Small was the daughter of a sugar plantation overseer. In her teens, she was part of a duo called Roy & Millie (with Roy Panton) and was recording for Coxsone Dodd's Studio One record label. They had a minor local hit with "We'll Meet."
In late 1963 she was taken to London by Chris Blackwell to make her fourth recording, an Ernest Ranglin rearrangement of "My Boy Lollipop", which had originally been recorded and released by white R&B singer Barbie Gaye in late 1956, becoming a minor hit in the New York area.
Released in March 1964, Small's cover was a massive hit, reaching number two both in the UK Singles Chart and in the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. Including singles sales, album usage and compilation inclusions, the song has since sold more than seven million copies worldwide.
"Lollipop" turned Small into an instant international star, performing with the Beatles on the Fab Four's BBC-TV special. Then hosting her own TV special on Finnish National Television. She also performed on the British TV Show "Ready, Steady, Go" (These can be seen on YouTube.com), the ABC-TV Show "Shindig", and had a starring role in a BBC-TV dramatic presentation.
"My Boy Lollipop" was doubly significant in British music. Small was the first Jamaican artist to have a major hit in the U.K and the U.S. Her recording was the first major smash for Island Records (although it was actually released via Fontana Records because Blackwell did not want to over-extend Island's then-meager resources), and Small was the first artist to have a hit that was recorded in the so-called "bluebeat" style. This was a "music genre" that had recently emerged from Jamaica, and came to be known as ska, is the direct ancestor of reggae.
Small continued to tour and perform up to the early 1970s. There is a video of Small's live performance at the 1970 Wembley Reggae Festival on DailyMotion.com.
On 6 August 2011, the 49th anniversary of Jamaica's independence, the Governor-General created Small a Commander in the Order of Distinction, for her contribution to the Jamaican music industry. The award was accepted on her behalf by former Prime Minister Edward Seaga.
Discography
* "Don't You Know" / "Until You're Mine" - 1963
* "My Boy Lollipop" - 1964 - Combo Records
* "Sweet William" - 1964
* "I Love The Way You Love" / "Bring It On Home To Me" - 1964
* "I've Fallen In Love With A Snowman" / "What Am I Living For" - 1965
* "See You Later Alligator" / "Chilly Kisses" - 1965
* "My Street" / "It's Too Late" - 1965
* "Bloodshot Eyes" / "Tongue Tied" - 1965
* "My Street" / "A Mixed Up Fickle Moody Self Centred, Spoiled Kind Of Boy" - 1966
* "Killer Joe" / "Carry Go Bring Come" - 1966
* "You Better Forget" / "I Am In Love" - 1967
* "Chicken Feed" / "Wings Of A Dove" - 1967
* "When I Dance With You" / "Hey Mr. Love" - 1968
* "Readin' Writin' Arithmetic" / "I Want You Never To Stop" - 1969
* "Time Will Tell" - 1970/2004 - Trojan Records
Oh Henry
Millie Small Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I like the way you follow me
Oh Henry
The other day, I found out just the other day
I hear it from the other fellas
Oh Henry
No matter what you do, I'll keep on loving you
And if you ever go away, I'd long for you each day
Yes you are my only pride and joy
Yes you are my little puppy dog
Oh Henry
No matter what you do, I'll keep on loving you
And if you ever went away, I'd long for you each day
Oh Henry
Yes you are my little pride and joy
yes, you are my little puppy dog
Oh Henry
Oh Henry
Oh henry
The first line of the lyrics "Every day, I'm glad that you belong to me" highlights the singer's admiration for someone named Henry. She expresses her affection and liking towards him. The next line, "I like the way you follow me" suggests her satisfaction with Henry's dedication towards her, perhaps indicating that he is attentive and always there for her.
In the next stanza, the singer hears from the other guys about something regarding Henry, indicating that she has a possessive behavior and a sense of need to know everything about him. She expresses her love for him and claims her loyalty towards him no matter what he does. The lines "Yes, you are my little puppy dog" and "Yes, you are my only pride and joy" reveal the depth of her affection towards him, showing that he is a source of happiness and fulfillment for her.
Overall, "Oh Henry" is a love song that portrays the feelings of admiration, happiness, and loyalty that the singer holds for Henry. The song also portrays the singer as possessive and in love with Henry's every move, making it an interesting and captivating narrative about love and affection.
Line by Line Meaning
Every day, I'm glad that you belong to me
I feel happy every day knowing that you are mine
I like the way you follow me
I appreciate the way you stay close to me
Oh Henry
Interjection - used as a way of calling or addressing someone named Henry
The other day, I found out just the other day
Recently, I discovered that
I hear it from the other fellas
I learned about it from other guys
No matter what you do, I'll keep on loving you
My love for you will remain strong regardless of your actions
And if you ever go away, I'd long for you each day
If you ever leave me, I will miss you dearly
Oh, oh Henry
Interjection - used as a way of expressing emotions towards someone named Henry
Yes you are my only pride and joy
You are my sole source of satisfaction and happiness
Yes you are my little puppy dog
You are like a loyal and affectionate pet to me
Oh Henry
Interjection - used as a way of calling or addressing someone named Henry
No matter what you do, I'll keep on loving you
My love for you will remain strong regardless of your actions
And if you ever went away, I'd long for you each day
If you ever left me, I would miss you every day
Oh Henry
Interjection - used as a way of calling or addressing someone named Henry
Yes you are my little pride and joy
You are like a source of pride and happiness to me
yes, you are my little puppy dog
You are like a loyal and affectionate pet to me
Oh Henry
Interjection - used as a way of calling or addressing someone named Henry
Oh Henry
Interjection - used as a way of calling or addressing someone named Henry
Oh henry
Interjection - used as a way of calling or addressing someone named Henry
Contributed by Peyton W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@2bsure
RIEP Millie Small❤️😢 many memories of our youth.
@caroltenge5147
you were our youth!
@RayPosh1
She's amazing. Incredible charisma. Impossible to watch without having a smile on your face. One of a kind.
@drspaseebo410
Nice !
@agod5608
I agree. She made me smile right off
@pittycross
Met Millie when I was working at the Townhouse Hotel at Kings Cross in Sydney back in the mid 60's. I was working as a porter for a while and was very happy to carry her bags up to her room.
What a beautiful girl she was.
Came up to the NT not long after and worked out bush most of the time and hardly ever heard of her again. Never forgot her though.
And my first name is Henry too.
@Ckarmnessence
Una canción con tu nombre y esos recuerdos tuyos nadie ni nada te lo quitará 🤗
@davidreames8752
Carrying the bags for the Queen of Ska when she was her most beautiful is like being a woman who got to meet a young Elvis Presley, the King of Rock and Roll...You lucky bastard!! Good memorable story!
@tafimutekwe2855
The golden voice and sound of the sixties.
@RayPosh1
The World was Cheated - Part2: Her dazzling smile, unique dancing, and her songs bring joy to your heart. And that baby voice makes you melt. An even bigger surprise is how great her other songs are.. All of them should have been big hits. The world was cheated out of hearing these jewels and Millie was cheated out of getting the recognition she deserved. Some stupid record distributor or some other powerful jerk must have blocked this from happening. I cant think of any other reason