pursue his love of music. Clark made his first recording in 1952 as a member of the Hambone Kids, who enjoyed some success with a recording of "Hambone" on the OKeh label. In 1953, he joined an R&B group called the Goldentones, who later became the Kool Gents and were discovered by Chicago radio DJ Herb Kent upon winning a talent competition. Kent had the Kool Gents signed to Vee-Jay label's subsidiary Falcon/Abner. The group recorded for Falcon/Abner in 1956, and also recorded a novelty record as "The Delegates".
Clark embarked on a solo career in 1957, initially following the styles of Clyde McPhatter and Little Richard. When Little Richard temporarily abandoned his music career to study the Bible, Clark fulfilled Richard's remaining live dates and also recorded with his backing band, the Upsetters. Over the next four years he landed several moderate hits, two of which ("Just Keep It Up" and "Hey Little Girl") reached the top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100). His records for Abner and Vee-Jay were orchestrated by Riley Hampton. His biggest single, "Raindrops," a power ballad augmented by heavy rain and thunder sound effects and Clark's swooping falsetto, was released in the spring of 1961 and became his biggest hit, soaring to number two on the pop chart and number three on the R&B charts. It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc. "Raindrops" was also an international success, reaching number one in New Zealand and reaching the top ten in South Africa and Belgium, and selling well in Japan. "Raindrops" remains a staple on oldies and adult standards radio station playlists to this day, and has also been covered by several other artists in the years since, including David Cassidy, Tony Orlando and Dawn, and most notably Narvel Felts, who took the song to number 30 on the country chart in 1974. Clark himself recorded an updated version of "Raindrops" in 1973.
However, Clark's biggest hit was also his last. The follow-up to "Raindrops," "Don't Walk Away From Me," was a flop, and he made the pop charts in America only twice more, with "I'm Going Back to School" (1962) and "Crossfire Time" (1963). By the time "Crossfire Time" came out, Clark had moved from Vee-Jay to the Constellation label. Though he continued to record for Constellation through 1966, none of his records charted nationally. He had considerable local success in Chicago with such standout recordings as "Come Closer" (1964), the double-sided hit of "Warm Summer Breezes" and "Heartbreak" (1964), and "TCB" (1965). He later recorded for the Columbia, Wand, Liberty and Rocky labels, without success. Clark had a brief revival in 1975 when his song "Ride a Wild Horse" became a surprise Top 30 hit in the UK Singles Chart, becoming his first chart hit in the UK since "Just Keep It Up."
Afterwards, Clark performed mostly on the oldies circuit. By the late 1980s, he was in dire straits financially, living in a welfare hotel in Toccoa, Georgia. Despite suffering a stroke in 1987 that left him partially paralyzed and with a mild speech impediment, he continued to perform until his death on December 7, 1990, in Smyrna, Georgia, from a heart attack at the age of 52. His last concert was with the Jimmy Gilstrap Band at the Portman Lounge in Anderson, South Carolina.
Nobody But Me
Dee Clark Lyrics
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Gee but I'd like to know you better
Just a-swingin' your books and chewin' gum
Lookin' just like a juicy plum
Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, little girl
Hey little girl, in the black silk stockin's
Gee but you got my heart rockin'
Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, little girl
Hey, little girl, can I come along?
Carry your books and a-hold your arm?
I'm hopin' that you'll tell me yes, because you're the girl that I love best
Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, mm-mm
Hey little girl, in the high school sweater
Gee, I hope you're feelin' better
Not just like the time before, 'member when you closed that door?
Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, little girl
Hey, little girl
Hey, hey, hey, little girl
Mm-mm
The lyrics of "Oh Little Girl" by Dee Clark depict a teenage boy who is infatuated with a girl who seems to be a fellow high school student. The setting of the song appears to be in a high school hallway where the boy sees the girl walking with her books and chewing gum, which suggests she might be one of the popular girls in the school. The boy expresses his desire to get to know the girl better, comparing her to a juicy plum, which can be seen as a metaphor for her attractiveness or desirability.
In the second verse, the boy continues to describe the girl's physical appearance, focusing on her black silk stockings and tight skirt. The girl seems to have caught the boy's attention and caused his heart to race with excitement. He asks for permission to accompany her, carry her books, and hold her arm, hoping that she will agree because she is the girl he loves the most.
The final verse of the song suggests that the boy had experienced a rejection from the girl before and hopes that this time will be different. He wishes for her to feel better than the last time they interacted, implying that the previous encounter between them might have not ended well. Nonetheless, the boy's fondness for the girl remains and his hope to be with her still persists.
Overall, "Oh Little Girl" portrays a teenage love story that is relatable to many. The lyrics depict the innocence, excitement, and hopefulness of young experiences with love and attraction.
Line by Line Meaning
Hey little girl, in the high school sweater
Addressing a girl wearing a high school sweater, the singer expresses interest in getting to know her.
Gee but I'd like to know you better
The singer expresses his strong desire to become closer to the girl he's addressing.
Just a-swingin' your books and chewin' gum
The singer is admiring the girl for her relaxed, carefree attitude as she walks by swinging her books and chewing gum.
Lookin' just like a juicy plum
The singer is comparing the girl's attractive appearance to that of a ripe, juicy plum.
Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, little girl
Repeating the phrase 'hey little girl' emphasizes his attraction to her.
Hey little girl, in the black silk stockin's
The singer is now addressing a different girl, who is wearing black silk stockings, and expressing his admiration.
Gee but you got my heart rockin'
The singer is feeling intense emotions of love and longing for this girl.
A-wearin' that crazy skin-tight skirt and that crazy Ivy League shirt
The singer is describing the girl's stylish outfit in detail, which he finds irresistibly attractive.
Hey, little girl, can I come along?
The singer is asking the girl if he can accompany her, conveying his desire to spend more time with her.
Carry your books and a-hold your arm?
The singer is offering to help the girl carry her books and walk arm in arm as a sign of affection and romantic interest.
I'm hopin' that you'll tell me yes, because you're the girl that I love best
The singer is expressing his hope that the girl he's interested in will agree to spend time with him because he loves her more than anyone else.
Hey little girl, in the high school sweater
The singer is addressing the first girl again, wishing her well and hoping for another chance to connect with her.
Gee, I hope you're feelin' better
The singer is expressing his concern for the girl's well-being and desire to improve her mood.
Not just like the time before, 'member when you closed that door?
The singer is reminding the girl of a past interaction where she closed a door on him, implying that he hopes for a different outcome this time.
Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, hey, little girl
Repeating the phrase 'hey little girl' once again shows the intensity of the singer's interest in both girls.
Hey, little girl
The singer concludes the song by addressing both girls one last time, expressing his continuing feelings of love and attraction.
Hey, hey, hey, little girl
The repetition of 'hey' and 'little girl' serves as a catchy chorus, reminding listeners of the song's central theme.
Mm-mm
This vocalization is a repeated musical phrase that adds emphasis to the end of the song and creates a memorable ending.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: TENA CLARK, GARY PRIM
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Milton Levant
Sure got a sam Cooke thing going on here