"The Name Game" is a song co-written and performed by Shirley Ellis[1] as a rhyming game that creates variations on a person's name.[2] She explains through speaking and singing how to play the game. The first verse is done using Ellis's first name; the other names used in the original version of the song are Lincoln, Arnold, Tony, Billy, Marsha, and Nick.
Written by American singer Shirley Ellis (who based the song on a game she played as a child[2]) and Lincoln Chase, Ellis's recording, produced by Charles Calello, was released in late 1964 as "The Name Game". The record scored third on the BillboardHot 100, and fourth on the magazine's R&B charts during 1965. The record was re-released in 1966 and again in 1973. A R&B singer for 10 years before that success, Ellis was also successful with "The Clapping Song (Clap Pat Clap Slap)" (#8 pop and #16 R&B), and "The Nitty Gritty" (#8 on the Hot 100 and #4 on the Cash Box R&B chart). Ellis performed on then-major television programs, including Hullabaloo, American Bandstand and The Merv Griffin Show. It later became a popular children's singalong.[2]
"The Name Game" has been recorded by dozens of recording artists in the years since, notably Laura Branigan, whose version produced by Jeff Lorber was included on her 1987 album Touch, released as the fifth single. It features a classroom of third-grade schoolchildren singing along to the game. Judy Moody, Hannah Banana and many other phrases have been referenced from this song.
Often sung by relative unknowns for collections of songs for children, other cover versions have been recorded by artists as diverse as:
1980: Joanie Bartels covered the song with different names, releasing it as a single from the 1980 album, Sillytime Magic, and the 1994 video The Extra-Special Substitute Teacher.
1982: Stacy Lattisaw's contemporary R&B/hip hop recording "Attack of the Name Game", with a completely different melody and lyrics, reached #70 on the Hot 100.
1990: Cree Summer (as Elmyra Duff) performed a cover for "TV Toons", an episode of Tiny Toon Adventures, using the Toons' names (except Plucky Duck's, as mentioned by that episode's end credits). A version of this with a different melody is collected on the 1992 album Tiny Toons Sing!.
On May 3, 2017, Howard Stern stated that he sings this song to young children, and calls it "his secret weapon" saying "it not only comforts them, it also distracts them from [his] unsightly features".[3]
This song was excerpted in Dickie Goodman's novelty break-in record single called "Shonanza" (1965), a spoof on the popular television Western Bonanza, where the "Tony" verse is sped up, and then slowed, losing its energy.
The former oldies AM radio station AM 1110, did a version of that song in the late 1980s, with the names of the living disc jockeys, who presided in that station at that time.
Rules
Using the name Katie as an example, the song follows this pattern:
Katie, Katie, bo-batie,
Bonana-fanna fo-fatie
Fee fi mo-matie
Katie!
A verse can be created for any name with stress on the first syllable, with X as the name and Y as the name without the first consonant sound (if it begins with a consonant), as follows:
(X), (X), bo-b (Y)
Bonana-fanna fo-f (Y)
Fee fi mo-m (Y)
(X)!
If the name starts with a b, f, or m, that sound simply is not repeated. For example: Billy becomes "Billy Billy bo-illy"; Fred becomes "bonana fanna fo-red"; Marsha becomes "fee fi mo-arsha"[2]
The song as originally performed gives no indication of what to do with names where the stress falls on a syllable after the first, like Anita or Antoinette; however, the cover version on the workout video Sweatin' to the Oldies 3 (vocals by Donna Miller) suggests that the first syllable should be dropped after the name is first said; the name Madonna is sung as "Madonna-donna-bo-bonna," etc.
^"'The Name Game' Is Howard's Secret Weapon With Children". Howard Stern. 3 May 2017. Retrieved 2017-05-07.
