Home | Songs By Year | Songs from 1960
Sealed with a Kiss
Buy Sealed with a Kiss now from AmazonFirst, read the Wikipedia article. Then, scroll down to see what other TopShelfReviews readers thought about the song. And once you've experienced the song, tell everyone what you thought about it.
Wikipedia article
"'Sealed with a Kiss'" is a song written and composed by Peter Udell and Gary Geld. It first became a hit in 1962 for Brian Hyland. The original recording of "Sealed with a Kiss" was by the Four Voices which was released as a single in May 1960 without becoming a hit. Jason Donovan later had an international number one hit with the song.
The lyrics are from the point of view of one of two lovers who have had to part ways over the summer. The narrator promises the lover who has had to leave that he will send his love and dreams in daily letters "sealed with a kiss". The two also bind each other to a pledge, under seal of a kiss, that they will reunite in September.
Brian Hyland version
In 1962, Brian Hyland, who often performed Udell's and Geld's material, covered the song. Hyland recalls Geld saying the song was "based on, but not totally based on, a Bach finger exercise." (See Five-finger exercise.) Hyland's single began its run on June 9, 1962, and became a top 3 hit, reaching No. 3 on both the 'Billboard' Hot 100 and the UK Singles Chart. The personnel on the original Brian Hyland recording included Mundell Lowe, Al Caiola on guitar, Gary Geld on piano, George Duvivier on bass, Blackie Shackner on harmonica, Gary Chester on drums, and Sticks Evans and Al Rogers on percussion.
When re-released in 1975, Hyland's recording charted in the UK at No. 7. Hyland also recorded a version in German.
Charts
Gary Lewis and the Playboys version
Gary Lewis & the Playboys covered the song in 1967 on the album 'Gary Lewis Now!'. Their cover version of the single was a 'Billboard' Hot 100 No. 19 hit.
Charts
Bobby Vinton version
A third top 40 Hot 100 version came in 1972, when Bobby Vinton released his interpretation as a single. It reached No. 19 on the 'Billboard' singles chart. This version also placed high on the 'Billboard' Adult Contemporary chart (No. 2). Vinton arranged the song himself, with a modern sound including a unique bongo opening that made the song stand out from the other recordings. The success of the single led to Vinton releasing an album, also titled 'Sealed with a Kiss', that charted as a best seller. This single, which was a follow up to "Every Day of My Life", marked a Vinton comeback in 1971, with the artist appearing on 'American Bandstand' and other television shows on the strength of the single. 'Billboard' ranked it as the No. 87 song for 1971.
Vinton's recording was used in both the trailer and the end credits of the 2007 horror film 'All the Boys Love Mandy Lane'.
Charts
Jason Donovan version
{{Infobox song
| name = Sealed with a Kiss
| cover = JD - Sealed cover.png
| type = single
| artist = Jason Donovan
| album = Ten Good Reasons
| B-side = Just Call Me Up
| released = May 29, 1989
| recorded = 1989
| genre = Pop
| length =
| label = PWL
| writer = Peter Udell, Gary Geld
| producer = Stock Aitken Waterman
| prev_title = Too Many Broken Hearts
| prev_year = 1989
| next_title = Every Day (I Love You More)
| next_year = 1989
| misc =
}}
On May 29, 1989, Australian singer Jason Donovan released a cover version as the fourth single from his debut album, 'Ten Good Reasons'. His version went straight into the UK Singles Chart at No. 1 and stayed there for two weeks, also reaching the top in Finland and Ireland.
Critical reception
Bill Coleman from 'Billboard' wrote, "Dreamy rendition of the Bobby Vinton oldie has the potential to provide Aussie-bred, U.K.-based pop star with a long-awaited stateside hit."Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Notable cover versions
* Swedish rock band Hounds covered the song in 1967, in a version which reached number 4 on Kvllstoppen and 2 on 'Tio i Topp.'
* American R&B all-girl trio the Toys covered it in 1968, on the Musicor label, where it reached No. 43 on the U.S. R&B charts.
References
Category:Songs about kissing
Category:Songs about parting
Category:Songs with music by Gary Geld
Category:Songs with lyrics by Peter Udell
Category:1960 singles
Category:1962 singles
Category:1968 singles
Category:1972 singles
Category:1989 singles
Category:Song recordings produced by Stock Aitken Waterman
Category:Brian Hyland songs
Category:Gary Lewis & the Playboys songs
Category:Bobby Vinton songs
Category:Jason Donovan songs
Category:The Lettermen songs
Category:The Toys songs
Category:Bobby Vee songs
Category:Mud (band) songs
Category:The Shadows songs
Category:Agnetha Fltskog songs
Category:Chris de Burgh songs
Category:Shelley Fabares songs
Category:Spanky and Our Gang songs
Category:UK Singles Chart number-one singles
Category:UK Independent Singles Chart number-one singles
Category:The Flying Pickets songs
Category:Epic Records singles
Category:Pete Waterman Entertainment singles
Category:Columbia Records singles
Category:ABC Records singles
Category:Paramount Records singles
Category:Liberty Records singles
Category:1960 songs
Buy Sealed with a Kiss now from Amazon
<-- Return to songs from 1960