0 Marlena Shaw Sends a Message to Mr. Right
- Audio
- by Kingsley H. Smith
- 07/21/2009
What do music makers Marlena Shaw, Steve Lawrence, and Donny Osmond all have in common?
They injected the same sugary Carole King 'lovers lament' song, "Go Away?," with unique spins turning the poetic story into a popular favorite.
Although she didn't record the original, when Ms. Shaw turned "Go Away Little Girl" into "Go Away Little Boy," Marlena created a catchy, original update combining a rap introduction with a charming, memorable pop melody sung with spirit.
In the liner notes of her 1999 best of CD collection, we learn that "with no nonsense and no niceties, Marlena sings "'Go Away Little Boy' for all the men who don't have the courage to satisfy a real W-O-M-A-N."
The first couple of minutes of the song present a 'rap/monologue' sprinkled with humor and passion, equal to the best ramblings from Millie Jackson, Barry White, or Isaac Hayes.
"Go Away Little Boy" originally appeared on Marlena Shaw's 1977 Columbia album, Sweet Beginnings. The monologue portion of the song is called "Yu-Ma."
Listen to 30 seconds of New Rochelle, New York, native Marlena Shaw sing the main theme from her sassy hit.