Twinkle (singer)

Twinkle (born Lynn Annette Ripley, 15 July 1947, Surbiton, Surrey, England [ [http://www.mystrands.com/artist/54515/biography Mystrands.com] ] ) was an English singer-songwriter, primarily in the 1960s.

Career

Twinkle's most famous songs were "Terry" and "Golden Lights". In concept "Terry" bore some similarities to the Shangri-Las' "Leader of the Pack" (1964), both being about a girl lamenting the death of her daredevil boyfriend in a motorcycle crash. Jimmy Page was among the high profile session musicians who played on "Terry".

"Golden Lights" was covered by The Smiths in the 1980s, and appeared on their compilation albums, "The World Won't Listen", and "Louder Than Bombs". The Smiths' singer, Morrissey, was a great admirer of Twinkle. "Golden Lights" was written about her ex-boyfriend, Dec Cluskey of The Bachelors.

Twinkle's effort, "A Lonely Singing Doll", is the English language version of France Gall's 1965 winning Eurovision Song Contest song for Luxembourg, "Poupée de cire, poupée de son". The song was originally written by Serge Gainsbourg. After recording six singles for Decca Records she first 'retired' at the age of eighteen in 1966.

Twinkle's fame faded in the late 1960s, although she continued to record into the early 1980s. Her later recordings appeared under the name "Twinkle Ripley" and she also recorded with her father, Sidney Ripley, as Bill & Coo.

She is the Aunt of actress Fay Ripley.

Discography

ingles

* "Terry" / "The Boy Of My Dreams" (1964), UK #4
* "Golden Lights" / "Ain't Nobody Home But Me" (1965), UK #21
* "Tommy" / "So Sad" (1965)
* "Poor Old Johnny" / "I Need Your Hand In Mine" (1965)
* "The End Of The World" / "Take Me To The Dance" (1965)
* "What Am I Doing Here With You?" / "Now I Have You" (1966)
* "Micky" / "Darby And Joan" (1969)
* "Days" / "Caroline" (1974, as Twinkle Ripley)
* "I'm a Believer" (1982)
* "For Sale" (1984)

EPs

* "Lonely Singing Doll" (1965)
**(It contained the songs "A Lonely Singing Doll", "Unhappy Boy", "Ain't Nobody Home But Me" and "Golden Lights")

Album

*"Little Star"

Compilations

* "Golden Lights" (1993)
* "Golden Lights:Special Edition" (2001)
* "Michael Hannah: The Lost Years" (2003)

ee also

*List of Identity Parade guests on Never Mind the Buzzcocks
*List of performers on Top of the Pops
*Beat-Club

References

External links

* [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=11:fjftxqwgldae~T1 Twinkle biography] at Allmusic website
* [http://www.45-rpm.org.uk/dirt/twinkle.htm Biography and discography at 45-rpm website]
* [http://www.npg.org.uk/live/search/person.asp?search=ss&sText=Ripley&LinkID=mp60347 Twinkle (Lyn Ripley), Singer (National Portrait Gallery)]