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Donald's Encyclopedia of Popular MusicA B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y ZELLIS, Shirley(b '41, Bronx NYC) USA pop/soul singer. Began as a writer ("One, Two, I Love You' for the Heartbreakers on Vik in '50s). Sang with group the Metronomes, married Lincoln Chase who'd written "Jim Dandy' (LaVern Baker), "Such A Night' (the Drifters); he wrote "The Nitty Gritty' for her, placed it with the Congress label (a subsidiary of Kapp) for a no. 8 pop hit USA '63. Sequel "(That's) What The Nitty Gritty Is' very minor hit; then "The Name Game' no. 3 '64, "The Clapping Song' no. 8 '65, all nursery- rhyme-style chants with honking sax, percussion. "The Puzzle Song' '65, "Soul Time' '67 (on Columbia) were minor hits. "Nitty Gritty' revived by Gladys Knight and the Pips (no. 19 USA '69; "The Clapping Song' many times: original was no. 6 in UK; Ellis EP charted UK '78 with three original hits, equally silly "Ever See A Diver Kiss His Wife While The Bubbles Bounce Above The Water'; "Clapping Song' no. 11 UK '82 by the Belle Stars. |