Posted on 09/26/2006 8:15:32 PM PDT by presidio9
HARTFORD, Conn. - Songwriter Paul Vance, who earned pop culture immortality with the 1960 smash about a bashful bather, "Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini," has died. He was 68.
The New Milford-raised Vance, whose real name was Paul Van Valkenburgh, died Sept. 6 at his home in Ormond Beach, Fla., said his wife of 32 years, Rose Leroux. He had been battling lung cancer for two years.
Vance and songwriting partner Lee Pockriss also co-wrote "Catch a Falling Star," a No. 1 hit for Perry Como in 1958.
But they had their biggest success with the song about the girl with a brand new bikini who "was afraid to come out of the locker, she was a nervous as she could be. ... Now she's afraid to come out of the water, and the poor little girl's turning blue."
Recorded by 16-year-old teen idol Brian Hyland and a group of girlish backup singers, "Itsy Bitsy ...' surged to No. 1 on the Billboard charts in August 1960.
In an Associated Press interview that same month, Vance said the idea came while he and Pockriss were working on a demonstration record ("Petticoat Fly," which went nowhere.) He told Pockriss that his wife was thinking of getting a bikini but didn't have the nerve to wear it. The resulting song was written in 25 minutes and recorded within a week, he said.
The song has been used in such films as "Sister Act 2" and "Revenge of the Nerds II" and was more recently revived in a yogurt commercial.
"When he was young, he sold all the rights to the songs because he was young and foolish and now, 'Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini' is becoming popular again," his widow said.
His songs were as lighthearted as his personality, she said.
"He was a fun person," Leroux said. "He always joked, teased a lot. He was a good man."
In addition to his musical compositions, Leroux said, her husband was a Navy veteran in the Korean War and later in life spent time as a painting contractor.
In the 1960 interview, Vance said his then-wife hadn't bought a bikini, even after the song became a hit. "She still doesn't have the nerve, so she compromised by making a bikini for our 2-year-old daughter, Paula. It's itsy, bitsy, teenie weenie and has, believe it or not, yellow polka dots."
I always think of the torture scene in "One, Two, Three" when I hear this song.
I HATE this song. They play this and "Don't Worry, Be Happy" to internees at Gitmo.
You still owe me dinner at Carmines....
pics?
Of the bikini you sickos!!
And what's the line I hear here often? Oh, yeah, 100 years from now people will be singing this song!
I sing this to my kids sometimes, they hate it too. I don't know if it's my voice, or the song. :D (i have my suspicions)
I also sing Dead Skunk in the Middle of the Road, just to bug them.
It's even worse than I remembered.
Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka-dot Bikini
Brian Hyland
She was afraid to come out of the locker
She was as nervous as she could be
She was afraid to come out of the locker
She was afraid that somebody would see
One, two, three, four, tell the people what she wore
[ It was an itsy bitsy teenie weenie yellow polka-dot bikini
That she wore for the first time today.
An itsy bitsy teentie weenie yellow polka-dot bikini ]
So in the locker she wanted to stay.
Two, three, four, stick around we'll tell you more
She was afraid to come out in the open
And so a blanket around she wore
She was afraid to come out in the open
And so she sat bundled up on the shore
Two, three, four, tell the people what she wore
[ repeat ]
So in the blanket she wanted to stay.
Two, three, four, stick around we'll tell you more
Now she is afraid to come out of the water
And I wonder what she's gonna do
Now she is afraid to come out of the water
And the poor little girl's turning blue
Two, three, four, tell the people what she wore
[ repeat ]
So in the water she wanted to stay.
From the locker to the blanket
From the blanket to the shore
From the shore to the water
Yes there isn't any more.
Prayers Up,,,
Funi from my childhood,,,
Mark
If you want to get prisoners to talk, play them the version of this song recorded by Buddy Hackett.
This was my wife's favorite song when she was a little kid, and it's my young daughter's favorite song. How's that for weird? My daughter heard it in a gymnastics class where they played an oldies CD over and over.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.