Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polkadot Bikini

"Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polkadot Bikini"
Single by Brian Hyland
from the album The Bashful Blond
B-side "Don't Dilly Dally, Sally"
Released June 1960
Genre Bubblegum pop
Length 2:19
Label Leader/Kapp Records
Writer(s) Paul Vance
Lee Pockriss
Certification Gold (RIAA)
Brian Hyland singles chronology
"Rosemary"
(1959)
"Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polkadot Bikini"
(1960)
"Four Little Heels (The Clickety Clack Song)"
(1960)

"Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polkadot Bikini" is a novelty song telling the story of a shy girl wearing a revealing polkadot bikini at the beach. It was written by Paul Vance and Lee Pockriss and first released in June 1960 by Brian Hyland with orchestra conducted by John Dixon.

History and lyrics

Hyland's version hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 on August 8, 1960[1] and also made the top 10 in other countries, including #8 on the UK Singles Chart.[2] It also reached #1 in New Zealand.[3]

The story told through the three verses of the song is as follows: (1) the young lady is too afraid to leave the locker where she has changed into her bikini; (2) she has made it to the beach but sits on the sand wrapped in a blanket; and (3) she has finally gone into the ocean, but is too afraid to come out, and stays immersed in the water – despite the fact that she's "turning blue" – to hide herself from view.

Trudy Packer recited the phrases "...two, three, four / Tell the people what she wore", heard at the end of each verse before the chorus; and "Stick around, we'll tell you more", heard after the first chorus and before the start of the second verse.[4]

Impact

At a time when bikini bathing suits were still seen as too risqué to be mainstream, the song prompted a sudden take off in bikini sales and is credited as being one of the earliest contributors to the acceptance of the bikini in society. The early 1960s saw a slew of surf movies and other film and television productions that rapidly built on the song's momentum.[5]

Ownership controversy

In September 2006, the song's co-writer Paul Vance read his own mistaken obituary.[6] The obituary was of another man, Paul Van Valkenburgh, who claimed to have written the song under the name Paul Vance. The impostor explained his lack of royalty payments for the song by claiming that he had sold the rights as a teenager. Vance, the song's true co-author, has earned several million dollars from the song since 1960, describing it as "a money machine."

In other media

The song was featured in the 1961 Billy Wilder film comedy One, Two, Three – in a key scene, the character Otto (Horst Buchholz), suspected of being a spy, is being tortured by East German police playing the song to him repetitively, eventually with the record off-center to create a weird howling variation of pitch. The actual recording was re-released in 1962 to capitalize on the film's success, but it did not rechart.

A faster version of the song appears on North American commercials for Yoplait Light yogurt in 2006.[7] The song is also used in a television commercial for the YWCA, and in films such as the 1981 Aparna Sen film 36 Chowringhee Lane as well as Sister Act 2 and Revenge of the Nerds II: Nerds in Paradise.

Cover versions and parodies

"Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Polka Dot Bikini"
Single by Bombalurina with Timmy Mallett
from the album Huggin An'a Kissin'
Released 1990
Format CD single, cassette single
Genre Pop
Label Polydor Records /[Carpet Records
Producer(s) Timmy Mallet
Bombalurina with Timmy Mallett singles chronology
"Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Polkadot Bikini"
(1990)
"Seven Little Girls"
(1990)
"Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Honolulu-Strand-Bikini"
Single by Die Roten Rosen
from the album Never Mind the Hosen, Here's Die Roten Rosen
Released 1987
Genre Punk rock
Length 1:54
Label Virgin Records
Writer(s) Paul Vance
Lee Pockriss
Club Honolulu
Die Roten Rosen singles chronology
"Das Altbier Lied"
(1986)
"Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Honolulu-Strand-Bikini"
(1987)
"Im Wagen vor mir"
(1987)

There have been cover versions in many languages.

See also

References

  1. Bronson, Fred (2003). The Billboard Book of #1 Hits, 5th Edition (Billboard Publications), page 72.
  2. "ChartArchive - The Chart Archive". Chartstats.com. Retrieved 2014-03-30.
  3. "flavour of new zealand - Lever hit parades". Flavourofnz.co.nz. Retrieved 2016-09-26.
  4. Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits, 8th Edition (Billboard Publications), page 297.
  5. Rothaar, James. "Bikinis Exposed: Happy 60th Anniversary!" at the Wayback Machine (archived October 12, 2007), JustLuxé, LuxeMont, 2004.
  6. Leeds, Jeff (28 September 2006). "Itsy-Bitsy Bikini, Big Mistake: Paul Vance Is Alive and Well". The New York Times.
  7. "Yoplait Light – Raft – Yellow Polka Dot Bikini". splendAd.
  8. Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. pp. 517–8. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  9. "Muito mais que um site oficial". Jovem Guarda. 2007-01-11. Retrieved 2013-07-05.
  10. "As versões da música "Biquíni de Bolinha Amarelinha" – tem até uma de outra cor! | Blog do Curioso, por Marcelo Duarte". Guiadoscuriosos.com.br. 2015-01-02. Retrieved 2016-09-26.
  11. "Cliquemusic : Disco : RADIOATIVIDADE". Cliquemusic.uol.com.br. Retrieved 2014-03-30.
  12. bikini amarillo-- manolo muñoz on YouTube
  13. Бански на лалета on YouTube
  14. "Itsy bitsy teenie weenie yellow polka dot bikini / Lill-Babs" (in Swedish). Svensk mediedatabas. 1960. Retrieved 13 May 2011.
  15. Itsi Bitsi Bikini English Version - Gummibär The Gummy Bear on YouTube
  16. Itsy Bitsy Polka-dot Bikini ~ Itsi Bitsi Bikini English ~ Versão em Inglês on YouTube
  17. BIKINI AMARILLO Osito Gominola Gummibär The Gummy Bear Itsi Bitsi Bikini Spanish Espanol on YouTube
  18. Itsi Bitsi Bikini AUDIO TRACK Gummibär The Gummy Bear on YouTube
Preceded by
"Tu t'laisses aller" by Charles Aznavour
French IFOP number-one single
(Dalida version)

November 7, 1960 - December 26, 1960 (eight weeks)
Succeeded by
"Itsy Bitsy Petit Bikini" by Richard Anthony
Preceded by
"I'm Sorry" by Brenda Lee
Billboard Hot 100 number-one single
(Brian Hyland version)

August 8, 1960 (one week)
Succeeded by
"It's Now or Never" by Elvis Presley
Preceded by
"Turtle Power" by Partners in Kryme
UK Singles Chart number-one single
(Bombalurina with Timmy Mallett version)

August 19, 1990 - September 2, 1990 (three weeks)
Succeeded by
"The Joker" by Steve Miller Band
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