# The Clapping Song > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/The_Clapping_Song > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/The_Clapping_Song.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Clapping_Song > Source revision: 1345561736 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|1965 song by Shirley Ellis}} {{More citations needed|date=May 2011}} "'''The Clapping Song'''" is an American song, written by [Lincoln Chase](/source/Lincoln_Chase), originally arranged by [Charles Calello](/source/Charles_Calello) and recorded by [Shirley Ellis](/source/Shirley_Ellis) in 1965.{{citation needed|date=April 2021}} The single sold over a million copies, and peaked at number eight in the United States{{cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/shirley-ellis/chart-history/hsi/|title=Shirley Ellis The Clapping Song (Clap Pat Clap Slap) Chart History|publisher=Billboard|access-date=8 February 2018}} and number six in the UK.{{cite web|url=http://www.officialcharts.com/search/singles/the-clapping-song/|title=The Clapping Song Full Official Chart History|publisher=Official Charts Company|access-date=8 February 2018}} ==Background== The song was released shortly after Ellis had released "[The Name Game](/source/The_Name_Game)". "The Clapping Song" incorporates lyrics from the song "Little Rubber Dolly",{{cite web|url=http://www.whosampled.com/sample/view/132924/Shirley%20Ellis-The%20Clapping%20Song_Light%20Crust%20Doughboys-Little%20Rubber%20Dolly/|title=Shirley Ellis's The Clapping Song|publisher=WhoSampled.com|accessdate=23 May 2012}} ("Little Rubber Dolly" available at [YouTube](/source/YouTube)) a 1930s song recorded by the [Light Crust Doughboys](/source/Light_Crust_Doughboys), and also features instructions for a [clapping game](/source/clapping_game). ===Chart performance=== {| class="wikitable sortable" !Chart (1965) !Peak
position |- | Canada ''[RPM](/source/RPM_(magazine))''{{cite web|url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/obj/028020/f2/nlc008388.5654.pdf| title=RPM Play Sheet - April 12, 1965}} |align="center"|10 |- |UK Singles ([Official Charts Company](/source/Official_Charts_Company)) |align="center"|6 |- |align="left"|US [''Billboard'' Hot 100](/source/Billboard_Hot_100) |align="center"|8 |- |align="left"|US ''Billboard'' [Hot Rhythm & Blues Singles](/source/Hot_R%26B%2FHip-Hop_Songs){{cite book |title= Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004|last=Whitburn |first=Joel |authorlink=Joel Whitburn |year=2004 |publisher=Record Research |page=186}} |align="center"|16 |} The song and partial lyrics is mentioned in To The Last Ridge by W. H. Downing, a memoir of an Australian soldier in WW1 published in 1920, referring to an incident in 1916, thus implying that it pre-dates the 1930’s reference above. Page 11 of the 2002 reissue by Grub Street. ==Cover versions== * [Gary Glitter](/source/Gary_Glitter) did a cover version of "The Clapping Song" in 1972, on his debut album ''[Glitter](/source/Glitter_(Gary_Glitter_album))''. * [Ian Cussick](/source/Ian_Cussick) recorded his version which was released as a single in 1981.Who Sampled - [https://www.whosampled.com/Ian-Cussick/The-Clapping-Song/ Ian Cussick > The Clapping Song] * The song returned to the charts when [The Belle Stars](/source/The_Belle_Stars) covered the song in 1982, on their self-titled LP.{{cite web|title=www.allmusic.com|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-belle-stars-mw0000854672|website=allmusic.com|accessdate=July 10, 2022}} This version charted at number 11 in the UK, and number 4 in Australia. It was the 33rd biggest selling single in Australia in 1983.{{cite web |url=https://i.imgur.com/860ttad.jpg |title=Kent Music Report – National Top 100 Singles for 1983 |publisher=[Kent Music Report](/source/Kent_Music_Report) |via=Imgur.com |access-date=January 22, 2023}} * [Pia Zadora](/source/Pia_Zadora)'s cover of the song entered the US top 40 in 1983, when it peaked at number 36 on the Hot 100.{{cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/pia-zadora/chart-history/hsi/|title=Pia Zadora The Clapping Song Chart History|publisher=Billboard|access-date=8 February 2018}} * [Aaron Carter](/source/Aaron_Carter) did a cover version of "The Clapping Song" in 2000, on his second album ''[Aaron's Party (Come Get It)](/source/Aaron's_Party_(Come_Get_It))''.{{Citation needed|date=March 2026}} * [Icona Pop](/source/Icona_Pop) released a modified cover of this song in 2015 titled "Clap Snap" on their EP Emergency.{{Citation needed|date=March 2026}} * [Queen](/source/Queen_(band)) drummer [Roger Taylor](/source/Roger_Taylor_(Queen_drummer)) covered the song on his 2021 album ''[Outsider](/source/Outsider_(Roger_Taylor_album))''. He released it as a single on 16 September 2021.{{Citation needed|date=March 2026}} ==In media== "The Clapping Song" has been featured in the soundtracks of the movies ''[Scratch](/source/Scratch_(2001_film))'', ''[Because of Winn-Dixie](/source/Because_of_Winn-Dixie_(film))'', ''[Private Life](/source/Private_Life_(2018_film))'', ''[Stuber](/source/Stuber_(film))'', ''[Poms](/source/Poms_(film))'', ''[All Together Now](/source/All_Together_Now_(2020_film))'', ''[Ghostbusters: Afterlife](/source/Ghostbusters%3A_Afterlife)'', ''[Maestro](/source/Maestro_(2023_film))'', ''[Die My Love](/source/Die_My_Love)'' and ''[How to Make a Killing](/source/How_to_Make_a_Killing)''. In ''[Flatliners](/source/Flatliners)'', the song is sung by children on the playground. On television, it was featured in Round Six of the 2009 season of ''[Dancing With the Stars](/source/Dancing_With_the_Stars)''. ==References== {{Reflist}} ==External links== *[https://www.lyrics.com/lyric/28211090/The+Clapping+Song+%28Clap+Pat+Clap+Slap%29 The Clapping Song Lyrics] {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2018}} {{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Clapping Song, The}} Category:1965 songs Category:1965 singles Category:1982 singles Category:1983 singles Category:The Belle Stars songs Category:Pia Zadora songs Category:Songs written by Lincoln Chase Category:Gary Glitter songs Category:Ian Cussick songs Category:American novelty songs --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [The Clapping Song](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Clapping_Song) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Clapping_Song?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.