Brenton Wood arrived on the scene in 1967 with the back-to-back hits “The Oogum Boogum Song” and “Gimme Little Sign” that would carry the then Compton resident from a regional Southern California artist to an International sensation. During his prolific period with the short-lived independent label Double Shot Records, Brenton would cut eleven 45s and release the studio albums Oogum Boogum and Baby You Got It, creating a unique blend of contemporary pop soul and throwback doo-wop ballads that resonate to this day. The Hollywood based Double Shot Records roster would also include garage-rock icons Count Five, doo-wop faves The Bagdads, Kent & The Candidates (who would also serve as Brenton’s studio/touring band) and San Francisco legend Bobby Freeman.
It's hard not to hear Brenton Wood's biggest hit, "Gimme Little Sign," and not be convinced that it very well might be the greatest single ever cut. It relies on no one thing -- the song is slinky, surprising, and seductive, blessed with a perfect production (the organ break in the middle is positively, eerily beautiful) and a wonderful, understated performance by Wood, who proves with his smooth, sure-handed delivery that he is one of the finest soul singers of his generation. – All Music
LYRICS
Let me tell you people about a story I heard
All about the man who wanted to be a bird
It happened one day when he was walking down the street
He saw a little bird fly out of a tree
So, he made up in his mind, that he wanted to fly
So, he went to the feather house and made him some wings
The people said “Whatcha gonna do with them things?”
He said “I’m gonna fly, if it cost me my life”
So, he walked out the door, and he looked up in the sky
He saw a building, I say, forty stories high
So, he climbed to the top, and there he flapped
(Flap, Flap, Flap)
Flapping your the wings, and fly away
The people gathered around and said my story was a lie
When all the sudden, I heard somebody cry
“It’s a bird? It’s a plane? No, it’s a man!”
(Flap, Flap, Flap, Flap)
Flapping the wings, and fly away
Hi ole man, where you in your way?
Ah to Mars, huh? Well how about bring me back one of those old Mars burgers?
(Yeah, I dig’em, they outtasight)
You know they dig’em on the moon now (yeah)
Will you be over there soon? (yeah)
(It’s all right, it’s outtasight)
But you know, fly Birdman
Can you dig it? (yeah, outtasight)
Too much!
#BrentonWood #OogumBoogum #Soul
