She's unfairly (and inaccurately) thought of as a one-hit wonder, but in her own way, Eva Narcissus Boyd was as much a product of her generation as John Lennon or Diana Ross - plucked from obscurity and thrown into overnight fame on the back of what many assumed was nothing more than a novelty.
In one sense, they're right: dance crazes were the hallmark of the early-Sixties era, Before Things Got Serious. Those heady years could, however, be also considered the final great flowering of rock and roll's first golden era. Certainly her big hit "The Locomotion" has stood the test of time, having been covered by countless artists, featured in any number of movies, and consistently landing in critics' and fans' picks of the all-time great rock singles. It's almost as popular as an acknowledged standard like the Beatles' "Yesterday," yet it doesn't recieve one-thousandth the respect from the mainstream media.
Yet the Beatles themselves understood, covering Eva's other hit, "Keep Your Hands Off My Baby," and in the process rescuing it from future obscurity. Singers like Little Eva - honest, pure, and winning - may have been processed through the fame factory in a split-second during those wonder years, but that doesn't make them any less important. Or any less treasured, by those in the know.
- The History of Rock and Roll: Little Eva A good bio on the singer, explaining her handful of chart hits and her unique vocal style.
- Billboard The official obit from this titan of trade mags.
- The History of Rock and Roll: Little Eva A good bio on the singer, explaining her handful of chart hits and her unique vocal style.
- Tom Simon Home Page: Little Eva One of the best biographies of Boyd on the net, detailing her rise to fame and her subsequent work with other performers.
- NPR - Remembering Little Eva In this wonderful interview, singer/songwriter Carole King lays to rest the rumor that Eva was a complete unknown when "The Locomotion" came about. Hear the interview in a great-sounding RealAudio clip!
- All Music Guide: Little Eva A good bio but a great discography.
- The Covers Project: Little Eva A list of other artists who've covered Eva's tunes -- and not just the obvious ones!
- Top40db.com: Little Eva Lyrics (and sound files!) for Eva's four biggest hits!
- <A href="http://rock.mididb.com/20021108/Little_Eva/?Title=Little%20Eva ">MIDI Database: Little Eva</A> A good quality MIDI file of Boyd's biggest hit.
