Singer
Before landing a singing career, Steele tried his hand at a number of odd jobs and had a brief spell as a merchant seaman. Like many singers of his era he never did National Service, having failed the medical examination because, at 18 years old, he was diagnosed as suffering with Cardiomyopathy. While on leave or during Dock strikes, he played guitar and banjo and sang in The 2i's Coffee Bar in Soho, both as a solo performer and with Wally Whyton's Vipers Skiffle Group. He was discovered by manager Larry Parnes, who believed Steele could be Britain's answer to Elvis Presley. Parnes is widely credited with creating the stage name 'Tommy Steele.'
Steele shot quickly to fame in the UK as the frontman for a skiffle band, The Steelmen. Steele and other British singers would pick known hits from the United States, record their cover versions of these songs and release them in the UK before the American versions could enter the charts. Most of Steele's 1950s recordings were covers of American hits, such as "Singin' the Blues" and "Knee Deep in the Blues". Although Steele never proved a serious threat to Elvis's popularity in the UK, he did admirably well on the 1950s British pop charts and "Singing the Blues" got to Number 1. Guy Mitchell was no. 1 with "Singing the Blues" on 7/12/56 and Tommy Steele on 14/12/56.
Discography
Partial discography.
Singles
With the Steelemen
Rock With the Caveman/ Rock Around the Town - UK charts no.13 (Decca 1956)
Doomsday Rock/ Elevator Rock (Decca 1956)
Singing The Blues/ Rebel Rock - UK charts no. 1 (Decca 1956)
Knee Deep in the Blues/ Teenage Party. - UK charts no.15 (Decca 1957)
Butterfingers/ Cannibal Pot - UK charts no. 8 (Decca 1957)
Shiralee/ Grandad’s Rock - UK charts no.11 (Decca 1957)
Water, Water/ A Handful of Songs. - UK charts no. 5 (Decca 1957)
Hey You!/ Plant A Kiss - UK charts no.28 (Decca 1957)
Happy Guitar/ Princess - UK charts no.20 (Decca 1958)
Nairobi/ Neon Sign - UK charts no. 3 (Decca 1958)
Only Man on the Island/ I Puts the Lightie On. - UK charts no.16 (Decca 1958)
Solo
It’s All Happening/ What Do You Do? (Decca 1958 )
Come On, Let’s Go/ Put a Ring on Her Finger. - UK charts no.10 (Decca 1958)
A Lovely Night/ Marriage Type Love (Decca 1958)
Hiawatha/ The Trial (Decca 1959)
Tallahassee Lassie/ Give, Give, Give - UK. charts no.16 (Decca 1959)
You Were Mine/ Young Ideas (Decca 1959)
Little White Bull/ Singing Time. - UK charts no. 6 (Decca 1959)
What A Mouth/ Kookaburra - UK charts no. 5 (Decca 1960)
Happy Go Lucky Blues/ Girl with the Long Black Hair (Decca 1960)
Must Be Santa/ Boys and Girls. - UK charts no.40 (Decca 1960)
My Big Best Shoes/ The Dit Dit Song (Decca 1961)
Writing on the Wall/ Drunken Guitar - UK charts no.30 .(Decca 1961)
Hit Record/ What A Little Darling (Decca 1962)
Where Have All the Flowers Gone?/ Butter Wouldn’t Melt in Your Mouth (Decca 1963)
He’s Got Love/ Green Eye (Decca 1963 )
Flash Bang Wallop/ She’s Too Far Above Me (Decca 1963)
Egg and Chips/ The Dream Maker (Columbia 1963)
Half A Sixpence/ If the Rain’s Got to Fall (RCA 1965)
Fortuosity/ I’m a Brass Band (Vista 1967)
King’s New Clothes/ Wonderful Copenhagen (Pye 1974)
Half A Sixpence/ If the Rain’s Got to Fall (Safari 1984)
Singing the Blues/ Come On, Let’s Go (Old Gold 1985)
Actor
With Petula Clark in Finian's RainbowThe increase in home-grown musical talent during the 1960s allowed Steele to progress to a career in stage and film musicals, leaving behind his pop idol identity. In the West End he appeared in the title role of Hans Christian Andersen. On film, he recreated his London and Broadway stage role in Half A Sixpence, and played character roles in The Happiest Millionaire and Finian's Rainbow, although many critics found his personality to be somewhat overwhelming on screen. In this latter film, probably his best known appearance in the movies, he co-starred with Petula Clark and Fred Astaire.
