The Name Game
"The Name Game" | |
---|---|
Single by Shirley Ellis | |
from the album The Name Game | |
B-side | "Whisper to Me Wind" |
Released | November 1964[1] |
Genre | |
Length | 2:39 |
Label | Congress |
Songwriter(s) |
|
Producer(s) | Charles Calello |
"The Name Game" is a song co-written and performed by Shirley Ellis[2] as a rhyming game that creates variations on a person's name.[3] 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.
History
Written by American singer Shirley Ellis (who based the song on a game she played as a child
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"[3]
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.
Laura Branigan version
"Name Game" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Laura Branigan | ||||
from the album Touch | ||||
B-side | "Cry Wolf" | |||
Released | 1988 | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 4:10 | |||
Label | Atlantic | |||
Songwriter(s) |
| |||
Producer(s) | David Kesherbaun | |||
Laura Branigan singles chronology | ||||
|
Laura Branigan covered the song for her 1987 studio album Touch. It was released as the last single from the album in the Philippines.
Track listings
- Philippines 7-inch single[4]
- "Name Game" (Edited version) – 3:44
- "Cry Wolf" (LP version) – 4:48
- Philippines 12-inch single[5]
- "Name Game" (Extended version) – 6:32
- "Name Game" (Edited version) – 3:44
- "Cry Wolf" (LP version) – 4:48
See also
- 1964 in music
- Nursery rhyme
- Swinging the Alphabet
References
- ^ "45cat - Shirley Ellis - The Name Game / Whisper To Me Wind - Congress - USA - CG-230".
- ^ "The Name Game". Billboard.
- ^ a b c d "Three Six Nine! Shirley Ellis Name Game / Soul Time Home Page". keepkey.yochanan.net.
- ^ Name Game (Media notes). Laura Branigan. Atlantic. 1988. ATR-0351.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Name Game (Media notes). Laura Branigan. Atlantic. 1988. DS-151.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)