Since spoonfedcornbread has got me recalling my childhood, here’s a serious flashback. I was part of the original “Sesame Street” generation. (“Electric Company” too. And if you wanna “zoom zoom zoom-ah-zoom,” I’m right there with ya, babe.)My all-time favorite recurring feature on “Sesame Street” was these musical counting films which I’ve gathered on my Video Bar. (Thanks to YouTube poster “mstatz.” Good on you, Mike!)
To this day, I get a thrill when they count down to the particular Number of the Day, then the animation goes haywire and the kids are all like, “Five! Five! Five! Five! Let’s sing a song of five! How many is five?”
These segments, directed by Jim Henson himself, are known amongst aficionados as the “baker” or “falling baker” films because of the slapstick gag at the end of each one. But before I saw them again on YouTube, I didn’t even remember that baker dude. I remembered the drum fills.
I LOVE this and the Zooming. And more than anything I love the Sesame Street song. We sang that in glee club, back in the good old days when such things as music programs existed on a daily basis in public school.
ReplyDeleteCan you tell me how to get, how to get to Sesame Street?
I loved "Zoom!" I can still speak a little Ubbi Dubbi! If you wrote to the show and submitted a S.A.S.E. ("Sayzee") you received a trading card-like thing with the picture of a castmember and his/her bio on it. I still remember the zipcode: 02134 ("Ohhh-too-wonnnn-three-foooor!
ReplyDeleteSend it to ZOOM!"). I can't remember whose cards I received, but I do remember early castmembers like Nancy, Timothy, Joe, and Maura, and the yellow and orange-striped shirts they wore.
Sorry for trippin'. :P
"On my way, everything's A-O-K...". LOL. I was outside of the 'Street generation but was forced to sit through it with my younger siblings back in the day. I did like it when they had people like Herbie Hancock and Stevie Wonder perform.
ReplyDeleteSusie wrote: “And more than anything I love the Sesame Street song.”
ReplyDeleteAll praise is due to the late Joe Raposo, who wrote the “Sesame Street” theme, the falling-baker counting song, “It’s Not Easy Bein’ Green,” and some of the most memorable “Electric Company” tunes (including, I presume, “Majewski, Kluzewski, Patterewski”).
I never knew (till Wikipedia) that the Carpenters’ hit “Sing” was written by Joe Raposo for “Sesame Street.”
FIERCE drum fills. Hats off to the guy beating on the skins for Sesame Street too.
ReplyDeleteI was smack dab in the middle of the Sesame street generation, took a break as I reached double digits in age, and then watched all over again with my little sister. By that time I was amazed at the way they handled Mr. Hooper death, and I guess they decided having an imaginary friend was a little too weird...so Snuffleupagus was outed to the rest of the street.
Ever heard tales of the international versions? A few years back I recall hearing how they handled doing one show for Palestinian kids and Israeli kids.
yes yes yes! thank you for the memories!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! i remember these shows!
ReplyDeleteI can't remember whose cards I received, but I do remember early castmembers like Nancy, Timothy, Joe, and Maura, and the yellow and orange-striped shirts they wore.
ReplyDeleteYou staggered me with that Ubbi Dubbi mention, Jena6... I totally had forgot that. But I do remember the castmember Luis... whom I always suspected was developmentally disabled. ;^)