About Shirley Ellis
Lived 1929 – 2005 (aged 76). Shirley Ellis was an American singer and songwriter.
Shirley Marie O'Garra (stage name Shirley Ellis, married name Shirley Elliston; January 19, 1929 – October 5, 2005 ) was an American soul music singer and songwriter of West Indian heritage. She is best known for her novelty hits "The Nitty Gritty" (1963, US no. 8), "The Name Game" (1964, US no. 3), and "The Clapping Song" (1965, US no. 8 and UK no. 6). "The Clapping Song" sold over one million copies and was awarded a gold disc.
Biography On , Shirley O'Garra was born to William H. and Petra (Smith) O'Garra. Her father was a native of Montserrat, and her mother was born in the Bahamas.
Ellis had recording contracts with the Kapp Records subsidiary Congress and later Columbia and Bell.
In 1968, Ellis retired from the music industry.
On October 5, 2005, Ellis died in the Bronx section of New York City at the age of 76.
Commercials
In 2023, "I See It, I Like It, I Want It" was featured in a Walmart commercial.
In 2024, "The Puzzle Song" was used in an Amazon Prime commercial.
In 2025, a cover version of "I See It, I Like It, I Want It" was featured in a Chase Bank commercial.
Film In 2021, "The Clapping Song" was used in the film Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021). It was also featured in the first teaser trailer for the film Die, My Love (2025).
Cover versions Cover versions of Ellis' hits have been recorded by Madeline Bell, the Belle Stars,
Discography Studio albums In Action (1964, Congress) The Name Game (1965, Congress) Sugar, Let's Shing-a-Ling (1967, Columbia)
8 4 — 19 —
October 25, 1963
72 14 — — — February 18, 1964
130 43 — — — April 9, 1964
— — — — — June 13, 1964
3 4 40 2 —
November 12, 1964
8 16 86 10 6
March 10, 1965
78 — — 32 — May 15, 1965
— — — — —
July 3, 1965
— — — — —
October 23, 1965
"Ever See a Diver Kiss His Wife While the Bubbles Bounce About Above the Water?" 135 — — — — January 4, 1966
— — — — —
October 17, 1966
67 31 87 39 — January 30, 1967
— — — — — May 8, 1967
— — — — 59
June 23, 1978 "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.
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Important facts
People in Shirley Ellis's life
Named in this biography and alive at the same time
Related people
Same field, nearest in time
Contemporaries
People whose lives overlapped Shirley Ellis's
Frequently asked questions
Who was Shirley Ellis?
American singer (1929–2005)
When was Shirley Ellis born?
Shirley Ellis was born on 19 January 1929 in The Bronx.
When did Shirley Ellis die?
Shirley Ellis died on 5 October 2005 in The Bronx.
What was Shirley Ellis's occupation?
Shirley Ellis was a singer and songwriter.
What nationality was Shirley Ellis?
Shirley Ellis was American.
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Shirley Ellis. https://biography.guide/shirley-ellis/
MLA: "Shirley Ellis." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/shirley-ellis/.
Chicago: "Shirley Ellis." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/shirley-ellis/.
Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.
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