January 06, 2023
name, game, this, article, about, song, word, games, word, chain, shiritori, american, horror, story, asylum, episode, american, horror, story, song, written, performed, shirley, ellis, rhyming, game, that, creates, variations, person, name, explains, through,. This article is about the song For the word games see word chain and Shiritori For the American Horror Story Asylum episode see The Name Game American Horror Story The Name Game is a song co written and performed by Shirley Ellis 1 as a rhyming game that creates variations on a person s name 2 She explains through speaking and singing how to play the game The first verse is done using Ellis s first name the other names used in the original version of the song are Lincoln Arnold Tony Billy Marsha and Nick The Name Game Single by Shirley Ellisfrom the album The Name GameB side Whisper To Me Wind Released1964 1964 GenreR amp BnoveltyLength2 39LabelCongressSongwriter s Shirley EllisLincoln ChaseProducer s Charles Calello Name Game Single by Laura Braniganfrom the album TouchReleased1988GenreSynth poppop rockLength4 10LabelAtlanticSongwriter s Shirley EllisLincoln ChaseProducer s David KesherbaunLaura Branigan singles chronology Cry Wolf 1988 Name Game 1988 Moonlight in Water 1990 Contents 1 History 2 Rules 3 See also 4 ReferencesHistory EditWritten by American singer Shirley Ellis who based the song on a game she played as a child 2 and Lincoln Chase Ellis s recording produced by Charles Calello was released in late 1964 as The Name Game The record scored third on the Billboard Hot 100 and fourth on the magazine s R amp B charts during 1965 The record was re released in 1966 and again in 1973 A R amp B singer for 10 years before that success Ellis was also successful with The Clapping Song Clap Pat Clap Slap 8 pop and 16 R amp B and The Nitty Gritty 8 on the Hot 100 and 4 on the Cash Box R amp B chart Ellis performed on then major television programs including Hullabaloo American Bandstand and The Merv Griffin Show It later became a popular children s singalong 2 The Name Game has been recorded by dozens of recording artists in the years since notably Laura Branigan whose version produced by Jeff Lorber was included on her 1987 album Touch released as the fifth single It features a classroom of third grade schoolchildren singing along to the game Judy Moody Hannah Banana and many other phrases have been referenced from this song Often sung by relative unknowns for collections of songs for children other cover versions have been recorded by artists as diverse as 1965 Dean Ford and the Gaylords 1965 Soupy Sales 1965 Olivia Molina Juego De Palabras 1975 Anne Renee Un jeu d fou 1980 Joanie Bartels covered the song with different names releasing it as a single from the 1980 album Sillytime Magic and the 1994 video The Extra Special Substitute Teacher 1980 Divine 1982 Stacy Lattisaw s contemporary R amp B hip hop recording Attack of the Name Game with a completely different melody and lyrics reached 70 on the Hot 100 1990 Cree Summer as Elmyra Duff performed a cover for TV Toons an episode of Tiny Toon Adventures using the Toons names except Plucky Duck s as mentioned by that episode s end credits A version of this with a different melody is collected on the 1992 album Tiny Toons Sing 1991 Rose Nylund Betty White sings The Name Game when Dorothy Zbornak Bea Arthur stop the car off camera and tell Rose to get out from The Golden Girls season 7 episode 11 Room 7 1994 Xuxa Jogo da Rima 1997 Linda Tillery and the Cultural Heritage Choir covered the song with alternate names from the album Shakin a Tailfeather 1999 Lattislaw s version was sampled by Mariah Carey on her single Heartbreaker from her album Rainbow 2013 Sister Jude Jessica Lange performs a rendition in the second season of American Horror Story in the episode titled after the song 2016 Sheldon Cooper Jim Parsons sings a segment on The Big Bang Theory season 9 episode 21 The Viewing Party Combustion On May 3 2017 Howard Stern stated that he sings this song to young children and calls it his secret weapon saying it not only comforts them it also distracts them from his unsightly features 3 This song was excerpted in Dickie Goodman s novelty break in record single called Shonanza 1965 a spoof on the popular television Western Bonanza where the Tony verse is sped up and then slowed losing its energy The former oldies AM radio station AM 1110 did a version of that song in the late 1980s with the names of the living disc jockeys who presided in that station at that time Rules EditUsing the name Katie as an example the song follows this pattern Katie Katie bo batie Bonana fanna fo fatie Fee fi mo matie Katie A verse can be created for any name with stress on the first syllable with X as the name and Y as the name without the first consonant sound if it begins with a consonant as follows X X bo b Y Bonana fanna fo f Y Fee fi mo m Y X If the name starts with a b f or m that sound simply is not repeated For example Billy becomes Billy Billy bo illy Fred becomes bonana fanna fo red Marsha becomes fee fi mo arsha 2 The song as originally performed gives no indication of what to do with names where the stress falls on a syllable after the first like Anita or Antoinette however the cover version on the workout video Sweatin to the Oldies 3 vocals by Donna Miller suggests that the first syllable should be dropped after the name is first said the name Madonna is sung as Madonna donna bo bonna etc See also Edit1964 in music Nursery rhyme Swinging the AlphabetReferences Edit The Name Game Billboard a b c d The Shirley Ellis Name Game Page The Name Game Is Howard s Secret Weapon With Children Howard Stern 3 May 2017 Retrieved 2017 05 07 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title The Name Game amp oldid 1125016959, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
