I was playing the live, Tedeschi Trucks version of "Everybody's Talkin'" the other day, and I had this thought cross my mind:
There are lots of very popular songs that originated in films. But I can only think of two that originated in Rated X films.
Harry Nilsson's "Everybody's Talkin'" comes from what is probably the most commercial popular Rated X film of all time, "Midnight Cowboy." It was a huge hit, and even a casual music fan knows it.
I thought of one other.
I'm sure you could complete the hook if I said, "Mah na Mah na," right? Your singing it right now?
Most people know the song from its use on Sesame Street and The Muppet Show. But, unlike so many weird and beloved songs out of Jim Henson's workshop, it was not written by the Muppeteers.
It actually came from a 60s Italian "Mondo" film, "Sweden: Heaven And Hell."
Piero Umilani scored the film. How the gentle folks of 123 Sesame Street came upon it, I care not to guess.
But that's all I could think of.
Any other ones? Famous songs that originated in Rated X films?
See the "Sweden: Heaven And Hell" trailer on Youtube.
Hear Tedeschi Trucks "Everybody's Talkin'" on Youtube.
Hear Piero Umilani's "Mah Na Mah Na" on Youtube.
See the original Sesame Street version of "Mah Na Mah Ma" on Youtube.
Showing posts with label sesame street. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sesame street. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Saturday, August 25, 2012
The Count & The Mighty Mighty Bosstones "The Zig Zag Dance"
Perhaps you heard the news on Friday, that Muppeteer Jerry Nelson had died.
As I'm typing this, I am watching "Elmopalooza" with my kids. A friend of mind gave me the VHS of this 15 years ago. I didn't have kids then, but she knew that I was a fan of both Sesame Street and The Mighty Mighty Bosstones.
I thought sharing the show with my kids was a nice way to remember the man . . .
Hear the song on Youtube.
As I'm typing this, I am watching "Elmopalooza" with my kids. A friend of mind gave me the VHS of this 15 years ago. I didn't have kids then, but she knew that I was a fan of both Sesame Street and The Mighty Mighty Bosstones.
I thought sharing the show with my kids was a nice way to remember the man . . .
Hear the song on Youtube.
Monday, April 30, 2012
The Jackson 5 "ABC"
I wrote a little about the toy that my kids have, that plays "Whoop There It Is" and other songs.
My daughter was excited to come to the understanding that there is actually a full "Whoop There It Is" song, which I found on Youtube for her.
This piqued her interest. Were the other songs on her toy "real" too?
"Oh honey, you're going to LOVE this!" I enthused.
Her toy plays "ABC" by The Jackson 5, so I pulled up this amazing performance of the band, in full 1970s awesomeness. She was a bit confused by the huge hair, and she couldn't quite process that none of them were girls. But she got a kick out of the fact that the performers were basically kids, like her.
She was particularly intrigued by the leader, Michael.
"Is he still here?"
This is her way of asking, "Is he still alive?"
"No honey. This video was from a long time ago. He's passed away."
"How did he die, Daddy?"
And THAT'S the question I was hoping she wouldn't ask. Because, even after giving this subject thought for many, many years (how to explain when someone dies from drug use), I still wasn't sure how I would answer it.
I was a little older than my daughter, when my Noni Pa died. Noni Pa was my maternal Grandmother's father (that is, my Great Grandfather). Noni Pa and Noni Ma lived next door to my Grandmother and Grandfather, so he was very present in my young life.
They were immigrants, with Italian accents that were a little hard for me to penetrate at that young age. But there was so much warmth and so much pride that emanated from them, that even a little kid understood.
Sometime (a few years, maybe) after he had died, I asked my Mom how he had died. She explained that about a year before his death, he had been walking, and was struck by a car. "He was never really the same after that" she explained. Within a year of the accident, he died, no doubt due to the stress the accident had put on his body.
Years later, some time in Middle School, by friend Brian told me something shocking:
"When I was younger, my parents didn't want me to know that Elvis died from using drugs. So they told me he was hit by a car. I believed that for years before I found out the truth."
Of course I immediately panicked.
My sweet old great-grandfather, was a druggie, and my parents lied to me!!!
Long story short, my Mom assured me that Noni Pa was not on drugs. And thus concludes the only time in my life that I was happy to know that someone had been hit by a car.
"How did he die, Daddy?" my daughter had asked.
The whole Noni Pa/Elvis story flashed through my mind in the few seconds it took for me to realize that she was going to ask that question, and for her to say it out loud.
