About Bellingham's Broadway Park

I have lived in the same city all of my life. I have visited many different parts of this country and Europe, even Asia, but my roots are here. Therefore, it is interesting the way I might run into someone who looks familiar and it ends up that I knew that person, as a kid, forty or fifty years before. That kind of familiarity comes from staying put.

This next story behind the music, ties in with my early days of childhood. This is the first pop or rock song that I remember. Granted, I was not heavily into music and the radio back then. I was more into playing cowboys and indians, or soldiers or cops, or some new Disney frontier character.

But my earliest friend in the neighborhood (Broadway Park) was named Ron Wright. He lived in a big house on the corner and just across the street from where I lived. He has since become a realtor as you will see if you follow the link at his name above.

Ron was more into listening to the radio than I was, he had older brothers and he was a few years older than me. I distinctly remember one day, listening to a song with Ron and it was his favorite at the time.

The year was 1960, I was 8 years old, and the song was #1 across the nation. No doubt about it, it is one of the more unusual novelty songs ever recorded. The song was based on a true story, the songwriter had written about his daughter's antics at the beach. The singer, Brian Hyland, was 16 years old -- a Brooklyn high school student.

This first video below is the original singer, the catch is that he is closer to 50 years in age in this video than he is to 16 years of age. However, he does a good job of duplicating the sound and feel of his original hit record. I bet, as an adult, he feels a bit silly when performing this classic novelty. Regardless, he would have to feel silly all the way to the bank because this tune stands as Brian's only #1 recording, despite his having had several other big hits on the pop charts. 

 So how many of you remember the Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini? This last, very dated video, shows Brian Hyland, as an 18 year old, performing another of his smash hits. I bet you will remember this ode to young love and the summer.

Steven L. Smith

Bellingham WA Home Inspections