List of songs from Sesame Street


This is a list of songs from Sesame Street. It includes the songs are written for used on the TV series. The songs have a variety of styles, including R&B, opera, show tunes, folk, and world music.[1] Especially in the earlier decades, parodies and spoofs of popular songs were common, although that has reduced in more recent years.[1]

Many famous musicians have sung on the show.[2] Musicians were chosen for their skill and popularity, but also for having a public perception that was compatible with the show's values. For example, musicians who were associated with illegal drugs were not invited to perform.[1]

The lyrics of Sesame Street songs had to be wholesome. They could not suggest sexual activity or dangerous actions, such as leaning out of a window.[1]

List of songs

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People contributing significant numbers of songs to the show include Joe Raposo, Christopher Cerf, Jeff Moss, and Al Jarnow.

Song Sung by Written by Episode Notes
"1234" Feist #4161 a version of her 2007 song[3]
"14 Carrot Love" Polly Darton and Benny Rabbit Nancy Sans (lyrics) and Cheryl Hardwick (music) #2811
"A Baby's Life" Anything Muppets #1423
"'A' You're Adorable" Jack (Jim Henson) Buddy Kaye and Fred Wise (lyrics) and Sidney Lippman (music) #23
"A Little Bit" Joe Raposo Joe Raposo (lyrics and music) #160
"A New Way to Walk" The Oinker Sisters, later by Destiny's Child Mark Saltzman (lyrics) and Joe Raposo (music) #2268
"A Very Simple Dance" originally sung in audio track by David (Northern Calloway) in Bert & Ernie Sing-Along, later sung by Mike (Ward Saxton) and the kids Carol Hall (lyrics) and Sam Pottle (music) #737
"ABC-DEF-GHI" Big Bird (Caroll Spinney) Jon Stone (lyrics) and Joe Raposo (music and lyrics) #96
"Adding" Lavender Anything Muppet singer (Jerry Nelson) Emily Kingsley (lyrics) and Jeff Moss (music) #243
"Adventure" En Vogue Christopher Cerf (lyrics) #2951
"African Alphabet" Ladysmith Black Mambazo and Paul Simon and Kermit the Frog (Jim Henson) Joe Raposo (lyrics) #2360
"African Animal Alphabet" Sarah Durkee (lyrics) and Paul Jacobs (music) #3396
"Ah, For the Joys of the Countryside" a nature-loving baritone (Jim Henson) David Axlerod (lyrics) and Sam Pottle (music) #1008
"The Alligator King" Bud Luckey Don Hadley (lyrics), Turk Murphy (music), and Bud Luckey (music) #411 Later sung by Jerry Nelson and Richard Hunt
"Air" Bip Bippadotta (Jim Henson), (Martin P. Robinson), (David Rudman) and (Richard Hunt) Luis Santeiro (lyrics) and Joe Raposo (music) #2568
"Air" Guy Smiley (Jim Henson) Emily Kingsley (lyrics) and Christopher Cerf (music) #2682
"All by Myself" Prairie Dawn and the Oinker Sisters (Fran Brill) with Soo-ey Oinker of the Oinker Sisters (Ivy Austin), (Angela Cappelli) and (Tawatha Agee) Jeff Moss (lyrics) #1824
"Alone Song" Big Bird Sam Pottle (lyrics) #921
"Alphabet Jungle" Dennis Scott (lyrics) #2733
"Alphabet Polka" John Candy[3] Christopher Cerf and Norman Stiles (lyrics) #2284 removed after a complaint about being insenstive to Polish people[3]
"Amigo" Carlos (Jerry Nelson), Betty Lou (Fran Brill) and other muppets about the Spanish word for friend Carol Hall (lyrics) #2042
"Antarctica" two Anything Muppets (voiced by Paul Jacobs and Ivy Austin) and penguins Emily Kingsley and Christopher Cerf (lyrics) #2938
"'B' is for Books" Pharrell Williams Questlove (lyrics) #4626
"'B' is for Bubble" #8 Sung to the tune of "Three Blind Mice" and features kids blowing bubbles
"Baa Baa Black Sheep" Telly and Three Sheep Martin P. Robinson (lyrics) Kids' Favorite Songs
"Baby Say It Loud" Gladys The Cow Luis Santeiro (lyrics) and Dave Conner (music) #2285 With Gordon, Susan and the kids
"Baby Say it Loud" Telly and Elmo Luis Santeiro (lyrics) and Dave Conner (music) #3611 Reworked from version in Ep 2285
"Be Doodle Dee Dum" Elmo Jeff Moss #3613
"Baa Baa Bamba" Luis (Emilio Delgado) and the Muppet sheep and other animals, in the tune of "La Bamba" Joe Raposo and Luis Santeiro #2360
"Baking a Cake" Animated by Paul Fierlinger using the same stop-motion animation used on Teeny Little Super Guy
"Barn in the USA", Bruce Stringbean (Christopher Cerf) and the S. Street Band, after "Born in the USA" by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band Christopher Cerf and Emily Kingsley #2991
