Brian Hyland (born 1943)
Brian Hyland, born November 12, 1943, in Queens, New York, is an American pop singer whose youthful voice defined early 1960s bubblegum and teen pop. Starting as a teen with local bands, he signed with Kapp Records and scored his breakthrough at 16 with “Itsy Bitsy Teeny Weeny Yellow Polkadot Bikini” (1960), a fun novelty tune that hit No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 and sold millions globally.
Follow-ups included “Let Me Be the One” and “The Joker Went Wild.” Moving to ABC-Paramount, he embraced a more mature sound with Carole King/Gerry Goffin-penned “Sealed with a Kiss” (1962, No. 3), a dramatic ballad that became his signature. Other hits: “Warmed-Up Kisses (Left Over Love),” “Gypsy Woman” (1970, No. 3), and “Lonely Teardrops.” Hyland’s clean-cut style bridged novelty pop and soft rock, with over a dozen Top 40 entries.
He continued recording into later decades, performing on oldies circuits and releasing material occasionally. Still active at 82, his enduring hits capture the innocent charm of pre-Beatles American pop.