# itsy bitsy teenie weenie . . . **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 9, 2005, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/itsy-bitsy-teenie-weenie/289181 "2005-02-09T13:25:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![LateComer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b5ac83/32.png) [@LateComer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LateComer)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2005, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/itsy-bitsy-teenie-weenie/289181/1 "2005-02-09T13:25:52Z")
Please help settle an argument between my wife and me. You know that song itsy bitsy teenie weenie yellow polka dot bikini? There’s a commercial for this song in which they show a yellow bikini with purple polka dots. My wife believes that this is an inaccurate representation of the bikini in the song. She believes that the song refers to a bikini of indeterminate color with yellow polka-dots while I believe the commercial is accurate and it’s a yellow bikini with inderterminate colored polka-dots. So, which is it? ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2005, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/itsy-bitsy-teenie-weenie/289181/2 "2005-02-09T13:44:56Z")
[yellow with black polka dots](http://www.brillianttv.co.uk/timmymallett/images/itsy2.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2005, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/itsy-bitsy-teenie-weenie/289181/3 "2005-02-09T13:49:04Z")
[although a 50s version](http://images.google.com.au/imgres?imgurl=http://www.k8tykat.com/images/market/POLKADOTbikini.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.k8tykat.com/marketplace/POLKADOTbikini.shtml&h=503&w=325&sz=13&tbnid=Q-O-rRvs0cgJ:&tbnh=127&tbnw=82&start=16&prev=/images%3Fq%3Ditsy%2Bbitsy%2Bteeny%2B%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26c2coff%3D1%26sa%3DG) ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2005, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/itsy-bitsy-teenie-weenie/289181/4 "2005-02-09T13:50:19Z")
To the extent that I ever thought about it at all, I pictured it as white with yellow polka dots. And is the Purple People Eater purple, or does he just eat purple people? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2005, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/itsy-bitsy-teenie-weenie/289181/5 "2005-02-09T14:23:42Z")
I always thought of the polka dots as being yellow, myself, but it is ambiguous – you can make the case either way. I won’t be looking at the dots, in any case. > [@](#): > > And is the Purple People Eater purple, or does he just eat purple people? You gotta pay attention to the song itself, which answers this question. ---
**Author:** ![Dragwyr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dragwyr/32/2855_2.png) [@Dragwyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dragwyr)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2005, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/itsy-bitsy-teenie-weenie/289181/6 "2005-02-09T14:26:02Z")
> [@Thudlow Boink](#): > > To the extent that I ever thought about it at all, I pictured it as white with yellow polka dots. > > And is the Purple People Eater purple, or does he just eat purple people? 😕 To quote from the song: > [@](#): > > I said Mr. Purple People Eater, what’s your line > He said eatin’ purple people and it sure is fine > But that’s not the reason that I came to land > _I wanna get a job in a rock ‘n’ roll band_ [Linky winky.](http://www.guntheranderson.com/v/data/thepurpl.htm) ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2005, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/itsy-bitsy-teenie-weenie/289181/7 "2005-02-09T14:33:34Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > I always thought of the polka dots as being yellow, myself, but it is ambiguous – you can make the case either way. I won’t be looking at the dots, in any case. > > You gotta pay attention to the song itself, which answers this question. Isn’t the song about a 5 year old girl? ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2005, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/itsy-bitsy-teenie-weenie/289181/8 "2005-02-09T15:14:38Z")
> [@](#): > > Isn’t the song about a 5 year old girl? ??? My statement about “payinmg attention to the song” referred to **Purple People Eater**. Your quote-grab dropped the quote in my own post, and makes it look as if I’m commenting on the Bikini song. And _neither_ song is about a 5-year-old girl, AFAIK. ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2005, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/itsy-bitsy-teenie-weenie/289181/9 "2005-02-09T16:25:17Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > ??? > My statement about “payinmg attention to the song” referred to **Purple People Eater**. Your quote-grab dropped the quote in my own post, and makes it look as if I’m commenting on the Bikini song. > > And _neither_ song is about a 5-year-old girl, AFAIK. I’m talking about **IBTWYPDB** and IIRC the song was inspired by the antics of a very young, (5 year-old) girl during a day at the beach. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2005, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/itsy-bitsy-teenie-weenie/289181/10 "2005-02-09T16:46:45Z")
> [@](#): > > I’m talking about IBTWYPDB and IIRC the song was inspired by the antics of a very young, (5 year-old) girl during a day at the beach. I don’t recall anything about the sonmg’s subject being 5 years old. In fact, I don’t think they had two-piece bathing suits for 5 year olds back then (and a two-piece is not the same as a “bikini”). Finally, at the end of the song, she’s still in the water and turning blue, because she doesn’t want to come out, because she’s nearly naked, and she’d be embarassed. Five year olds wouldn’t do that. They’d come out if they were cold, and they wouldn’t _care_ about being nearly naked. Or conmpletely nakled, for that matter. ---
