Who sang the song 'Little Shirley Beans'?

Estelle Fletcher sang “Little Shirley Beans,” the record Holden wants to buy for Phoebe. He remembers hearing the song at Pencey and describes Fletcher as a Black jazz singer whose performance has a lively Dixieland and “whorehouse” style.

Holden searches for the record in New York because he thinks it would delight his younger sister. The song is about a little girl who stays inside because she is embarrassed that her two front teeth have fallen out. That detail makes the record especially appealing to Holden, who is drawn to childhood innocence and vulnerability.

The song is not a mainstream historical recording that readers can easily locate. It is an object within Salinger’s fictional world, and Estelle Fletcher is presented as its performer. That sometimes causes confusion: readers may search for a real single, assume the name refers to another famous singer, or mistake the song for a reference to Shirley Temple.

Holden eventually buys the record, but it is damaged when he drops it during his drunken episode. He keeps the broken pieces and later gives them to Phoebe, turning the record into another fragile reminder of his affection, guilt, and wish to protect her.