Also flashing through my mind was this piece I'd read about how the folks at Sesame Street created the episode that dealt with Mr. Hooper's death. You can't say "He was old" because, to a 4 year old, anyone over 10 is old. And you can't say he was sick, because sneezing is a sign of sick. And you really can't tell a kid that it happens to everyone, because then they're terrified that the death of everyone they love, is imminent.
"Well, honey . . ."
We've been very straightforward about death with our 4 year old, whether we're talking about my sister or her fish. I just tried to answer the question, as best I could.
"He took a bunch of medicine that he wasn't supposed to take. And he kept doing it, even though it was bad for his body. He didn't take care of himself, and his family and friends didn't make sure he was taking care of himself. And eventually, he took too much of the bad medicine, and his body stopped working. It just stopped working."
"Like Mr. Kite?"
"Yes, his body stopped working, like your fish's body stopped working."
"Oh." Pause. "Can we listen to Dan?"
And that was the end of it.
It's the difference between a 43 year old and a four year old, I guess.
I've been around long enough that the subject of death feels like a tangled, psychological mess, where people are tempted to lie (to Brian, about the cause of Elvis' death; to Michael Jackson, that he was immortal), or obfuscate, or torture themselves over trying to say the "right" thing.
But my 4 year old, who has had a little loss, just accepts that death is a part of the process. That it's as normal as music in the air. That it's as uncomplicated as ABC and 1-2-3.
Hear the song on Youtube.
My daughter was excited to come to the understanding that there is actually a full "Whoop There It Is" song, which I found on Youtube for her.
This piqued her interest. Were the other songs on her toy "real" too?
"Oh honey, you're going to LOVE this!" I enthused.
Her toy plays "ABC" by The Jackson 5, so I pulled up this amazing performance of the band, in full 1970s awesomeness. She was a bit confused by the huge hair, and she couldn't quite process that none of them were girls. But she got a kick out of the fact that the performers were basically kids, like her.
She was particularly intrigued by the leader, Michael.
"Is he still here?"
This is her way of asking, "Is he still alive?"
"No honey. This video was from a long time ago. He's passed away."
"How did he die, Daddy?"
And THAT'S the question I was hoping she wouldn't ask. Because, even after giving this subject thought for many, many years (how to explain when someone dies from drug use), I still wasn't sure how I would answer it.
I was a little older than my daughter, when my Noni Pa died. Noni Pa was my maternal Grandmother's father (that is, my Great Grandfather). Noni Pa and Noni Ma lived next door to my Grandmother and Grandfather, so he was very present in my young life.
They were immigrants, with Italian accents that were a little hard for me to penetrate at that young age. But there was so much warmth and so much pride that emanated from them, that even a little kid understood.
Sometime (a few years, maybe) after he had died, I asked my Mom how he had died. She explained that about a year before his death, he had been walking, and was struck by a car. "He was never really the same after that" she explained. Within a year of the accident, he died, no doubt due to the stress the accident had put on his body.
Years later, some time in Middle School, by friend Brian told me something shocking:
"When I was younger, my parents didn't want me to know that Elvis died from using drugs. So they told me he was hit by a car. I believed that for years before I found out the truth."
Of course I immediately panicked.
My sweet old great-grandfather, was a druggie, and my parents lied to me!!!
Long story short, my Mom assured me that Noni Pa was not on drugs. And thus concludes the only time in my life that I was happy to know that someone had been hit by a car.
"How did he die, Daddy?" my daughter had asked.
The whole Noni Pa/Elvis story flashed through my mind in the few seconds it took for me to realize that she was going to ask that question, and for her to say it out loud.
Also flashing through my mind was this piece I'd read about how the folks at Sesame Street created the episode that dealt with Mr. Hooper's death. You can't say "He was old" because, to a 4 year old, anyone over 10 is old. And you can't say he was sick, because sneezing is a sign of sick. And you really can't tell a kid that it happens to everyone, because then they're terrified that the death of everyone they love, is imminent.
"Well, honey . . ."
We've been very straightforward about death with our 4 year old, whether we're talking about my sister or her fish. I just tried to answer the question, as best I could.
"He took a bunch of medicine that he wasn't supposed to take. And he kept doing it, even though it was bad for his body. He didn't take care of himself, and his family and friends didn't make sure he was taking care of himself. And eventually, he took too much of the bad medicine, and his body stopped working. It just stopped working."
