About Shirley Ellis

Shirley Ellis (born Shirley Marie Elliston, circa 1941, The Bronx, New York) is a soul music singer and songwriter of West Indian origin. She is best known for her novelty hits "The Nitty Gritty" (1963) (U.S. #8), "The Name Game" (1965) (U.S. #3) and "The Clapping Song" (1965) (U.S. #8). "The Clapping Song" sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc.

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You can make your own karaoke versions of songs with just a few clicks! Check out our tutorial on making your own karaoke versions of songs if you want to learn how!