Chiquita

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That Great Jingle

Chances are you can sing or at least hum a few bars of the Chiquita jingle. The "Chiquita Banana" song first hit the air waves in 1944 when Miss Chiquita made her debut. It was written to help teach Americans how to ripen and use bananas, which were at the time an exotic tropical fruit. At its peak, the jingle was played 376 times a day on radio stations across the United States. It was one of the most successful commercial jingles of all time.

The song was created by a BBDO advertising agency team lead by Robert Foreman. Foreman and his staff developed the jingle using office talent, an old piano and a box of paper clips shaken to simulate maracas. Garth Montgomery wrote the lyrics and co-worker Len MacKenzie provided the music. The singer in the original 1944 recording was Patti Clayton, the first in a long line of Miss Chiquita's.

Today, it's still the "top banana" in jingles.

"I'm Chiquita banana and I've come to say - Bananas have to ripen in a certain way- When they are fleck'd with brown and have a golden hue - Bananas taste the best and are best for you - You can put them in a salad - You can put them in a pie-aye - Any way you want to eat them - It's impossible to beat them - But, bananas like the climate of the very, very tropical equator - So you should never put bananas in the refrigerator."
Music © 1945 Shawnee Press Inc. under license to Chiquita Brands International, Inc.

Listen to original jingle.

Over the years, the familiar music has stayed the same but the lyrics have been rewritten many times, usually to support special causes and projects.

In 1999, we updated the jingle lyrics to make it more relevant for today's consumer and highlight the nutrition benefits of eating a Chiquita^® banana everyday:

"I'm Chiquita Banana and I've come to say - I offer good nutrition in a simple way - When you eat a Chiquita you've done your part - To give every single day a healthy start - Underneath the crescent yellow - You'll find vitamins and great taste - With no fat, you just can't beat 'em - You'll feel better when you eat 'em - They're a gift from Mother Nature and a natural additional to your table - For wholesome, healthy, pure bananas - look for Chiquita's label!"
Lyrics © 1999 Chiquita Brands International, Inc.
Music © 1945 Shawnee Press Inc. under license to Chiquita Brands International, Inc.

Listen to current jingle.