"Like Mr. Kite?"
"Yes, his body stopped working, like your fish's body stopped working."
"Oh." Pause. "Can we listen to Dan?"
And that was the end of it.
It's the difference between a 43 year old and a four year old, I guess.
I've been around long enough that the subject of death feels like a tangled, psychological mess, where people are tempted to lie (to Brian, about the cause of Elvis' death; to Michael Jackson, that he was immortal), or obfuscate, or torture themselves over trying to say the "right" thing.
But my 4 year old, who has had a little loss, just accepts that death is a part of the process. That it's as normal as music in the air. That it's as uncomplicated as ABC and 1-2-3.
Hear the song on Youtube.
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Kimbra "Settle Down"
By the time my daughter was one year old, she was walking, and she could say about a dozen words.
By the time she was 18 months, she could say 50-plus words. Which was hilarious, because she was so small our pediatricians were concerned that she wasn't even ON the growth chart---she was in the "zero" percentile. She was the size of a 10 month old, but she was completely conversational.
This being the only child I've ever had, that level of development was the standard-bearer.
So when my son was 18 months and he really wasn't saying any words, we decided to get him tested (plug for Early Intervention here! They do free testing, and they were super!). We knew his comprehension was great---he understood what you said. And his communication skills were solid---he could point and grunt his way to whatever he wanted. But she showed absolutely no interest in even trying to say a word.
Long story short, the testing suggested that he really didn't have anything wrong, or need any special help. He'd talk when he felt like it.
Flash-forward to his 2nd birthday, this month. As predicted, he got the notion that trying to say words yielded some positive results. Let it be known that among his first two-dozen words were "Treat," "Pop" (as in, Lollipop), "Cheese" and "Done!"
More important than just knowing how to ask for delicious foodstuffs and how to communicate "Enough with the food, already!", he is trying to say words.
"Feet" might still come out "Beat" and "Gramma" is still only "Gaa," but he's excited when he makes a new sound.
I think that's why there are certain songs he responds to. If the tune has a vocal hook that he can latch onto, he's sold.
After my wife went nuts for the Gotye song, she went searching for some solo Kimbra songs. "Settle Down" became one of her favorites. And it quickly became one of his.
He doesn't quite have the proper rhythm of the "boom, ba-boom, ba, boom, ba-boom, ba," but he tries.
"Boom, boom, ah! Boom, boom-ah!"
Funny enough, I wonder if, years from now, he'll put the Kimbra song in the same place in his mind, as another song with a catchy vocal hook.
You'll see him trying to do it.
"Mlllmm, Mllmm. Mlllmm, Mllmm."
And I know that it's time to bring The Muppets up on Youtube, because nothing says "I understand exactly what you are trying to say, loud and clear," like a round of "Mahna, Mahna" and "Boom, Ba-boom, Ba"!
Hear the song on Youtube.
Hear the song on Youtube.
By the time she was 18 months, she could say 50-plus words. Which was hilarious, because she was so small our pediatricians were concerned that she wasn't even ON the growth chart---she was in the "zero" percentile. She was the size of a 10 month old, but she was completely conversational.
This being the only child I've ever had, that level of development was the standard-bearer.
So when my son was 18 months and he really wasn't saying any words, we decided to get him tested (plug for Early Intervention here! They do free testing, and they were super!). We knew his comprehension was great---he understood what you said. And his communication skills were solid---he could point and grunt his way to whatever he wanted. But she showed absolutely no interest in even trying to say a word.
Long story short, the testing suggested that he really didn't have anything wrong, or need any special help. He'd talk when he felt like it.
Flash-forward to his 2nd birthday, this month. As predicted, he got the notion that trying to say words yielded some positive results. Let it be known that among his first two-dozen words were "Treat," "Pop" (as in, Lollipop), "Cheese" and "Done!"
More important than just knowing how to ask for delicious foodstuffs and how to communicate "Enough with the food, already!", he is trying to say words.
"Feet" might still come out "Beat" and "Gramma" is still only "Gaa," but he's excited when he makes a new sound.
I think that's why there are certain songs he responds to. If the tune has a vocal hook that he can latch onto, he's sold.
After my wife went nuts for the Gotye song, she went searching for some solo Kimbra songs. "Settle Down" became one of her favorites. And it quickly became one of his.
He doesn't quite have the proper rhythm of the "boom, ba-boom, ba, boom, ba-boom, ba," but he tries.
