Twinkle (born Lynn Annette Ripley, 15 July 1947, Surbiton, Surrey, England) was an English pop music singer and songwriter in the 1960s.

Contents 1 Career 2 Discography 2.1 Singles 2.2 EPs 2.3 Album 2.4 Compilations 3 See also 4 External links

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".

Whilst "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.

Actress Fay Ripley is her niece.

Discography

Singles

• "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)

See also

• List of Identity Parade guests on Never Mind the Buzzcocks
  
• List of performers on Top of the Pops
  
• Beat-Club
  
• List of songs with personal names: T

External links

• Twinkle biography at the All Music Guide website
• Biography and discography at 45-rpm website
• Twinkle (Lyn Ripley), Singer (National Portrait Gallery)