"The Batty Bat" Count von Count (Jerry Nelson) Joe Raposo #2096
"Be My D" Didi O'Dey and the Dew Drops Emily Kingsley (lyrics), Donald Alan Siegal (music) and Luistle (music) #1449
"Beginning Middle and End" Paul Jacobs to the tune of "And She Was" by Talking Heads Sarah Durkee (lyrics) and Christopher Cerf (music) #2556 Animated by Sally Cruikshank
"Bein' A Pig" Joe Raposo over footage of pigs Joe Raposo #2356
"Bein' Green" Kermit the Frog (Jim Henson)[3] Joe Raposo #87 Later covered by Frank SinatraVan Morrison and others
"Believe in Yourself" Diana Ross, The Neville Brothers, Ray Charles, NSYNC, and other artists during different episodes Joe Raposo #401
"Benny Hop" Benny Rabbit (Kevin Clash) #3301 Included in Hot! Hot! Hot! Dance Songs
"Bert's Blanket" The Muppet sheep (Jerry Nelson, Kevin Clash and Ivy Austin) and Bert (Frank Oz) as they learn how the blanket is made from a sheep's wool Christopher Cerf and Sara Compton #2391
"Best Friends" Telly and Baby Bear #3140 About a phone caller who criticizes Gina and (Savion Glover)'s friendship
"Between" Jeff Redd #2738 Later covered by Wayne Brady
"Big, Bigger, Biggest" Christopher Cerf #3731
"Bingo was his name o" Paul Simon and Harper Simon #1308 Accompanied by a short film on how vinyl records are made; later covered by the cast and the Honkers for the 1982 album Sing Along
"Black Eye Peas" Graham Preskett #917 Accompanied by a short film on how glass bottles get recycled
"Blue Nosed Gopher" Graham Preskett #972 Accompanied by a short film on how newspapers get recycled
"The Boogie-Woogie Piggies" The Oinker Sisters Tony Geiss #2922
"Bones (Inside of you)" Count von Count (Jerry Nelson) Jeff Moss #1386
"Born to Add" Bruce Stringbean (Christopher Cerf) and the S. Street Band, after "Born to Run" by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band Christopher Cerf[1] #1375
"Bounce Back" Lillian (Lillias White) Animated by Paul Fierlinger using the same stop motion animation used on Teeny Little Super Guy
"Brothers Song" A boy Philip Namanworth and Benjamin Goldstein #1476 Sung in English and Spanish about a young boy bonding with his baby brother; rewritten version was sung by Lexine Bondoc, titled "Family Song"
"Brushing Down the Doggies" Cecille
"Budgie #10 Song" Gene Barretta Gene Barretta #3526
"But I Like You" Bert and Ernie (Frank Oz and Jim Henson) Jeff Moss #1952
"*C in Space" Gene Barretta Gene Barretta #3729
"C Is For Cookie" Cookie Monster (Frank Oz) Joe Raposo #372 Original version directed by Jim Henson
  • "Listen to the Music", sung by David (Northern Calloway) and the Ringers, written by Sam Pottle and David Axlerod.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Dodero, Camille (8 October 2016). "From 'Rubber Duckie' to One Direction (but please, no Eminem): Questlove, Big Bird (!) and the creators of Sesame Street reveal the secrets behind the legendary show's music--stay away from controversial artists--which has yielded viral videos and a lawsuit from The Beatles". Billboard. Vol. 128, no. 25. p. 48.
  2. ^ "The Many Musical Guest Stars of 'Sesame Street': Destiny's Child, Johnny Cash & More". Billboard. Retrieved 2021-08-26.
  3. ^ a b c d Dodero, Camille (8 October 2016). "From 'Rubber Duckie' to One Direction (but please, no Eminem): Questlove, Big Bird (!) and the creators of Sesame Street reveal the secrets behind the legendary show's music--stay away from controversial artists--which has yielded viral videos and a lawsuit from The Beatles". Billboard. Vol. 128, no. 25. p. 48.
  4. ^ Dodero, Camille (2016-09-29). "An Oral History of 'Sesame Street' Music: One Direction, 'Rubber Duckie,' and Not Eminem". Billboard. Retrieved 2023-04-07.
  5. ^ "Interview with Robert Dennis, Composer of "Milk" (Sesame Street, 1975)". ethaniverson.com. Retrieved 2023-10-19.
  6. ^ Pfeiffer, Amy (February 14, 2010). "One of These Things Is Not Like the Others: Ugly Duckling May Be Better Than ABCD for Melanoma Detection". Dermatology News. Retrieved February 10, 2020 – via MDedge Dermatology.
  7. ^ "Romeo Santos: Quiero Ser Tu Amigo | Sesame Street". PBS Learning Media.
  8. ^ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ob79fqxLuYs Sesame Street – Rain Falls (YouTube)