Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini

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"Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini" is a novelty song telling the story of a shy woman in a very revealing bathing suit (which she apparently did not try on beforehand) who stays immersed in the ocean water to hide from view. It was written by Paul Vance and Lee Pockriss and first released on August 8, 1960 by Brian Hyland. Hyland's version hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1960 and also made the top 10 in other countries.

Contents 1 History 2 In other media 3 Cover versions 4 References

[edit] History

In September 2006, the song's co-writer Paul Vance read his own mistaken obituary.^[1] Paul Van Valkenburgh, who had long claimed to have written the song, died and the false information was included in the newspaper. The impostor had explained his lack of royalty payments for the song by further claiming that he'd sold the rights to his alleged composition 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."

[edit] 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 ghastly howling variation of pitch. The actual recording was re-released in 1962 to capitalize on the film's success, but it did not rechart.

The song appeared on North American commercials for Yoplait Light yogurt. It was also used in films such as Sister Act 2 and Revenge of the Nerds II.

[edit] Cover versions

There have been cover versions in many languages, for example, a French version by Dalida in 1960. It was also remade in 1990 by Bombalurina which featured Timmy Mallet, star of then-popular United Kingdom children's television show, Wacaday. The song reached #1 in the UK Singles Chart on August 19, 1990, and stayed at the position for three weeks. Also, It was featured in a short commercial for a set of bikinis. The commercial aired in Warsaw, Poland; but was soon taken off the air due to lack of buyers.

Another interesting cover version is El Cohete Americano, a Cuban propaganda song sung by Las D'Aida in Album de la Revolucion Cubana (2000).

[edit] References

Preceded by "I'm Sorry" by Brenda Lee	Billboard Hot 100 number one single August 8, 1960	Succeeded by "It's Now or Never" by Elvis Presley
Preceded by "Turtle Power" by Partners in KRYME	UK number-one single version by Bombalurina with Timmy Mallett August 19, 1990 for three weeks	Succeeded by "The Joker" by The Steve Miller Band