Paul Vance describes the uncertain path of a girl in a risqué two-piece swimsuit walking from locker to shore in novelty hit “Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini” Died May 30 in West Palm Beach, Florida. Died at the age of 92.
His daughter Paula Vance confirmed his death at a nursing home.
2-year-old Paula inspired the song. On a family trip to the beach in 1960, she wore a tiny teenage yellow polka-dot bikini that her Aunt Lena had made for her and her two cousins. But her shyness made her hold back at first, as the two boys exclaimed at her unclothed reaction.
When she reappeared, she wrapped herself in a blanket and ventured into the water. While in the water, her bikini bottom fell off. On the way home, the lyrics to “Itsy Bitsy” began to pass to Mr. Vance.he said Lipocrethhis songwriting partner on many hits.
“I sang the lyrics on the phone, and when he came to my office a few hours later, he had 90 percent of the tune already written,” Mr. Vance was quoted as saying in Mr. Pockriss’s obituary in The Los 2011 Times.
The song was soon recorded by 16-year-old heartthrob Brian Hyland from Queens, and it stayed on the Billboard Hot 100 for 15 weeks, including a week at number one. Before Mr. Hyland was introduced to “America’s Bandstand” – a little girl would reenact Paula Vance’s experience in a scene with a bathroom and simulated waves – host Dick Clark called “Itsy Bitsy” is “the hottest or coolest record in the country, the biggest thing around”.
“Itsy Bitsy” has been on the charts longer than it has been on the charts, though. It has been featured multiple times by various artists including Connie Francis, Kermit and Miss Piggy, as well as Devo, and has been used in advertisements for products such as Yoplait Light and Special K cereal.
Joseph Philip Florio was born in Brooklyn on November 4, 1929, to Philip and Concetta Florio. His father transported ice in a wagon. His mother is a housewife.
He started writing lyrics when he was 13, but had no clear path to composing. In 2015, he described himself to the Palm Beach Post as someone who avoids getting into the mafia’s “desai, dose, and dem.” Instead, he served in the Army at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, before running a junkyard and car salvage business. He was in his 20s when he met Mr. Porcry, the composer who was doing graduate work with Aaron Copeland.
“It’s an ideal career mix,” Mr. Porcris told The Associated Press in 1960, adding: “He knows the public. I know the career.”
their 1957 song “Catch a Shooting Star” In 1957, Perry Como was a huge hit and was the first recording to be certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America.
The success of “Catch a Falling Star” allowed Mr. Vance to focus on songwriting and change the name to sound less national. with various collaborators, Includes Mr. Pockriss, whose songs were originally recorded by Johnny Mathis, Paul Anka, Tommy James and Shondells and Patti Page.
Mr. Vance coaxed Clint Holmes to record his song “Playground in My Mind” with Mr. Pockriss and followed him into a men’s room to speak at the Bahamas venue where Mr. Holmes was performing. Mr. Holmes said of Mr. Vance in an interview with the Palm Beach Post: “His passion strikes me more than this song.” But the song, Become Mr. Holmes’ only top ten.
While writing the song, Mr. Vance owned and horses bred for racing .
In addition to his daughter Paula, he is survived by another daughter, Connie Vance Cohen. One son, Joseph; sister Joanne Florio, singer; nine grandchildren; and 11 great-grandchildren. His wife, Margaret (Curte) Vance, died in 2012. His son Philip died in 2009.
Mr Vance died in 2006, according to erroneous reports, when the wife of a man named Paul Van Valkenburgh (who indeed died) claimed that her husband wrote “Itsy Bitsy” under Paul Vance’s name.The Associated Press’s obituary was covered by many news outlets, including New York Times. (Correction followed, The Times published Correct the article.)
But the false report shocked Mr Vance’s family and friends. His music publisher confirmed that Mr Vance, not the deceased, was the songwriter and he was still collecting royalties.
but as Mr. Vance told the Orlando Sentinel in 2006 that some people still thought he was dead and that he would Tell them, “This is heaven. Who do you want to talk to? Paul Vance? Oh, yes, he just came up.”
