Shirley Ellis • "The Name Game" • 1965 [Reelin' In The Years Archive]

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[@nuwavedave]

Shirley was so adorable! At lunchtime in elementary school, we'd all have 77 WABC in NYC on our transistor radios. When "The Name Game" came on - the whole lunchroom would join in. It was a massive AM Radio hit.

[@M_ondo]

Great memories! It amazes me how she continually rhymed names and never messed up.

[@mothercapricorn947]

Bet that was a good time ❤

[@mikeandroryinmich]

Biggest hit of the year. She must have been so proud. We loved her song in 1965 & we walked down the halls of Clarenceville Junior High School between classes singing it. Could NOT do it while we were in class but as soon as that bell rang we were out the door & you could a bunch of kids singing it while going to the next class. Today they would laugh her off the stage but back in '65 it was so very, very fashionable. A # Hit for Shirley Ellis & that is just not that easy to do when you are competing with singers such as Elvis, Petula Clark, The Beatles etc. She did it. You go Shiirley!!! She is now singing it in heaven. Rest in Peace Shirley. Another big hit that year Was Petula's "Downtown." We sang that one in the halls as well.

[@zcam1969]

real vocals and real musical instruments . great sound

[@chosen_remnant]

I would have been the smart alec screaming for her to do "chuck"! 😂

[@brittoverbaugh4035]

Banana-Fanna-Fo-F🙄🙄🙄!!

[@groofoot]

lol .... Chuckie, chuckie, bo buckie .... fanana fana fo f--ky, .... me, my, mo Mucky ..... Chucky!

[@monkeybanana713]

The same thing applies for Mitch and Beth.

[@trumpiekeith8531]

Celeste

[@roachtoasties]

She would have changed the rules for that and some other names. 🤣

[@michelplz4252]

her charm is mesmerising

[@friendly76]

Shirley Ellis was such a class act and deserved more fame. In addition to her three big hits, "The Nitty Gritty", "The Name Game", and "the Clapping Song", she had a lot of underrated gems in her catalog. Check out the beautiful, "How Lonely Is Lonely" for an example.

[@sabrinaphillips916]

What an MC! She’s wonderful, beautiful, classy and fit!

[@larisaaral1929]

The most fun song of all time. Thank you Shirley!

[@millions2nette]

She is fantastic! Wish Sesame Street was available back then. That would have been so much fun. She is very talented and cleaver. What a good song and idea! Once saw a young lady doing kereoke... Looked and sounded just like Shirley and even engaged the audience. Couldn't believe it. She's wonderful

[@jayonnaj18]

I vividly remember this song as I was in my mid teens, then, LOL!

[@mothercapricorn947]

You must be in your 70s

[@pattiespetitetanks6181]

FANTASTIC

[@zty3529]

Amazing

[@MarkRahilly]

love her still

[@momster64]

Great voice, no auto tune necessary!

[@rivaridge7211]

Wow, it was fun to see the wonderful actress, Tallulah Bankhead at 2:24 - she was one of those larger than life characters, who could out-smoke and out-drink any tough Teamster member - any day of the week.

[@voiceking887]

She was way ahead of her time classy smart wow🎉

[@TomYaz]

She was so incredibly talented He was a great composer. I love her albums. Nitty gritty is One of my favorite songs and she has just one amazing unique song after another.

[@danilolemosrebello2082]

When you get a glimpse of the audience and a lot of them are static, feels ridiculous cuz this is such a bop !!

[@josephasner171]

I know 3 names she cant rhyme: Chuck, Buck, and Mitch.

[@Goncalves81]

Nice tune

[@LearnAboutFlow]

Love what Divine did with this song on David Letterman

[@LisaB.-kh5ku]

I loved Ms. Bankhead in Life Boat great performance.

[@williamssantosdeoliveira3282]

Muito bom 👍🔔

[@auticomics]

awesome man

[@LisaB.-kh5ku]

This is genius Ms Ellis and cute.

[@jettrink7510]

Shirley Ellis is hotter than the Sun...

[@M_ondo]

I love her voice? Impresses me as a very nice woman. It amazes me how she can continually do that and not mess up.

[@thefreshmaker001]

The public is boring.

[@Wygruce]

I'm in love ❤

[@SQUAREMAN]

LOVE THIS ❤️ CHANNEL

[@Mackermanesq]

the Merv house band (Roy Burns on drums I think) was right on top of that one!

[@brendadouglas4706]

Looooove this!!! 👀🎶💞 BJ/ATLGA/USA 💖💚

[@savelysavely2483]

Tallulah Bankhead is there! Is there full footage avaliable ?

[@janeicemariewalker9731]

I sware Stephanie Mills could play this Lady and sang all her songs

[@SQUAREMAN]

LOVE YOU MERV

[@brand017]

cool stunt!

[@delvindoodles2182]

I feel so slow because this is like rocket surgery and I'll never get it

[@in9597]

Black song so nice and fan

[@stevenreichertart]

How in the world can she sing all this and ad lib names on the spot?!?

[@IceManLikeGervin]

😁😁😁😁😁

[@mikewebster5597]

Try 'Sebastian' or any name more than 3 syllables!

[@johnsilva9139]

I believe I watched this when I was a kid. Great to hear her sing live instead of lip-synching. Did Lincoln Chase write her songs?

[@customkey]

Yes

[@InFamousProductions]

I like how all the old women in the audience just don't get it.

[@roachtoasties]

I think kids still sing The Name Game on elementary school playgrounds.

[@AlexSander-mf5ym]

2023?

[@gigifontaine254]

Let's give it up to the piano player!

[@groofoot]

Biggest hit of the year? .... It peaked at no. 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 .... and yes, that's a Huge deal .... but there were a lot of no. 1 hits that year .... heck, the Beatles had 2 ..... 'Help' .... which spent 3 weeks at no. 1, and 'Yesterday', which spent 4 weeks at no. 1 ..... c'mon, Merv ....

[@rentslave]

Biden paid tribute to her in his SOTU address. Lincoln,Lincoln.......................

[@georgemegalis6912]

Why didn’t she do CHUCK .

[@junesondrab3833]

Mitch or Chuck!!

[@TheRedRatel]

now try tucker

[@damiantwister7]

worst crow

[@user-ig9jq1nx9q]

Man what happened to us ,those were the days!

[@EmceeSingerAlexyz]

ok let's try Sussy! sussie sussie sussie puPussy banana pana puPussy...