Frank Mills - Poor Little Fool

Issued in Canada April 1972 on Polydor 2065 117.

Taken from the LP "Maple Music Vol. 1", MMJ-1 (1972).

Frank Mills grew up in Verdun, Quebec. He learned to play piano as a child, progressing to trombone. After high school, he had enrolled at McGill University in Montreal as a pre-med student, but failed at it. On the way to the recruiting office to enlist in the Navy, he met a friend from the McGill faculty of music, who persuaded him to take the music entrance exam. He passed with flying colors, and began a long career as a musician.

In 1970, Frank joined The Bells, and played on the majority of their hits. He left the group in 1971 while "Stay Awhile" was #1 worldwide, and in the same year, released the LP "Seven Of My Songs," which included his first hit, "Love Me Love Me Love," and its followup, a cover of Rick Nelson's "Poor Little Fool." It was issued in Canada by the international conglomerate Polydor, but in the US on the tiny Sunflower label (cat. no. 122), home of acts like Daddy Dewdrop ("Chick-A-Boom"). It only made #106 in the US market, but received a decent amount of airplay in his native country. It doesn't get much exposure anymore, so let's dust off one of the few examples of Frank's singing voice on record and give him some air.

Category:

Music

Tags:

• Frank
• Mills
• Poor
• Little
• Fool
• Rick
• Nelson
• cover
• 1972
• Canadian
• pop

[Oldiesmann]

Frank has a nice voice. I wonder what made him decide to focus mostly on instrumental songs instead.

[mojofilter02]

It was probably that he's a much better pianist than he is a vocalist, and even he knew it.

[kcsunshine64]

I remeber this when it came out, I was in Grade 2. Mom would sing along when it came on the radio. A bit more melancholy than Rick Nelson's version but still quite good.

[mojofilter02]

I think that part of the charm of this record is that Frank isn't really a singer. His off-the-cuff rendition makes it endearing. I like his arrangement better, though.

[secordman]

Heard this for the first time in ages a few months ago. I like the arrangement with the female singers. They used to play this on CFRB a lot too, which is what my parents listened too. Love Me Love Me Love was in a similar vein.

[7NTM61Ic]

I like this better than Ricky Nelson's.

[imajeepster]

@mojofilter02

he's not known as a singer but he's not terrible, he can carry a tune...but yes it's endearing.

[missohio83]

I'm not too crazy about this version. Probably because I love this song so much and he changed it quite a bit.

[therevrend1951]

@mojofilter02 I have heard MUCH WORSE from people who actually thought they had talent to sing. I could get rich with my voice--- people would pay me to STOP singing. lol

[imajeepster]

@mojofilter02 me too, I actually like the arrangement, less peppy and more melancholy...and he's a decent singer.

[imajeepster]

I remember i really loved this song and used to hear it on the radio all the time...

[bballman]

Love this... great song from the 70s!

[charlyW34]

This was a substantial hit in Alberta. Much better vocal on this than on" Love Me Love Me Love".

[dougallsdiscs]

Thanks Frank,I enjoyed it even tho' I couldn't vote for it!!,Murray from Scotland....