In 1983, Steele directed and starred in the West End stage production of Singin' in the Rain at the famed London Palladium. In 1991 he toured with Some Like It Hot the stage version of the Jack Lemmon and Marilyn Monroe film. In 2003, after a decade-long hiatus, save his one man shows An Evening With Tommy Steele and What A Show!, he toured as Ebenezer Scrooge in a production of Scrooge: The Musical, an adaptation of A Christmas Carol. Following this triumphant return, he reprised his role at the Palace Theatre, Manchester over Christmas 2004, and brought the production to the London Palladium for Christmas 2005.
Filmography
The Tommy Steele Story (1957)
The Duke Wore Jeans (1957)
Tommy the Toreador (1959)
Light Up the Sky! (1960) known as Skywatch in the US
It's All Happening (1963) known as The Dream Maker in the US
Half a Sixpence (1967)
The Happiest Millionaire (1967)
Finian's Rainbow (1968)
Twelfth Night (1969) (made for TV)
Where's Jack? (1969)
The Yeomen of the Guard (1978)
Quincy's Quest (1979)
Author and Other Talents
In the early 1980s, Steele wrote and published a book titled The Final Run, a novel about World War II and the evacuation of Dunkirk.
He also wrote a children's novel, entitled Quincy, about a reject toy trying to save himself and his fellow rejects in the basement of a toy store from the furnace the day after Christmas. This was turned into a film in 1979, which Tommy played Quincy and Mel Martin playing Quincy's girlfriend doll, Rebecca.
He has developed a talent as a sculptor and two of his major works are on public display; Bermondsey Boy at the Rotherhithe Civic Centre and Eleanor Rigby which he sculpted and gave to the City of Liverpool as a tribute to The Beatles.
A UK Daily Mail article 26 Aug. 2006 previewing Tommy's new autobiography (see below) states that Tommy has another sculpture featuring two rugby players on display at England's rugby stadium at Twickenham. Also that Tommy is an artist of some note and has exhibited at the Royal Academy.
His autobiography came out in September 2006 and is entitled 'Bermondsey Boy: Memories of a Forgotten World.' (London: Joseph)
Credit: wikipedia
The Little White Bull
Tommy Steele Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Very sad because he was a little white bull
Little white bull
All the black bulls called him a coward
Just cos he was white.
Only black bulls go to the bull ring
Only black bulls fight
When he asked his mama if the little white bull
Ever had a chance of turning black
His mama said...
You silly little bull, you′re a pretty little bull.
You're my little bull. So please dont ask me why little bull.
You just ain′t black.
But this did not satisfie that little white bull
Little white bull
He was a eception to that little white rule
Little white rule
Everyday alone in the meadows
He'd find this to charge
Till one day he really imagined that his horns were large
Bold as brass right then and then the little white bull
Little white bull
Quickly found the nearest road to town!
And people said
What a funny little bull
What a fluffy little bull
Hes our little bull.
He marched along a proud little bull
And hit the town
It was he day of the bull fight
All the town were there
Waiting to see the famous Matador
Trumpet the sound of the fan fair
Tun ta la tun ta!
Out from the throats of the crowd came a mighty Roar!
Into the ring to the shout of a great olay
Olay!
Came the parade all prepared for a mighty pray
Matadors and Picidors and Toridors!
And who do think aswell?
Trotting right behind them came little white bull
Little white bull
How they laughed out loud to see the Little white bull
Little white bull
Trotting round the giant arena with his head up high
Till the Matador in the center caught his tiny eye
Charging right up to him went the little white bull
Little white bull
Charging twice and charging once again
The Matador cried Turret little bull
Hes not a little bull, your a brave little bull.
Your gonna be a great little bull.
The best in spain!
Then the crowd all shouted turret little bull.
