A memory lane called Sesame Street
One of the things I've tried to cover up for most of my life, is my total fascination and enjoyment of Sesame Street. OK, big news... Bart loves Sesame Street and has decided to come out and declare his total commitment to the educational undertones and the totally silly overtones which were/are generated from time to time.
My first introduction the on-screen mayhem was in 1972, when Sesame Street was aired for the first time by the Australian Broadcasting Commission. The original series had already started several years earlier in the United States and the ABC in it's wisdom adopted the formula quite quickly, airing the 50 minute programme twice daily.
I loved it, from the first moment I saw the programme... Bert and Ernie, Kermit the Frog, Cookie Monster and countless other creations that appeared in the course of the years managed to transform my perceptions of sense, sensibility and any propriety whatsoever. It was just so silly, it was fun and although I was working hard at growing up, I loved the flashbacks to a world where associations and perceptions were less inhibited.
Music, good stories and a quiet injection of commonsense values... things worthwhile, things often lost in the confusion of modern life...
The Sesame Street people tramped on, worked diligently and produced so much of worth in the course of the years... I remember Bob Segar with his "Duelling Banjo" routine so vividly, a real treat for the receptive... so many artists of note have passed through in the course of so many years, who regretfully have been forgotten...
After a while, the guest artists began to appear...
Johnny Cash on Sesame Street.
The Henson people pushed much of the concept (and occasionally even better) further and further across the decades, but original Sesame Street of the 1970's, with Susan, Gordon, Bob, Mr Hooper, Oscar the Grouch and Big Bird as some of the original inhabitants of a wonderfully new world were so enamouring, the memories of something wonderful and delicious, linger on...
Learning the alphabet was fun...
...and learning to count was an even greater joy :D
Some things I treasure... welcome to my world and keep well...
My first introduction the on-screen mayhem was in 1972, when Sesame Street was aired for the first time by the Australian Broadcasting Commission. The original series had already started several years earlier in the United States and the ABC in it's wisdom adopted the formula quite quickly, airing the 50 minute programme twice daily.
I loved it, from the first moment I saw the programme... Bert and Ernie, Kermit the Frog, Cookie Monster and countless other creations that appeared in the course of the years managed to transform my perceptions of sense, sensibility and any propriety whatsoever. It was just so silly, it was fun and although I was working hard at growing up, I loved the flashbacks to a world where associations and perceptions were less inhibited.
Music, good stories and a quiet injection of commonsense values... things worthwhile, things often lost in the confusion of modern life...
The Sesame Street people tramped on, worked diligently and produced so much of worth in the course of the years... I remember Bob Segar with his "Duelling Banjo" routine so vividly, a real treat for the receptive... so many artists of note have passed through in the course of so many years, who regretfully have been forgotten...
After a while, the guest artists began to appear...
Johnny Cash on Sesame Street.
The Henson people pushed much of the concept (and occasionally even better) further and further across the decades, but original Sesame Street of the 1970's, with Susan, Gordon, Bob, Mr Hooper, Oscar the Grouch and Big Bird as some of the original inhabitants of a wonderfully new world were so enamouring, the memories of something wonderful and delicious, linger on...
Picture a world where the rivers are clear
Where a dunk in the water is just a block or two from here
And try to think of a way to make it that way
Picture a world of honey warm haze
And the wind playing tag in the playground trees on summer days
And try to think of a way to make it that way
Brown frog talkin' to a butterfly
Flowers growin' oh, so high
Skies wide open, stars so near
Just reach up and touch one from here
Everybody picture a world where little kids run
Where the sunshine is pouring love and life on ev'ryone
And try to think of a way to make it that way
Make it that way
Make it that way
Learning the alphabet was fun...
...and learning to count was an even greater joy :D
Some things I treasure... welcome to my world and keep well...
10 Comments:
Man, I miss Kermit.
It's not easy being green.
Are you also a fan of The Muppet Show, or, not so much?
I cannot say I've watched the show when I was a kid, other cartoons were imported at that time. I only saw a few episodes when I was 14 or 15 and they started airing it here, but I did think of that time it would have been a wonderful way to enjoy my TV time.
I already pictured you as a muppet fan because of the Fozzie picture... Sesame street is a good educational show. It isn't that popular in Belgium, it never even aired here, only on the dutch broadcast...
Don't be ashamed, childhood is a beautiful time :)
I loved Sesame Street, too!
I can still hear the intro music in my head... "Come and play..."
Nice walk down memory lane.
Aww, they never showed 'Sesame Street' in Finland, but we did get 'The Muppets' and our whole family never missed that! My favorite has to be "Christmas with the Muppets" with John Denver. We listen to the CD of it every Christmas :) BTW, tag, you're it for a meme (check my blog) :P
I used to love watching Sesame Street on Dutch television. I think it's different from the versions in other countries, but it's absolutely wonderfull. Educational and fun. The Muppets too are great! Thanks for the clips. They bring back memories.
Sesame Street rules!! And you included some wonderful treats on your site! I'm just sad that they've modernized cookie monster to be a little more PC in his cookie pushing!
I love it too-- I always liked snuffaluffagus (spelling?)..
Johnny Cash on Sesame Street! I never saw that show.
Just goes to show how amazing the premise of Sesame Street is/was. An often times dark and brooding rebel like Cash taking time out to rearrange words to his lyrics for the benefit of children learning to count. I'm assuming he changed 'gun' to 'one' right?
Sesame Street brought on some really unique guests over the years. Persons not associated with kids. It always felt like the guest stars were doing their part to contribute to next generations. There was still a sense of responsibility back then to help the kids along.
I liked Sesame Street, but I could not miss a Muppets Show. It had to be watched.
*What a sweet post. Thanks for putting it up.
You should check out the musical Avenue Q if you're ever in New York or Las Vegas, it's evocative of some aspects of Sesame Street but in a much more adult and humourous way.
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