Robert Spencer (musician)

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Robert “Bobby” Spencer was an American singer-songwriter from New York City. He led The Cadillacs and Crazy Elephant and wrote the song “My Boy Lollipop,” which became famous in Millie Small’s 1964 version. Spencer reportedly lost the rights to the song in a card game; Morris Levy bought the rights and had Gaetano Vastola arrange a recording by Barbie Gaye, later using a pseudonym to avoid paying royalties. Millie Small’s version is the best-known.

Spencer joined The Cadillacs in 1957 as a baritone backing singer and became the lead when Earl Carroll left in 1958. He also filled in for The Tornados and wrote songs for them. After The Cadillacs disbanded in 1962, he worked as a session singer and later reformed The Cadillacs in the 1970s. In 1969, Kasenetz and Katz of Super K Productions formed Crazy Elephant with Spencer on lead vocals to record “Gimme Gimme Good Lovin’,” which reached No. 12 in the US and UK. An album followed, and a touring group was created without Spencer in the lineup.

Spencer’s brother was Carl Spencer of The Halos. A former friend said he was last seen outside a Manhattan drug rehabilitation center in the early 1990s, and he is believed to be deceased.