1. A method of shifting individual operands within a vector register computer, comprising the steps of: (a) loading a first vector register with a plurality of individual operands including a first operand, a second operand, and a third operand; (b) loading a second vector register with a plurality of corresponding shift counts such that each of the shift counts corresponds to one of the individual operands in the first vector register, the plurality of corresponding shift counts including a first shift count, a second shift count, and a third shift count; (c) transferring the first operand and the first corresponding shift count into a vector shift functional unit; (d) shifting the first operand by an amount equal to the first corresponding shift count to produce a first corresponding shifted operand and, pipelined with shifting the first operand, transferring the second operand and the second corresponding shift count into the vector shift functional unit; and (e) storing the first corresponding shifted operand and, pipelined with storing the first corresponding shifted operand, shifting the second operand by an amount equal to the second corresponding shift count to produce a second corresponding shifted operand and transferring the third operand and the third corresponding shift count into the vector shift functional unit.