The Name Game
Shirley Ellis
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The name game. Shirley! Shirley, Shirley Bo-ber-ley, bo-na-na fanna Fo-fer-ley. fee fi mo-mer-ley, Shirley! Lincoln! Lincoln, Lincoln. bo-bin-coln Bo-na-na fanna, fo-fin-coln Fee fi mo-min-coln, Lincoln! Come on ev'rybody, I say now let's play a game I betcha I can make a rhyme out of anybody's name The first letter of the name I treat it like it wasn't there But a "B" or an "F" or an "M" will appear And then I say "Bo" add a "B" then I say the name Then "Bo-na-na fanna" and "fo" And then I say the name again with an ""f" very plain Then "fee fi" and a "mo" And then I say the name again with an "M" this time And there isn't any name that I can't rhyme Arnold! Arnold, Arnold bo-bar-nold Bo-na-na, fanna fo-far-nold Fee fi m-mar-mold. Arnold! But if the first two letters are ever the same Crop them both, then say the name Like Bob, Bob, drop the "B's", Bo-ob Or Fred, Fred, drop the "F's", Fo-red Or Mary, Mary, drop the "M's", Mo-ary That's the only rule that is contrary And then I say "Bo" add a "B" then I say the name Then "Bo-na-na fanna" and "fo" And then I say the name again with an ""f" very plain Then "fee fi" and a "mo" And then I say the name again with an "M" this time And there isn't any name that I can't rhyme Say Tony, Tony, bo-bo-ney Bo-na-na fanna, fo-fo-ney Fee fi mo-mo-ney, Tony! Let's do Billy! Billy, Billy, bo-gil-ly, bo-na-na Fanna, fo-fil-ly, Fee fi mo-mil-ly, Billy! Let's do Marsha! Marsha, Marsha, bo-bar-sha Bo-na-na fanna, fo-far-sha Fee fi mo-ar-sha, Marsha! Little trick with Nick! Nick, Nick, bo-bick, bo-na-na Fanna fo fick, fee fi mo-mick. Nick! The name game
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Written by: LINCOLN CHASE, SHIRLEY ELLISTON
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Songtrust Ave
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
13 facts about this song
Release Date"The Name Game" was released by Shirley Ellis in late 1964.
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Ranking SuccessThe song reached number 3 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 4 on the magazine's R&B charts in 1965.
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GenreThe song belongs to the pop music genre. It's often classified as R&B or novelty music due to the playfully entertaining lyrics.
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SongwriterBoth Shirley Ellis and her manager, Lincoln Chase, are credited for writing the song.
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Unique ConceptThe song uses a simple rhyming game, also known as The Name Game, where you drop the first initial of a name and add a common suffix. The song popularized the game.
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Signature SongDespite having other hits, "The Name Game" is Shirley Ellis's most iconic song, thus it has largely defined her music career.
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Film and TelevisionThe song has been featured in several well-known films and television shows, including "American Horror Story: Asylum," "The Parent Trap," and "The Help."
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Cover VersionsMany artists, including Laura Branigan and The Simpsons, have covered "The Name Game."
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Language BarrierThe game as presented in the song does not work well with names that start with vowel sounds, or when translated into languages other than English.
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InductionIn 2013, the song was inducted into the National Recording Registry of the Library of Congress. This honor is reserved for songs that are "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."
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Musical ArrangementIt features a brassy, upbeat sound typical of the pop music of the mid-1960s, though the song’s memorable written structure overshadows its musical composition.
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Dance CrazeAlong with the name game, Shirley Ellis also came up with a dance routine that listeners could perform while singing the song.
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Musical LegacyEven though it's been more than 50 years since the song's release, "The Name Game" is still widely recognized and often used in various media formats.
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Citation
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"The Name Game Lyrics." Lyrics.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 24 Apr. 2024. <https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/4985076/Shirley+Ellis/The+Name+Game>.
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