Shirley Ellis (Shirley Marie O'Garra, 19 January 1929 – 5 October 2005) was… Read Full Bio ↴Shirley Ellis (Shirley Marie O'Garra, 19 January 1929 – 5 October 2005) was an American soul music singer and songwriter of Carribean origin. She is best known for her novelty hits "The Nitty Gritty" (1963) (US no. 8), "The Name Game" (1964) (US no. 3) and "The Clapping Song" (1965) (US no. 8 and UK no. 6). "The Clapping Song" sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc.
By 1954 she had written two songs which were recorded by The Chords. Ellis was originally in the group The Metronomes and she went on to marry the lead singer, Alphonso Elliston. All her solo hits were written by her and her manager, record producer, and songwriting partner, Lincoln Chase.
Ellis had recording contracts with the Kapp Records subsidiary Congress and later Columbia and Bell, but retired from the music industry in 1968.
Shirley O'Garra was born to William H. and Petra (Smith) O'Garra on 19 January 1929 (though her Social Security card shows 20 January 1927). Her father was a native of Montserrat and her mother was born in the Bahamas. Shirley had three full siblings; Joyce, Bertram and William H Jr and four half siblings Reginald, Suzanne, Joycelyn and Berbian. O'Garra married her husband, Arnold Alphonso Elliston (21 Oct 1929 - 23 Aug 2009; professional name: Alphonso Elliston) on 3 August 1949 in Florida. It is not known if she had children.
Cover versions of her hits have been recorded by Madeline Bell, The Belle Stars, Laura Branigan, Aaron Carter, Gary Glitter, Ricardo Ray, Pia Zadora, Southern Culture on the Skids, Gladys Knight and the Pips (a version of "The Nitty Gritty", produced by Norman Whitfield) as well as a 1980s high energy dance version of The Name Game by actor and personality "Divine" aka. Harris Glenn Milstead. In addition, her song "Soul Time" was sampled by the UK band, The Go! Team for their single "Bottle Rocket".
By 1954 she had written two songs which were recorded by The Chords. Ellis was originally in the group The Metronomes and she went on to marry the lead singer, Alphonso Elliston. All her solo hits were written by her and her manager, record producer, and songwriting partner, Lincoln Chase.
Ellis had recording contracts with the Kapp Records subsidiary Congress and later Columbia and Bell, but retired from the music industry in 1968.
Shirley O'Garra was born to William H. and Petra (Smith) O'Garra on 19 January 1929 (though her Social Security card shows 20 January 1927). Her father was a native of Montserrat and her mother was born in the Bahamas. Shirley had three full siblings; Joyce, Bertram and William H Jr and four half siblings Reginald, Suzanne, Joycelyn and Berbian. O'Garra married her husband, Arnold Alphonso Elliston (21 Oct 1929 - 23 Aug 2009; professional name: Alphonso Elliston) on 3 August 1949 in Florida. It is not known if she had children.
Cover versions of her hits have been recorded by Madeline Bell, The Belle Stars, Laura Branigan, Aaron Carter, Gary Glitter, Ricardo Ray, Pia Zadora, Southern Culture on the Skids, Gladys Knight and the Pips (a version of "The Nitty Gritty", produced by Norman Whitfield) as well as a 1980s high energy dance version of The Name Game by actor and personality "Divine" aka. Harris Glenn Milstead. In addition, her song "Soul Time" was sampled by the UK band, The Go! Team for their single "Bottle Rocket".
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The Complete Congress Recordings
Shirley Ellis Lyrics
(That's) What The Nitty Gritty Is Everybody's asking what the nitty gritty The nitty gritty's …
Bring It On Home To Me If you ever change your mind About leaving, leaving me behi…
Don't Let Go Hear that whistle, it's ten o'clock. Don't let go, Don't let…
Ever See a Diver Kiss His Wife Ever in your life See A Diver Kiss His Wife…
I See It, I Like It, I Want It From the moment I laid eyes on you, This is what…
Shy One My silent love, She says to me Silent any longer, Since you …
Stardust And now the purple dusk of twilight time Steals across the…
The Clapping Song Three six nine, the goose drank wine The monkey chew tobacco…
The Name Game The name game Shirley! Shirley, Shirley Bo-ber-ley Bo-na-n…
The Nitty Gritty Yeah, mmm, yeah Do you know that some folks know about…
The Puzzle Song To who do you do the thing to do When it's…