**Author:** ![Anastasaeon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Anastasaeon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anastasaeon)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2005, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/itsy-bitsy-teenie-weenie/289181/11 "2005-02-09T16:49:43Z")
Actually, I’ve heard this, too - Paul Vance co-wrote the song, after having watched his \*2 year old \* daughter at the beach. There are a bunch of “music trivia” sites that say this… I’ll see if I can find anything reliable. ---
**Author:** ![Anastasaeon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/73ab20/32.png) [@Anastasaeon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anastasaeon)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2005, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/itsy-bitsy-teenie-weenie/289181/12 "2005-02-09T16:55:19Z")
Oh, and also, the bikini was invented in the 40’s, I _think_… the song came out in the 60’s. ---
**Author:** ![Mycroft\_H](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/898d66/32.png) [@Mycroft\_H](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mycroft_H)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2005, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/itsy-bitsy-teenie-weenie/289181/13 "2005-02-09T17:04:37Z")
> [@](#): > > She was afraid to come out of the locker, > She was as nervous as she could be. > She was afraid to come out of the locker. > She was afraid that somebody would see. From [here](http://www.webfitz.com/lyrics/Lyrics/1960/461960a.html). Interesting development **Anastasaeon**. I’d be interested in seeing what you find. This is the first I’ve ever heard or thought of any suggestion that the subject of the song was a young girl. My interpretation has always been the same as **Cal** ’s, that she was older and embarrassed about showing so much skin. Who knows how old the song writer thought (pending I guess), but my belief is that defined bosom is most certainly involved. To keep it proper, let’s say she is 18-21 years old. ( Compare with “She’s sixteen, she’s beautiful, and she’s mine,” “She was just seventeen, if you know what I mean.” :eek: Man, I’m getting old!) Granted the last line is “And the poor little girl [is] turning blue,” but the use of “little” is for scanning and “girl” can unfortunately mean any female regardless of age to some men. ---
**Author:** ![SandyHook](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dec6dc/32.png) [@SandyHook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SandyHook)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2005, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/itsy-bitsy-teenie-weenie/289181/14 "2005-02-09T17:31:33Z")
> [@](#): > > [ It was an itsy bitsy teenie weenie yellow polka-dot bikini > That she wore for the first time today. > An itsy bitsy teentie weenie yellow polka-dot bikini ] Typically when two descriptors proceed a noun they are seperated by a comma (yellow, polka-dot bikini). Since clearly there is no comma (check out the words above) we have to assume it was the polka-dots that were yellow. I know, I know, now you’re asking, "So what about the itsy bitsy teenie weenie part, smart-ass? Clearly they define another aspect of the bikini and have nothing to do with coloration. It could have been written, “Big fat burlap sack yellow polka-dotted bikini,” without changing the vital realtionship between the color of the suit and the polka-dots. Even though, back in the days when I’d never thought about this much, I’d always seen the bikini as yellow and the embarrassed young lady as a well hootered teenager. But knowledge marches on and now I see the bikini as it truely is - BUT NONE OF YOU HAD BETTER TRY TAKING THE HOOTERS AWAY!!! ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2005, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/itsy-bitsy-teenie-weenie/289181/15 "2005-02-09T17:32:28Z")
Back in the day polka dots were generally either Black on white colored fabric White on black colored fabric Contrasting colors (red on green, etc.) With that historical context, I always imagined the bikini to be bright yellow fabric with black polka dots or perhaps darker yellow with white polka dots. Although yellow with purple (contrasting colors) could be an outside possibility. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2005, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/itsy-bitsy-teenie-weenie/289181/16 "2005-02-09T23:53:29Z")
FWIW I thought the bikini in the commercial looks very moderate, certainly not “teeny-weenie”. ---
**Author:** ![Cinnamon\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@Cinnamon\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cinnamon_Girl)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2005, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/itsy-bitsy-teenie-weenie/289181/17 "2005-02-10T00:24:43Z")
Certainly not deleted for this day and age. :o Above link absolutely NOT worksafe!!! ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2005, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/itsy-bitsy-teenie-weenie/289181/18 "2005-02-10T00:56:09Z")
Moving thread from IMHO to Cafe Society. ---
**Author:** ![DMark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@DMark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DMark)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2005, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/itsy-bitsy-teenie-weenie/289181/19 "2005-02-10T01:03:55Z")
I have to admit when I saw that commercial on television, I too thought, “that’s not the right color combination”. I had always just assumed it was either white with yellow polka dots, or yellow with white polka dots. But no third color. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2005, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/itsy-bitsy-teenie-weenie/289181/20 "2005-02-10T04:00:54Z")
There’s a difference between the song being **inspired** by a little kid and the song being **about** a little kid. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/itsy-bitsy-teenie-weenie/289181.md?page=2)