by - August 5, 2009 - 10:00 PM
Last week’s Musicians and Their Awesome Sesame Street Appearances was a big hit, so I thought I’d follow up with a whole bunch more Sesame Street musical performances. This week we’re featuring: James Blunt, Pee Wee Herman, Yo Yo Ma, India.Arie, Goo Goo Dolls, Hootie and the Blowfish, Johnny Cash, James Taylor, Smokey Robinson, Melissa Etheridge, Andrea Bocelli, Los Lobos, Backstreet Boys, Samuel Ramey, and Alicia Keys. There are actually more coming next week, so stay tuned.
James Blunt, “My Triangle”
James lost his triangle, and is heartbroken. (Sung to the tune of “You’re Beautiful.”) It’s very touching and kind of hilarious. “I saw your shape [a triangle] in a crowded place, now I don’t know what to do….”
Pretty Much Everybody Ever (Including Pee Wee Herman), “Put Down the Duckie”
From a 1988 PBS pledge drive special, this video features a ton of celebrity cameos (starting at about 1:30): “John Candy (as Yosh Schmenge from SCTV), Andrea Martin (as Edith Prickley from SCTV), New York Mets Keith Hernandez & Mookie Wilson, Jane Curtin (of SNL and Kate & Allie), Madeline Kahn, Joe Williams, Paul Reubens (as Pee Wee Herman), Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Wynton Marsalis, Celia Cruz, Ihtzak Perlman, Gordon Jackson & Jean Marsh (as Angus Hudson and Rose Buck of Upstairs Downstairs), Paul Simon, Jeremy Irons, Pete Seeger, Rhea Perlman and Danny Devito, and NY Giants Sean Landeta, Mark Ingram, Karl Nelson and Carl Banks.”
Yo Yo Ma and the Honkers, “Beethoven Quartet for Two Dingers and a Honker”
India.Arie, “The Alphabet Song”
Elmo wants to hear music, but Elmo’s radio won’t work.
The Goo Goo Dolls and Elmo, “Pride”
The lead singer’s hair is actually kinda Muppet-like. To the tune of “Slide.”
Hootie And The Blowfish, “Hold My Hand”
Let’s learn how to cross the street…together.
Johnny Cash, “Tall Tale”
More fun with counting from the Man in Black. See also: “Don’t Take Your Ones to Town.”
James Taylor, “Your Smiling Face”
Sung to Oscar the Grouch, who’s grouchy as ever.
Smokey Robinson, “U Really Got a Hold On Me”
“I don’t like U, but I love U; seems like I’m always thinking of U.” Get it? U?
Melissa Etheridge, “Like The Way U Do”
More U jokes.
No one else begins uptown
No one starts up upside-down
No one else begins unable, uncertain or unstable
And no one else can spell a
A neat word like umbrella
Andrea Bocelli and Elmo, “Time to Say Goodnight”
To the tune of “Time to Say Goodbye.”
Los Lobos, “Elmo and the Lavender Moon”
Kind of spooky in its awesomeness.
Backstreet Boys and Elmo, “One Small Voice”
Whoa.
Samuel Ramey, “L Toreador”
Any opera fans in the house?
Alicia Keys, “Do You See What I See?”
A Christmas duet with Elmo.
Who Did I Leave Out?
Share your favorite musical memories of Sesame Street in the comments! Also be sure to check out last week’s roundup which included Feist, Queen Latifah, R.E.M., Norah Jones, Ray Charles, Patti LaBelle, Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Spin Doctors, and Tilly and the Wall.
Comments (17)
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Ands the winner is… the muppet’s night club in “My triangle.”
posted by Gabby on 8-5-2009 at 10:32 pm
how can you leave out stevie wonder???
posted by Mark on 8-5-2009 at 10:40 pm
This may not qualify strictly as Sesame Street, but I seem to remember Kermit singing \She Drives Me Crazy\ by Fine Young Cannibals to Miss Piggy with a bunch of celebrity appearances.
Also, I think Carol Channing sang a song to a snake to the tune of \Hello Dolly\ at one point.
posted by Ben on 8-5-2009 at 10:56 pm
Mark — actually, Stevie Wonder is where this all started! I did a late Movies post on him two weeks ago, and the first video was his \Superstitious\ performance on Sesame Street:
http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/29571
posted by Chris Higgins on 8-5-2009 at 11:32 pm
Yes! Samuel Ramey fan
ok, i admit… i suggested that clip!
Surely, i’m not the only fan
posted by Amy on 8-6-2009 at 12:01 am
Growing up, we had a record of a bunch of celebrity guest songs on Sesame Street. My very favorite was Johnny Cash singing “Five Feet High and Risin’” with Biff. I remember it very well – the track on the record included not only the song but the lead in conversation. Happily, that’s exactly what you get when you find it on youtube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5M2v-pkSIQY&feature=fvw
posted by Steve C on 8-6-2009 at 12:32 am
wyclef and cookie monster sing about healthy foods
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEvhJKwxsZk
billy joel and marlee matlin sing to oscar
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHC3M7KL2ns
posted by Rachel on 8-6-2009 at 4:02 am
“N Sync all the way, I even taped when it originally aired…wonder where it went.
posted by Sarah on 8-6-2009 at 7:30 am
REM Furry Happy Monsters!
posted by nihil on 8-6-2009 at 11:53 am
The Dixie Chicks sing the “B” song with Big Bird, Bert, and Baby Bear.
posted by lightlylilly on 8-6-2009 at 12:51 pm
prince
posted by will on 8-6-2009 at 6:41 pm
Alice Cooper singing “Welcome to my nightmare” is the all-time best. C’mon!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71hVIGjvuVY&feature=related
posted by Matt Darby on 8-7-2009 at 3:49 pm
My favorite one I’ve seen has to be Feist doing a counting version of her song “1234″. Both the original video and the Sesame Street video are rays of sunshine.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d3vIv1EwO5A
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fZ9WiuJPnNA
OH! Philip Glass! Remember the trippy animated sequences of circles moving around? Philip Glass composed the music for those, especially for Sesame Street. The video is four of the six sequences strung together.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ch-R1aIM-C0
I’m still blown away that we got Philip Glass in our Sesame Street, and these days the show has been pretty much taken over by Elmo.
posted by the Cosmic Jester on 8-7-2009 at 3:51 pm
“U Really Got a Hold on Me” scared me to death when I was little. I mean, the man was being attacked by a letter!
posted by Stacey on 8-7-2009 at 5:06 pm
James Taylor did a great version of Jelly Man Kelly. It is so good.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P32Tnok65cI
posted by bigciafan on 8-7-2009 at 5:09 pm
watching the Goo Goo Dolls on Seasame Street makes me smile every time^^
posted by Vault on 8-8-2009 at 4:43 pm
My all-time favorite, the one nearest and dearest to my heart, is James Taylor doing “Jellyman Kelly.” When I rediscovered the clip on youtube, I found myself bursting into tears, remembering how baby me would yell out the chorus along with the other kids, how I captivated I was. I can’t wait to have children of my own, and have them sing that song along with me.
posted by sandy on 8-10-2009 at 5:08 pm