Sealed with a Kiss

For other uses, see Sealed with a kiss (disambiguation).

"Sealed with a Kiss" is a song written and composed by Peter Udell and Gary Geld. 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.^[1] It first became a hit in 1962 for Brian Hyland. Jason Donovan later had an international number one hit with the song in 1989.

"Sealed with a Kiss"
Single by The Four Voices
B-side	"You're All There Is"
Released	May 30, 1960 (1960-05-30)
Genre	Pop
Length	2:03
Label	Columbia
Songwriter(s)	Peter Udell, Gary Geld
The Four Voices singles chronology
"Good, Good Thing" (1960) "Sealed with a Kiss" (1960)

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

"Sealed with a Kiss"
Single by Brian Hyland
from the album Sealed with a Kiss
B-side	"Summer Job" "Ginny Come Lately"
Released	May 26, 1962 (1962-05-26)[2]
Genre	Pop
Length	2:38
Label	ABC - Paramount
Songwriter(s)	Peter Udell, Gary Geld
Brian Hyland singles chronology
"Ginny Come Lately" (1962) "Sealed with a Kiss" (1962) "Warmed Kisses (Left Over Love)" (1962)

In 1962, Brian Hyland, who often performed Udell's and Geld's material, recorded the song. Hyland recalls Geld saying the song was "based on, but not totally based on, a Bach finger exercise." (See five-finger exercise.)^[3] 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.^[4] 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

Chart (1962)	Peak position
UK Singles (OCC)[5]	3
US Billboard Hot 100[6]	3

Chart (1975)	Peak position
UK Singles (OCC)[7]	7
Ireland (IRMA)[8]	13

Gary Lewis and the Playboys version

"Sealed with a Kiss"
Single by Gary Lewis and the Playboys
from the album Gary Lewis Now!
B-side	"Sara Jane"
Released	May 18, 1968 (1968-05-18)[9]
Genre	Pop
Length	2:22
Label	Liberty
Songwriter(s)	Peter Udell, Gary Geld
Producer(s)	Snuff Garrett
Gary Lewis and the Playboys singles chronology
"Has She Got the Nicest Eyes" (1967) "Sealed with a Kiss" (1968) "Main Street" (1968)

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.^[10]

Charts

Chart (1968)	Peak position
Australia	74
Canada Top Singles (RPM)[11]	7
US Billboard Hot 100[12]	19

Bobby Vinton version

"Sealed with a Kiss"
German 7" vinyl single
Single by Bobby Vinton
from the album Sealed with a Kiss
B-side	"All My Life"
Released	May 10, 1972 (1972-05-10)[13]
Genre	Pop
Length	2:48
Label	Epic
Songwriter(s)	Peter Udell, Gary Geld
Bobby Vinton singles chronology
"Ev'ry Day of My Life" (1972) "Sealed with a Kiss" (1972) "But I Do" (1972)

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.^[14] This version also placed high on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart (No. 2).^[15] 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

Chart (1972)	Peak position
Australia (Kent Music Report)[16]	9
US Billboard Hot 100[17]	19

Jason Donovan version

"Sealed with a Kiss"
Single by Jason Donovan
from the album Ten Good Reasons
B-side	"Just Call Me Up"
Released	May 29, 1989
Recorded	1989, PWL Studios (London)
Genre	Pop
Length	2:38
Label	PWL
Songwriter(s)	Peter Udell, Gary Geld
Producer(s)	Stock Aitken Waterman
Jason Donovan singles chronology
"Too Many Broken Hearts" (1989) "Sealed with a Kiss" (1989) "Every Day (I Love You More)" (1989)
Music video
"Sealed with a Kiss" on YouTube

On May 29, 1989, Australian singer and actor Jason Donovan released a cover version of "Sealed with a Kiss" as the fourth single from his debut album, Ten Good Reasons (1989).^[18] Keen to diversify his sound away from the teen pop/dance material that had been his staple, Donovan told producer Pete Waterman that he wanted to record a cover with cross-generational appeal.^[19] The track was selected by Waterman and PWL promotions executive Tilly Rutherford, with Donovan admitting he was unaware of prior versions.^[19] His version went straight into the UK Singles Chart at No. 1 and stayed there for two weeks, while 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."^[20] Tom Doyle from Smash Hits said, "It actually does sound like a record made in the '60s and not at all like any of the other records in the charts, which should help it get played a lot on the radio. "A future number one!" as Bruno Brookes would chirrup cheerfully."^[21]

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1989–1990) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[22] 8 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[23] 5 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[24] 2 Denmark (IFPI)[25] 11 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[26] 5 Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[27] 2 France (SNEP)[28] 12 Ireland (IRMA)[29] 1 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[30] 11 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[31] 11 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[32] 13 Portugal (AFP)[33] 3 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[34] 8 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[35] 7 UK Singles (OCC)[36] 1 Uruguay (UPI)[37] 7 West Germany (GfK)[38] 4

Year-end charts Chart (1989) Position Australia (ARIA)[39] 100 Belgium (Ultratop)[40] 17 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[41] 30 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[42] 91 UK Singles (OCC)[43][44] 29 West Germany (Official German Charts)[45] 40

Other notable versions

• In 1962, Yugoslav rock band Bijele Strijele included a Serbo-Croatian cover of the song on their EP Svi trče oko Sue, which was the first record released by a Yugoslav rock band.^[46]
• Swedish rock band Hounds covered the song in 1967, in a version which reached number 4 on Kvällstoppen and number 2 on Tio i Topp.^[47][48]
• 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 chart.^[49]
• The Lettermen's version is very popular in Japan. They revived the song in 1969, although they recorded as B-side of "The Theme From a Summer Place" (1965).