Your not a little bull, your a brave little bull.
Your gonna be a great little bull.
The best is spain!
So if you got a little bull
Thats a white little bull
Its quite possible
That it might be the bull
Thats the best
In
Spain
The song "Little White Bull" by Tommy Steele tells the story of a little white bull who was sad and had a low self-esteem because all the black bulls called him a coward just because he was white. The little white bull was always alone in the meadows, and he dreamed of being a black bull, so he could participate in bullfights like the other black bulls. But his mother told him that he's a pretty little bull and that he should not ask why he's not black. Despite his mother's assurance that he's a unique and pretty little bull, he was determined to be an exception to the little white rule.
One day, the little white bull imagined that his horns were large and bold as brass. He then found the nearest road to town and marched through the town proud of who he was. The town was waiting to see the famous matador, and when the little white bull showed up in the bullfight arena, the crowd laughed out loud, thinking he was just a funny and fluffy little bull. But the little white bull charged right up to the matador, charging twice and charging once again, and the matador shouted, "Brave little bull, you're gonna be a great little bull, the best in Spain!". The crowd all shouted, "Brave little bull, you're gonna be a great little bull, the best in Spain!".
"Little White Bull" is an uplifting song that tells the story of how someone who was once bullied for being different did not change for others but found his courage and strength to be himself. It's a song about self-discovery, bravery, and acceptance, regardless of one's color or appearance.
Line by Line Meaning
Once apon a time there was a little white bull
There was a small white bull at some point in time
Very sad because he was a little white bull
The little white bull was unhappy because of his color
Little white bull
The bull's whiteness was a defining characteristic
All the black bulls called him a coward
The other bulls considered him a coward because of his color
Just cos he was white.
The only reason for the other bulls' criticism was his lack of blackness
Only black bulls go to the bull ring
Black bulls are suitable for the bull ring
Only black bulls fight
Black bulls are the only ones that participate in fights
When he asked his mama if the little white bull
The little bull asked its mother
Ever had a chance of turning black
If there was any possibility for it to become black
His mama said...
The little bull's mother replied
You silly little bull, you′re a pretty little bull.
The mother considered the little bull as pretty but foolish
You're my little bull. So please dont ask me why little bull.
The mother loves her little bull and cannot explain its color
You just ain′t black.
The mother affirmed that the bull's color was not black
But this did not satisfie that little white bull
The little bull was not content with its mother's response
He was a eception to that little white rule
The bull considered itself an exception to white bulls' roles
Everyday alone in the meadows
The bull spent every day by itself in the meadows
He'd find this to charge
It would find something to run towards
Till one day he really imagined that his horns were large
One day, it imagined its horns as big
Bold as brass right then and then the little white bull
Suddenly, the bull gained confidence
Quickly found the nearest road to town!
It promptly found its way to the nearby town
And people said
The town's people remarked
What a funny little bull
The people found the bull amusing
What a fluffy little bull
The people also noted the bull's fluffiness
Hes our little bull.
The people claimed the bull as their own
He marched along a proud little bull
The bull walked with pride
And hit the town
The bull reached the center of the town
It was he day of the bull fight
It was the day of the bullfight in the town
All the town were there
All the town's people were present
Waiting to see the famous Matador
They came to see the well-known Matador
Trumpet the sound of the fan fair
The fanfare signaled the beginning of the event
Tun ta la tun ta!
A musical taunt was heard
Out from the throats of the crowd came a mighty Roar!
The audience roared in response
Into the ring to the shout of a great olay
In response to the crowd's shout, participants entered the ring
Came the parade all prepared for a mighty pray
The parade of people and animals came out, ready for their ritual
Matadors and Picidors and Toridors!
The bullfighting staff prepared to perform
And who do think as well?
The little white bull joined the procession too
Trotting right behind them came little white bull
The white bull followed the others
How they laughed out loud to see the Little white bull
The audience laughed when they saw the little white bull
Trotting round the giant arena with his head up high
The bull walked around the big ring with confidence
Till the Matador in the center caught his tiny eye
The bull noticed the Matador in the middle of the ring
Charging right up to him went the little white bull
The white bull sprinted towards the Matador
Charging twice and charging once again
The white bull repeatedly charged at the Matador
The Matador cried Turret little bull
The Matador praised the little bull
Hes not a little bull, your a brave little bull.
