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Little Bitty Pretty One
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Wikipedia article
"'Little Bitty Pretty One'" is a 1957 song written and originally recorded by Bobby Day. The same year, the song was popularized by Thurston Harris.Dave Marsh, 'The Heart of Rock & Soul: The 1001 Greatest Singles Ever Made' (Da Capo Press, 1999), [https://books.google.com/books?id=5t5DYDniSHEC&pg=PA429&dq=%22Little+Bitty+Pretty+One%22+%22Bobby+Day%22&lr=&ei=ttEySfemLpK6M8ujxfYN 429]. Produced by Aladdin Records (located in Los Angeles, Calif.), and featuring the Sharps on backing vocals,[http://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-lamplighters-mn0000088423/biography The Lamplighters] at Allmusic Harris' version reached No. 6 on the U.S. 'Billboard' Best-Sellers chart and No. 2 on the R&B chart. The Bobby Day version reached No. 11 in the Canadian CHUM Chart.
Reception
Bryan Thomas writes that the song "has gone on to become one of the best loved oldies of the late '50s".Vladimir Bogdanov, Chris Woodstra, John Bush, and Stephen Thomas Erlewine, 'All Music Guide to Soul: The Definitive Guide to R&B and Soul' (Backbeat Books, 2003), [https://books.google.com/books?id=cWO-c3GDHi4C&pg=PA297&dq=%22Little+Bitty+Pretty+One%22&lr=&ei=XswySbnXLojiNN7awP8M p. 297].
Cover versions
*Frankie Lymon reached No. 58 on the 'Billboard' Hot 100 chart in 1960.
*Clyde McPhatter returned it to the top 40 in the US, when his recording peaked at No. 25 on the Hot 100 in 1962.
*Wayne Cochran covered it in 1967
*In 1972, the Jackson 5 included it on their album, 'Lookin' Through the Windows', and took the song to No. 13 on the Hot 100.Soulsation! (1995), liner notes
*Cliff Richard, in 1983 on his 'Silver' album.
*Aaron Carter performed "Little Bitty Pretty One" for the 2001 Disney movie 'The Princess Diaries'.
*In 1994, Huey Lewis and the News did their take for their album 'Four Chords & Several Years Ago'.
* Billy Gilman did a cover in it and included it on his 'One Voice' album in 2000.
"Wiggle, Wiggle"
"Little Bitty Pretty One" was the inspiration for the Accents' sole hit "Wiggle Wiggle" in 1958, and though the similarities were evidently not sufficient to warrant a lawsuit, Aladdin Records took the expedient step of covering the song with a group called the Chestnuts.
References
Category:1957 songs
Category:1957 singles
Category:1962 singles
Category:1972 singles
Category:Songs written by Bobby Day
Category:Clyde McPhatter songs
Category:The Jackson 5 songs
Category:Checkmates, Ltd. songs
Category:Aladdin Records singles
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