Bert & Ernie Sing-Along
Encyclopedia
Bert and Ernie Sing Along is a Sesame Street
album
released in 1975 that involved the entire cast of humans and Muppets
doing a sing-a-long in Bert and Ernie
's bathroom
.
The entire album was released on CD for the first time on the 3-disc set Old School: Volume 1, with other Sesame Street albums The Sesame Street Book & Record and Big Bird Sings!
." Eventually Ernie
comes in and pushes their piano into the bathroom and decides to join in, much to Bert's dismay. He starts playing music, which accompanies Bert singing in protest of the whole thing ("I Refuse To Sing Along"), with Ernie, in counterpoint, trying to persuade him to sing along.
After the song, and just as it seems Bert is going to get Ernie and the piano out, David
joins them, followed by Gordon
and Bob
, then by Luis
, Maria
and Susan
. They would start off by singing "I've Been Working on the Railroad
" then Gordon, Luis, Maria, and David would do "Old MacDonald Had a Farm." At this point Bert would start asking for a towel, conceding his bath to be over, but is either ignored or turned down by others because they couldn't access one for him. Over the course of side one, various other Muppets (The Count
, Grover, Cookie Monster
, Herry Monster, Prairie Dawn
, etc.) join the sing-along. A couple times during the sing-along, The Count tries to sing "Bats in My Belfry," but is justly thrown in the shower.
Side two starts with Luis kicking off something called "What's the Name of That Song," where everybody, including Bert, contribute trying to guess what it is, but they end the song unsuccessfully. David then does a song called "A Very Simple Dance," where he got the whole group involved clapping their hands, stomping their feet, turning around, touching their toes, pulling their ears, flapping their arms, stretching up high, and all falling down.
After various antics, at the end of the album, Bert finally sings along with the rest of the cast in "Sing."
The album ends with "Stars and Stripes Forever" in the distance, as Ernie suddenly remembers he also invited the University of Michigan marching band
. At that the door opens and we can hear the band clearer, along with everyone else's sheer delight at their presence, as the album finally fades out.
Sesame Street
Sesame Street has undergone significant changes in its history. According to writer Michael Davis, by the mid-1970s the show had become "an American institution". The cast and crew expanded during this time, including the hiring of women in the crew and additional minorities in the cast. The...
album
Album
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
released in 1975 that involved the entire cast of humans and Muppets
The Muppets
The Muppets are a group of puppet characters created by Jim Henson starting in 1954–55. Although the term is often used to refer to any puppet that resembles the distinctive style of The Muppet Show, the term is both an informal name and legal trademark owned by the Walt Disney Company in reference...
doing a sing-a-long in Bert and Ernie
Bert and Ernie
Bert and Ernie are two muppets on the popular U.S. children's television show Sesame Street. The two appear together in numerous skits, forming a comic duo that is one of the centerpieces of the program. Originated by Frank Oz and Jim Henson, the characters are currently performed by Muppeteers...
's bathroom
Bathroom
A bathroom is a room for bathing in containing a bathtub and/or a shower and optionally a toilet, a sink/hand basin/wash basin and possibly also a bidet....
.
The entire album was released on CD for the first time on the 3-disc set Old School: Volume 1, with other Sesame Street albums The Sesame Street Book & Record and Big Bird Sings!
Album's storyline
The album starts out with one of the rare times you hear of Bert taking a bath. As he does so, he is heard singing "Yankee DoodleYankee Doodle
"Yankee Doodle" is a well-known Anglo-American song, the origin of which dates back to the Seven Years' War. It is often sung patriotically in the United States today and is the state anthem of Connecticut...
." Eventually Ernie
Ernie
Ernie is a fictional character, a Muppet on the Public Broadcasting Service's long-running children's television show, Sesame Street. He and his roommate Bert form a comic duo that is one of the program's centerpieces, with Ernie acting the role of the naïve troublemaker and Bert the world-weary foil...
comes in and pushes their piano into the bathroom and decides to join in, much to Bert's dismay. He starts playing music, which accompanies Bert singing in protest of the whole thing ("I Refuse To Sing Along"), with Ernie, in counterpoint, trying to persuade him to sing along.
After the song, and just as it seems Bert is going to get Ernie and the piano out, David
Northern Calloway
Northern James Calloway was an American actor who played David on Sesame Street from 1971 through 1989, and also voiced Muppet characters including Same Sound Brown....
joins them, followed by Gordon
Roscoe Orman
Roscoe Hunter Orman is an American actor who plays Gordon Robinson on the television program Sesame Street. Orman joined the show in 1973, taking over as the third actor to play Gordon on the show...
and Bob
Bob McGrath
Robert Emmet "Bob" McGrath is an American singer and actor best known for playing the human character Bob on Sesame Street. He was born in Ottawa, Illinois. McGrath was named for Irish patriot Robert Emmet....
, then by Luis
Emilio Delgado
Emilio Delgado is an American actor. He is best known for his long-running role as Luis, the friendly Fix-it Shop owner, on the children's television series Sesame Street. Delgado joined the cast of Sesame Street in 1971 and recently completed Season 41 with the show. He began his professional...