"Boom, boom, ah! Boom, boom-ah!"
Funny enough, I wonder if, years from now, he'll put the Kimbra song in the same place in his mind, as another song with a catchy vocal hook.
You'll see him trying to do it.
"Mlllmm, Mllmm. Mlllmm, Mllmm."
And I know that it's time to bring The Muppets up on Youtube, because nothing says "I understand exactly what you are trying to say, loud and clear," like a round of "Mahna, Mahna" and "Boom, Ba-boom, Ba"!
Hear the song on Youtube.
Hear the song on Youtube.
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
Andrew Bird "The Whistling Caruso"
It was my wife's birthday this weekend, and how psyched was I that her brother gave her "The Muppets" on DVD?
Answer: Very psyched.
I'm definitely a life-long fan of Sesame Street/The Muppets, and am also a big fan of actor Jason Segel, who stars in the film, and co-wrote it too. And many of the songs were written by Bret McKenzie of the band Flight Of The Conchords. AND the film is filled with don't-blink-or-you'll-miss-em cameos---there's Mickey Rooney! Was that Feist? Look at the drummer, it's Dave Grohl!
But the craziest little tidbit comes at the end of the film.
(SPOILER ALERT)
Young, nervous Muppet, Walter, finally gets the nerve up to perform on the Muppet Theater stage, and his performance is . . . whistling.
Which I thought was odd.
But then the song builds and the whistling becomes so amazing I said to myself, "I wonder if they're creating the whistling with some kind of synthesized instrument. Because the only person I know who could pull off a performance like that is Andrew Bird."
Guess what? I scanned the credits (mostly to see if Animal would appear, yelling "Go Home!"). It WAS Andrew Bird.
Yeah, yeah, you say. Big deal. Whistling. Anyone can whistle.
Take a look at your socks. Because in 60 seconds, you're going to have to search elsewhere for them, as they will have been knocked off.
Listen here:
Walter, performing "The Whistling Caruso"
And I'd be remiss if I didn't point you to Bret McKenzie's Oscar winning tune "Man Or Muppet"
Hear it on Youtube.
Lots of great songs on this soundtrack . . .
Answer: Very psyched.
I'm definitely a life-long fan of Sesame Street/The Muppets, and am also a big fan of actor Jason Segel, who stars in the film, and co-wrote it too. And many of the songs were written by Bret McKenzie of the band Flight Of The Conchords. AND the film is filled with don't-blink-or-you'll-miss-em cameos---there's Mickey Rooney! Was that Feist? Look at the drummer, it's Dave Grohl!
But the craziest little tidbit comes at the end of the film.
(SPOILER ALERT)
Young, nervous Muppet, Walter, finally gets the nerve up to perform on the Muppet Theater stage, and his performance is . . . whistling.
Which I thought was odd.
But then the song builds and the whistling becomes so amazing I said to myself, "I wonder if they're creating the whistling with some kind of synthesized instrument. Because the only person I know who could pull off a performance like that is Andrew Bird."
Guess what? I scanned the credits (mostly to see if Animal would appear, yelling "Go Home!"). It WAS Andrew Bird.
Yeah, yeah, you say. Big deal. Whistling. Anyone can whistle.
Take a look at your socks. Because in 60 seconds, you're going to have to search elsewhere for them, as they will have been knocked off.
Listen here:
Walter, performing "The Whistling Caruso"
And I'd be remiss if I didn't point you to Bret McKenzie's Oscar winning tune "Man Or Muppet"
Hear it on Youtube.
Lots of great songs on this soundtrack . . .
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Wilco "Outta Mind Outta Site"
Let me introduce a new segment on the blog, called, "Let Me Ruin This Song For You."
Why don't we pause right there for a second.
I promise, in any blog post where I plan to ruin a song for you, that I will alert you at the beginning of the post.
So if you see "Let Me Ruin This Song For You" and you look back at the artist and title in the header, and you think, "Hey, I'd rather you didn't ruin this song for me. I like this song," then don't read any further.
That said . . . let me ruin this Wilco song.
Every time I hear this the opening of tune, I can't help but be reminded of the opening of the classic version of the Sesame Street theme song.
Sure, Wilco's tune is a little more rocking, but listen to the electric guitar tutorial, and you'll hear it even clearer.
Sorry.
Hear the original "Outta Site (Outta Mind)"
See the very fun video that Wilco's old label won't let you embed.