The Matador encouraged the little bull, calling it brave
Your gonna be a great little bull.
The Matador believed the bull would become great
The best in spain!
The Matador claimed the little bull would become the best in Spain
Then the crowd all shouted turret little bull.
The audience joined in, encouraging the little bull
Your not a little bull, your a brave little bull.
The audience continued to call the animal brave
Your gonna be a great little bull.
They also believed the bull would become great one day
The best is spain!
They claimed that it had the potential to become the best in Spain
So if you got a little bull
If someone has a little bull
Thats a white little bull
If the bull is white
Its quite possible
It is probable
That it might be the bull
That it might be the same bull
Thats the best
Which has the potential
In Spain
To become the best in Spain
Writer(s): Lionel Bart, Tommy Steele, Michael J Pratt
Contributed by Christian M. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@aiyanapatel5862
Once apon a time there was a little white bull
Very sad because he was a little white bull
Little white bull
All the black bulls called him a coward
Just cos he was white.
Only black bulls go to the bull ring
Only black bulls fight
When he asked his mama if the little white bull
Little white bull
Ever had a chance of turning black
His mama said...
You silly little bull, you're a pretty little bull.
You're my little bull. So please dont ask me why little bull.
You just ain't black.
But this did not satisfie that little white bull
Little white bull
He was a eception to that little white rule
Little white rule
Everyday alone in the meadows
He'd find this to charge
Till one day he really imagined that his horns were large
Bold as brass right then and then the little white bull
Little white bull
Quickly found the nearest road to town!
And people said
What a funny little bull
What a fluffy little bull
Hes our little bull.
He marched along a proud little bull
And hit the town
It was he day of the bull fight
All the town were there
Waiting to see the famous Matador
Trumpet the sound of the fan fair
Tun ta la tun ta!
Out from the throats of the crowd came a mighty Roar!
Into the ring to the shout of a great olay
Olay!
Came the parade all prepared for a mighty pray
Matadors and Picidors and Toridors!
And who do think aswell?
Trotting right behind them came little white bull
Little white bull
How they laughed out loud to see the Little white bull
Little white bull
Trotting round the giant arena with his head up high
Till the Matador in the center caught his tiny eye
Charging right up to him went the little white bull
Little white bull
Charging twice and charging once again
The Matador cried Turret little bull
Hes not a little bull, your a brave little bull.
Your gonna be a great little bull.
The best in spain!
Then the crowd all shouted turret little bull.
Your not a little bull, your a brave little bull.
Your gonna be a great little bull.
The best is spain!
So if you got a little bull
Thats a white little bull
Its quite possible
That it might be the bull
Thats the best
In
Spain
@alanfoster4131
Written by Mike Pratt who was Randall out of Randall and Hopkirk deceased. Not a lot of people know that
@helencoombs7042
Used to listen to this as a kid....bought me out in goosebumps to hear it again...and a tears to my eyes ...
@nicolemiller8323
I loved this song when i was a kid!! i remember singing and dancing to it. i told my kids i want this played at my funeral.
@joannebailey9029
My dad passed away a couple weeks ago and he's having this played at his funeral, he loved this song
@kellyrandall3867
My dad passed away Oct 20 and this was the song playing as we walked in x
@roywhittall1570
What a personality ❤incredible incredible voice 🎉 awesomeness always given
@juliebentley2610
Love this song when I was little, and sang to my Grandsons when they were small..❤
@geoffsteele9674
Little bull by tommy steele. 😊 Geoff steele. No relation but loved this as a kid. I was nick named tommy. No bull. 17/10/23. Your nt a little bull your a brave little bull the best still today 🎉❤🎉❤r❤r😊
@carolking6355
Loved that so much when I was a child. Since then I’ve had my own little black and white little bull. He made the sweetest pet I ever had. How listening to this made me happy! 🥰
@stepevin923
Remember this as a kid.