, Maria
Sonia Manzano
Sonia Manzano is an American actress and writer. She is best known for playing Maria on Sesame Street since 1971. She also licenses her image to promote items of baby clothes and plates in Hispanic America....
and Susan
Loretta Long
Loretta Long is an American actress best known for playing Susan Robinson on Sesame Street, having starred on the show since its debut in 1969....
. They would start off by singing "I've Been Working on the Railroad
I've Been Working on the Railroad
"I've Been Working on the Railroad" is an American folk song. The first published version appeared as "Levee Song" in Carmina Princetonia, a book of Princeton University songs published in 1894...
" then Gordon, Luis, Maria, and David would do "Old MacDonald Had a Farm." At this point Bert would start asking for a towel, conceding his bath to be over, but is either ignored or turned down by others because they couldn't access one for him. Over the course of side one, various other Muppets (The Count
Count von Count
Count von Count, often known simply as "The Count", is one of the Muppet characters on Sesame Street, performed by Jerry Nelson. The Count is a vampire modeled after Bela Lugosi's interpretation of Count Dracula.-Description:...
, Grover, Cookie Monster
Cookie Monster
Cookie Monster is a Muppet on the children's television show Sesame Street. He is best known for his voracious appetite and his famous eating phrases: "Me want cookie!", "Me eat cookie!", and "Om nom nom nom" . He often eats anything and everything, including danishes, donuts, lettuce, apples,...
, Herry Monster, Prairie Dawn
Prairie Dawn
Prairie Dawn is a fictional character, a rather mature seven-year-old Muppet girl on the children's television program Sesame Street. She is similar in appearance to a character from the Anything Muppets. She is famous for writing school pageants for her friends, mostly Ernie and Bert, Herry,...
, etc.) join the sing-along. A couple times during the sing-along, The Count tries to sing "Bats in My Belfry," but is justly thrown in the shower.
Side two starts with Luis kicking off something called "What's the Name of That Song," where everybody, including Bert, contribute trying to guess what it is, but they end the song unsuccessfully. David then does a song called "A Very Simple Dance," where he got the whole group involved clapping their hands, stomping their feet, turning around, touching their toes, pulling their ears, flapping their arms, stretching up high, and all falling down.
After various antics, at the end of the album, Bert finally sings along with the rest of the cast in "Sing."
The album ends with "Stars and Stripes Forever" in the distance, as Ernie suddenly remembers he also invited the University of Michigan marching band
Michigan Marching Band
The Michigan Marching Band is the University of Michigan's marching band.-History:In 1896 the MMB was founded as a student organization and became a firm part of the Michigan tradition in 1898. Shortly after William D. Revelli became director he aligned the MMB with the School of Music which...
. At that the door opens and we can hear the band clearer, along with everyone else's sheer delight at their presence, as the album finally fades out.
Side one
- "I Refuse to Sing Along" - 3:47
- "I've Been Working on the RailroadI've Been Working on the Railroad"I've Been Working on the Railroad" is an American folk song. The first published version appeared as "Levee Song" in Carmina Princetonia, a book of Princeton University songs published in 1894...
" - 1:12 - "Old MacDonald Had a Farm" - 2:04
- "A Really Good Feeling" - 2:21
- "Bats in My Belfry" - 2:05
- "Row, Row, Row Your BoatRow, Row, Row Your Boat"Row, Row, Row Your Boat" is an English language nursery rhyme, and a popular children's song, often sung as a round. It can also be an 'action' nursery rhyme where singers sit opposite one another and 'row' forwards and backwards with joined hands...
" - 0:46 - "I'll Give You a Song" - 0:13
- "Oscar Don't Allow" - 1:30
- "Limerick Song" - 3:15
- "On Top of Old Smokey" - 1:28
- "Living Hand in Hand" - 2:58
Side two
- "What's the Name of That Song?" - 3:13
- "A Very Simple Dance" - 2:33
- "Morningtown RideMorningtown Ride"Morningtown Ride" is a lullaby written by Malvina Reynolds in 1957 and recorded by a number of artists, notably The Seekers. It tells the comforting story of the 'journey' through nighttime made by all the "little travellers" .-1962:...
" - 2:35 - "Everyone Likes Ice Cream" - 1:41
- "C is for CookieC is for Cookie"C Is For Cookie", by Joe Raposo, is a song performed by Cookie Monster, a muppet character from the television series Sesame Street. It was first performed on the show on March 28, 1972, although it had been released on record a year previously, on The Muppet Alphabet Album...
" - 1:15 - "Peanuts" - 1:24
- "John Jacob Jingleheimer Smith" - 0:58
- "She'll Be Coming 'Round the MountainShe'll Be Coming 'Round the Mountain"She'll Be Coming 'Round the Mountain" is an American folk song often categorized as children's music. It is a derivation of a Negro spiritual known as "When the Chariot Comes"....
" - 1:38 - "Finale: What's the Name of That Song? (Reprise)" - 2:30Includes "Sing." Both songs are separate tracks on the CD version; "Finale: What's the Name of That Song? (Reprise)" clocks in at 0:54, "Sing" clocks in at 1:35.