2023, Family, Fantasy, Music, Uncategorized

Would You Like To Be A Pip?

44 Comments

For some odd reason, Husband was musing recently about what it was like being a backup singer in one of the various musical groups from the 1960’s and 1970’s. He thought it would be fun to be a Miracle, a Blue Note, or a Pip.

This brought up memories for me of the Ronettes, the Marvelettes, and the Vandellas, although I don’t think it would be much fun to be an Ikette. I would have to put up with Ike.

What backup group would you like to sing with? Got any good ideas for names of new backup groups?

44 thoughts on “Would You Like To Be A Pip?”

  1. The names of the suggested groups in the blog post seem all to point in the direction of Detroit.
    There were also British Invasion groups I was in Junior High:
    Jerry and the Pacemakers,
    Gary and the Playboys.
    Freddy and the Dreamers.
    But my mind takes me to other possibilities, probably overly religious(territory I’ve inhabited for so many decades).

    Fulton and the Sheens,
    Norman and the Thinkers,
    Brigham and the Saints,
    Jimmy and the Swaggers,
    Rex and the Humbugs,
    Martin and the Marties,
    Francis and the Cardinals,
    Billy and the Converts,
    Tammy and the Fayes,
    Jimmy and the Bakers,
    Pat and the Robertas.
    Jerry and the Majority
    Creflo and the Dollars

    And, no. I wouldn’t want to be a backup singer at all.

    Liked by 8 people

    Reply

      1. I like Pat and the Robertas. So did you have to be named Roberta to be a back up singer for Pat? If your name was Janice, did you have to change it to Roberta? If one of the Robertas left the group did the want as say, “only women named Roberta need apply”?

        Liked by 3 people

        Reply

        1. My wife’s best friend is named Roberta, and she’s an excellent singer. She’d LOVE to be a backup singer but is a good Catholic, so I don’t think she’d audition for Pat and the Robertas. 😉

          Chris

          Liked by 4 people

    2. Aboksu, your background in religion showing in your names. Have you been thinking of these for awhile? You came up with those very creative groups rapidly.

      Liked by 3 people

      Reply

  2. And to answer the question, since I have never aspired to any kind of celebrity, I guess I’d rather be a back up singer than the lead singer. But only if I were forced to.

    Liked by 4 people

    Reply

  4. I’d love to be a backup singer (bass please) for a group. But I’d prefer a rock or jazz group to sing with. No gospel, rap, punk, heavy metal, etc.

    A good name for a goup of singing golfers might be “Birdie and the Hackers.”

    Chris in Owatonna

    **BSP** This weekend, Mankato is the place to be for great visual art as well as a room full of excellent local authors. The GSR Fine Art Fair and Book Nook happens at the Mayo CIvic Center in downtown Mankato from 10-6 on Saturday and 10-4 on Sunday. It’s a wonderful event with high quality art of all kinds plus 20+ Minnesota authors selling and signing books in many different genres. Food, drink, and live music are part of the festivities. A great place to find unique, personalized gifts for the art/literature lovers on your gift list. For details, go to gsrfineartfestival.com **END BSP

    Liked by 4 people

    Reply

    1. Rise and Shine, Baboons,

      What IS a Pip, anyway? I always loved Gladys and her singers, but I really am not sure what a Pip is. I always thought it would be fun to be able to sing and spin like they did. However there is nothing about the performing life that appeals to me.

      I must be feeling very negative today, even after a lovely Thanksgiving Day. All I can think of for back up names is DJT and his Base. Yyyyyuuuucccckkk.

      Liked by 4 people

      Reply

      3. I think one definition of “pip” is the marks on a playing card–spade, club, diamond, heart. But then there’s Archie Bunker’s famous line: “You’re a real pip, Edith!” (If memory serves. Maybe I’m still having L-tryptophan hallucinations from yesterday. *gasp*

        Chris

        Liked by 5 people

        Reply

        1. Just found these: https://english.stackexchange.com/questions/408232/whats-the-meaning-of-she-is-a-real-pip

          It’s originally American English. [not clear which dictionary]
          colloquial (originally and chiefly U.S.). Something remarkably good; an excellent or very attractive person or thing.

          (Oxford English Dictionary) – informal
          An excellent or very attractive person or thing.
          Slang, Obsolete
          a person or thing much admired

          Liked by 5 people

        4. “Pip”, in the context of the mark on dice and playing cards derives, apparently, from the Spanish “pepin”, for seed. Maybe the sense of being exceptional, one of a kind, relates to being seed-grown as opposed to grafted.

          Liked by 1 person

  8. There are / were so many bands that being in the back up would have been sooo cool!! Maybe only now, in retrospect, being able to say that. Being in it there then, might have been a handful. Age brings winsdom you know… Big Brother and the Holding Company, Dylan and the Band, Tower of Power (not a backup exactly) but how cool!
    Booker T and the M.G.’s

    Liked by 4 people

    Reply

  13. I wasn’t able to participate yesterday but I didn’t want to bug anybody about it on Thanksgiving. I enjoyed reading Steve’s post and everybody’s comments.

    I’ve always thought I’d be a good back-up singer. I enjoy singing harmony. I’m not a good dancer though, and I’m a little inhibited so I wouldn’t be a good Pip. I think a pip is an apple seed. I don’t know why they were called “The Pips.”

    Turkey and the Butterballs?

    Liked by 5 people

    Reply

Leave a comment