Hear the song on Youtube.
Learn how to play the song on Youtube.
Why don't we pause right there for a second.
I promise, in any blog post where I plan to ruin a song for you, that I will alert you at the beginning of the post.
So if you see "Let Me Ruin This Song For You" and you look back at the artist and title in the header, and you think, "Hey, I'd rather you didn't ruin this song for me. I like this song," then don't read any further.
That said . . . let me ruin this Wilco song.
Every time I hear this the opening of tune, I can't help but be reminded of the opening of the classic version of the Sesame Street theme song.
Sure, Wilco's tune is a little more rocking, but listen to the electric guitar tutorial, and you'll hear it even clearer.
Sorry.
Hear the original "Outta Site (Outta Mind)"
See the very fun video that Wilco's old label won't let you embed.
Hear the song on Youtube.
Learn how to play the song on Youtube.
Thursday, February 18, 2010
Ernie “Rubber Duckie”
One of the most famous film lessons of Less Is More, came by accident. Failure even.
You perhaps know the story about how Steven Spielberg had a menacing mechanical shark made for the movie Jaws, but the robotic shark didn’t work too well.
Spielberg just wasn’t going to get these awesome action shots of the metal beast in action. But principle photography was already underway, so he had to shoot around the lack of a shark.
In the finished product, NOT being able to fully see the shark for most of the movie, is actually what made the movie so tense.
But it was all by success by subtraction.
Joe Moss, head writer in the early days of Sesame Street, had written a bath-time ditty for Ernie the Muppet to sing. It was the composer’s job to instruct the studio musicians on the instrumentation.
The story goes, that Moss came to the studio with a box of 100 Rubber Ducks, to create a giant squeaky chorus of Duckies behind Ernie. However, he was informed by the studio engineer that each Duck was considered a single instrument, and as such, he’d have to pay the Union rate for 100 musicians, to get his Duck chorus.
And here, Moss must have embraced Less, as More.
Please enjoy the charm of a single duck squeaking, on the classic (and #16 Billboard hit!), Rubber Duckie.
You perhaps know the story about how Steven Spielberg had a menacing mechanical shark made for the movie Jaws, but the robotic shark didn’t work too well.
Spielberg just wasn’t going to get these awesome action shots of the metal beast in action. But principle photography was already underway, so he had to shoot around the lack of a shark.
In the finished product, NOT being able to fully see the shark for most of the movie, is actually what made the movie so tense.
But it was all by success by subtraction.
Joe Moss, head writer in the early days of Sesame Street, had written a bath-time ditty for Ernie the Muppet to sing. It was the composer’s job to instruct the studio musicians on the instrumentation.
The story goes, that Moss came to the studio with a box of 100 Rubber Ducks, to create a giant squeaky chorus of Duckies behind Ernie. However, he was informed by the studio engineer that each Duck was considered a single instrument, and as such, he’d have to pay the Union rate for 100 musicians, to get his Duck chorus.
And here, Moss must have embraced Less, as More.
Please enjoy the charm of a single duck squeaking, on the classic (and #16 Billboard hit!), Rubber Duckie.
Monday, November 23, 2009
Ryan Montbleau “16 Reasons”
All Time Top Five Songs Under 90 Seconds . . .
From time to time on Every Day I Write The Blog, I do a week’s worth of my five favorite songs on theme. For the All Time Top Five rules, see this previous post.
Ryan Montbleau inspired this week's theme, with a clever little ditty that clocks in at :39 seconds, from his new live album called “Stages Volume 2.”
The tune is probably a little too sophisticated for the kiddie set, but having watched a lot of Sesame Street in the past 2 years, I can tell you, that being this solidly clever is difficult, welcome, and shouldn’t be dismissed as a trifle, despite its size.
See Ryan sing the song live on some fan footage.
Buy ”Stages Volume 2”
From time to time on Every Day I Write The Blog, I do a week’s worth of my five favorite songs on theme. For the All Time Top Five rules, see this previous post.
Ryan Montbleau inspired this week's theme, with a clever little ditty that clocks in at :39 seconds, from his new live album called “Stages Volume 2.”
The tune is probably a little too sophisticated for the kiddie set, but having watched a lot of Sesame Street in the past 2 years, I can tell you, that being this solidly clever is difficult, welcome, and shouldn’t be dismissed as a trifle, despite its size.
See Ryan sing the song live on some fan footage.
Buy ”Stages Volume 2”
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