"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 Thurston Harris (July 11, 1931 – April 14, 1990) was an American singer and songwriter, best known for his 1957 hit "Little Bitty Pretty One". Career Harris first appeared on record in 1953. He was the vocalist for South Central Los Angel ...

. Produced by

Aladdin Records Aladdin Records was a record company and label founded in Los Angeles in 1945 by brothers Eddie and Leo Mesner. It was originally called Philo Records before changing its name in 1946. Aladdin was known for jazz, rhythm and blues, and rock mus ...

(located in Los Angeles, Calif.), and featuring the Sharps on backing vocals, Harris's 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". The song is famous for its hummed opening.

Cover versions

* Frankie Lymon reached No. 58 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart in 1960. *

Clyde McPhatter Clyde Lensley McPhatter (November 15, 1932 – June 13, 1972) was an American rhythm and blues, soul, and rock and roll singer. He was one of the most widely imitated R&B singers of the 1950s and early 1960sPalmer, Robert (1981)"Roy Brown, a Pi ...

returned it to the top 40 in the US, when his recording peaked at No. 25 on the Hot 100 in 1962. *The Dave Clark 5 covered it in 1965 on their US Top 25 "Weekend in London" album * 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. * 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 Huey Lewis and the News are an American rock band based in San Francisco, California. They had a run of hit singles during the 1980s and early 1990s, eventually achieving 19 top ten singles across the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, Adult Contempora ...

did their take for their album ''

Four Chords & Several Years Ago ''Four Chords & Several Years Ago'' is the seventh album by American rock band Huey Lewis and the News, released in 1994. The title is a play on the first sentence in Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address ("Four score and seven 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

1957 songs 1957 singles 1962 singles 1972 singles Songs written by Bobby Day Clyde McPhatter songs The Jackson 5 songs Checkmates, Ltd. songs Aladdin Records singles {{1950s-single-stub