Pattie was educated at King Street Primary School and Sydney Girls High School. At the age of 11 she commenced singing lessons with Gwen Parsons, who also taught Noeleen Batley - Australia's top female singing artist of the time. They persuaded her to audition for TCN 9's TV teen show Saturday Date hosted by Jimmy Hannan, where she was a hit. She first appeared as a singer on the television series Opportunity Knocks at the age of 13. At age 14 as a third year high school student, she performed weekly at the Bronte Surf Club as lead singer of The Statesmen (with Duncan McGuire, Mark Rigby, Peter Walker, Nev Jade and Peter Maxworthy) and was signed to a recording contract by EMI.
Her first single for the EMI label, was influenced by the surf music craze. Titled "He's My Blonde Headed, Stompie Wompie, Real Gone Surfer Boy", (and backed with Stompin' at Maroubra), the song was released in November 1963 when Pattie was aged 14. It reached number two on the Australian music charts (the number one spot being held by The Beatles' I Want to Hold Your Hand). By 1965 a string of successful singles saw her voted as Australian Female Singer of the Year, and she appeared regularly on television variety programs, including Bandstand. Pattie regularly toured supporting Col Joye and the Joy Boys, with Judy Stone, Sandy Shaw and Cathy Wayne.
In 1966, at the age of 17 and the height of 4' 10", she became both the youngest and the shortest person to entertain troops during the Vietnam War. Performing in Nui Dat, Vietnam, and backed by The Joy Boys, Pattie was performing on stage when Battle of Long Tan began.[1] Although organisers had promised her safety, she was evacuated from the area before the completion of her scheduled performances.[4] In 1994 she received the Vietnam Logistic and Support Medal in recognition of her services in support of the Australian Armed Forces in operations in Vietnam.
She subsequently appeared on several TV shows in America, the most notable being the Ed Sullivan show, and during the election campaign of November 1972 she appeared with other entertainers such as Col Joye and Judy Stone in the Labor Party's It's time TV commercial, which also starred Gough Whitlam.
1998 Australia Post stamp commerating "He's my Blonde Headed Stompie Wompie Real Gone Surfer Boy" released 35 years earlier.As Little Pattie entered her twenties, she continued her career moving into the adult entertainment world. She continues to perform on television and in clubs, and became a vocal teacher, notably coaching Nikki Webster before her performance at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney. More recently, Amphlett has taught at a number of Sydney high schools, including Burwood Girls High School, St. Joseph's College, Hunters Hill, Mercy College, Chatswood and Saint Ignatius' College, Riverview.
In 2002 she appeared across Australia in the successful Long Way To The Top rock tour. In 2004, General Peter Cosgrove invited her to be patron of FACE, (Forces Advisory Council on Entertainment), and she was invited to go to Iraq to perform for Christmas 2005 and New Year 2006. She performed at the "Salute to Vietnam Veterans" held at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra on 19 August 2006.
In addition to her music career, Pattie was a member of the Council for the Australian War Memorial from 1995 until 1998, and received an Order of Australia Medal in 2003 for her services (as National President) to the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance and (as vice-president) to Actors' Equity.[7] She has also been on the Federal Executive of the Australian Council of Trade Unions. In 2000 the Sydney Morning Herald included her on a list of the 'century's most loved faces', and she was included in a 1998 issue of Australian stamps featuring Australian bands.
As mentioned, her first release in 1963 was "He's My Blonde-Headed, Stompie Wompie, Real Gone Surfer Boy", written by Joe Halford and Jay Justin (McCarthy)[8] backed with "Stompin' At Maroubra", also written by Halford & Justin.
Later releases not in the "surf genre" included: "Dance Puppet Dance" (1965), "Pushin' A Good Thing Too Far" (1965),[10] and "Little Things Like That" (1967).
In 2001 EMI released a Little Pattie CD - "20 Stompie Wompie Hits", a compilation of her early records.
He's My Boy
Little Pattie Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
He's my boy and I love him so
He's my boy and he should know
Cause I kiss him every night
Hug him and hold him tight
Just the way I always do
He's my boy and I'll be true
He's my boy, he's so much fun
He's my one and only one
Yes, he's the one and everyone
Can see we were meant to be far
He's always by my side
He's my boy
My joy and pride
We'll be together
Grant you all the coming years
We are going to stay a long time
We will be together
Grant you all the happy years
Cause we have found a love so fine
And I know that he is my boy
Yes, that's for sure
Everyday I love him more
Yes, everything's so right
He is my dream every night
Just the way I know he would be
He's my boy the only boy for me
Woo, oooo, ooo
Woo, oooo, ooo
Woo, ooo, ooo.
The lyrics to Little Pattie's song "He's My Boy" are a declaration of love for a special person in her life. She makes it clear that this person, who she refers to as "my boy," is the only one for her. Throughout the song, she emphasizes the love and affection she has for him, saying that she "kiss[es] him every night" and "hug[s] him and hold[s] him tight" as a way of showing her devotion. The chorus repeats the phrase "He's my boy" and adds that he's "so much fun" and "my one and only one." She believes that they were "meant to be" and that they will stay together for a long time.
The lyrics suggest that the relationship between the singer and "my boy" is strong and enduring. The lines "We'll be together / Grant you all the coming years" and "We are going to stay a long time / We will be together / Grant you all the happy years" reinforce this idea. The singer seems to feel that the love between her and this person is special and rare, saying that "we have found a love so fine" and "everyday I love him more." The song ends with a repetition of the chorus and a final "Woo, oooo, ooo" as a cheerful and upbeat finale.
Line by Line Meaning
Woo, woo
Expressing excitement and joy
He's my boy and I love him so
He is my significant other and I have strong feelings of affection towards him
He's my boy and he should know
My significant other ought to be aware of my love for them
Cause I kiss him every night
I express my love for him physically by kissing him each night
Hug him and hold him tight
I embrace him and hold him firmly
Just the way I always do
This is how I always show my love
He's my boy and I'll be true
I am faithful to my significant other
Wooo, oooo
Expressing excitement and joy
He's my boy, he's so much fun
My significant other is enjoyable and amusing to be around
He's my one and only one
He is my soulmate and I am committed to him only
Yes, he's the one and everyone
Our relationship is evident to everyone around us
Can see we were meant to be far
Our love is real and has a strong foundation
He's always by my side
He is supportive and always there for me
He's my boy
He is my significant other
My joy and pride
He brings happiness and a sense of pride to my life
We'll be together
We plan to stay together
Grant you all the coming years
We will be together for many years to come
We are going to stay a long time
We will be together for a long time
We will be together
Our relationship is strong and we will remain together
Grant you all the happy years
We will experience many happy years together
Cause we have found a love so fine
Our love is deep and special
And I know that he is my boy
I have no doubt that he is the one for me
Yes, that's for sure
I am confident in our relationship
Everyday I love him more
My love for him grows stronger everyday
Yes, everything's so right
Everything in our relationship feels right
He is my dream every night
He is always on my mind and in my dreams
Just the way I know he would be
He is exactly what I have always wanted
He's my boy the only boy for me
He is the only one for me and I am devoted to him
Woo, oooo, ooo
Expressing excitement and joy
Woo, oooo, ooo
Expressing excitement and joy
Woo, ooo, ooo.
Expressing excitement and joy
Contributed by Ethan F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.