Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds

[minor muppetz]

I wonder why Jim didn't perfect this version for any TV show appearances or The Muppet Show.

Maybe because it was done on Sesame Street first? It seems like nothing that was done on Sesame Street was remade for variety show appearances (yeah, a few songs written for the show would be done again on the show and other appearances, but that doesn't count). Though Mahna Mahna premiered on Sesame Street a few days before the definitive version premiered on The Ed Sullivan Show, and the Muppets did Octopuses Garden on Sesame Street first (but then again, every Muppet performance of that song is very different).

Imagine Robin singing this and a bunch of Monsters pop up during the chorus, leaving him completely confused. I could totally picture that.

You know, I don't think Robin has ever done a sweet number that got invaded by other characters or obstacles. Pretty much every serious song Robin did was done in a straight-forward way. I remember years before I saw the number wondering, since it was in the Alice Cooper episode, if Robin's performance of Somewhere Over the Rainbow was invaded by monsters or featured a spooky setting.

 

[D'Snowth]

Who all is singing the refrain? Definitely Jim and Frank (sounds like Rowlf and Cookie Monster), but I think I also hear Caroll (I thought I heard Oscar's voice in there somewhere), and do I also hear Bob McGrath in there as well?

I've kind of wondered though why throughout the first season many of the Muppet songs were dubbed by the live cast members. You'd think that'd confuse the kids as to why the Muppets would talk in one voice then sing in another.

 

[minor muppetz]

I've kind of wondered though why throughout the first season many of the Muppet songs were dubbed by the live cast members. You'd think that'd confuse the kids as to why the Muppets would talk in one voice then sing in another.

Considering that in the early years it was common for segments to use pre-recorded vocals on non-song segments (even if all the characters were only used in that one segment, meaning it wouldn't matter what they sound like), I wonder why they didn't have Loretta Long just dub the spoken dialogue as well. They pre-recorded the song anyway, and it's just one additional line of dialogue.

When John Tartaglia was interviewed for Tough Pigs, he said that it's hard to lip sync to a pre-recorded vocal track, because you have to know just when the vocals will be heard (while if you're lip syncing to a performer who's throwing his voice live on the set, that performer's breathing helps indicate that the character is about to speak). Could it be easier to lip sync to pre-recorded music tracks since you can keep track of the timing? But then again, in the early years there were, as I said, non-music segments where the voices were pre-recorded.

 

[D'Snowth]

When John Tartaglia was interviewed for Tough Pigs, he said that it's hard to lip sync to a pre-recorded vocal track, because you have to know just when the vocals will be heard (while if you're lip syncing to a performer who's throwing his voice live on the set, that performer's breathing helps indicate that the character is about to speak). Could it be easier to lip sync to pre-recorded music tracks since you can keep track of the timing? But then again, in the early years there were, as I said, non-music segments where the voices were pre-recorded.

I think depending on the performance, it's kind of like a tennis match... like if it's a song or something, I believe it would be fairly easy to lip-sync to a recording, but otherwise for like just speaking dialogue, I think it would be easier to have the performer manipulate the puppet, then have that voiced dubbed later.

But yeah, Caroll even mentioned how much trouble he had in the early days whenever he, Jim, and Frank would do little music numbers like that, citing "Everyone Likes Ice Cream" as an example, saying he kept missing his cue to open the mouth for the refrain, take after take, until Jim told him to listen for a little tiny bell, and when he hears that he should know that's when he needs to open the mouth. Then again, Caroll admitted he couldn't adapt well to those synchronized numbers like that, which is pretty much why he eventually did just Big Bird and Oscar exclusively.

 

[minor muppetz]

But yeah, Caroll even mentioned how much trouble he had in the early days whenever he, Jim, and Frank would do little music numbers like that, citing "Everyone Likes Ice Cream" as an example, saying he kept missing his cue to open the mouth for the refrain, take after take, until Jim told him to listen for a little tiny bell, and when he hears that he should know that's when he needs to open the mouth. Then again, Caroll admitted he couldn't adapt well to those synchronized numbers like that, which is pretty much why he eventually did just Big Bird and Oscar exclusively.

I recently saw a YouTube comment (I think it was on an upload of "The U/V Salesman") from somebody who said that Caroll felt claustophobic when performing in Anything Muppet segments. If that's true then it seems weird... In those Muppet inserts, it seems there's plenty of room to move around (aside from being with other performers and maybe a wall up front), but as Big Bird he's inside a big suit (maybe that's not as claustophobic as I'm thinking... He does get to walk around in it) and as Oscar he's crouched behind a trash can and crates most of the time.

 

[D'Snowth]

I recently saw a YouTube comment (I think it was on an upload of "The U/V Salesman") from somebody who said that Caroll felt claustophobic when performing in Anything Muppet segments. If that's true then it seems weird

Not necessarily. I mean sure, it seems like there's plenty of room to move around in those inserts, but keep in mind, the performers are cramming themselves into frame, all while crowding around a monitor at their feet, stepping over wires and cables and such scattered all over the floor, trying not to bump into each other while performing, and such.

But Caroll did actually say in an interview he didn't adapt well to those inserts, especially whenever synchronized movements were concerned, because he would inevitable end up moving in the opposite manner of everyone else. Matter of fact, I believe his exact words were, "I've never really been a good team player with the Muppets."

 

[GonzoLeaper]

That was totally awesome!!!!!! Thanks for sharing that cool and rare Sesame Street clip- it was great seeing that version of "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds". I love how Sesame Street not only did all these great parody songs (including a number of Beatles tunes- "Hey Jude"/"Hey Food", "Let It Be"/"Letter B", "I Wanna Hold Your Hand"/"I Wanna Hold Your Ear" and maybe others I've forgotten)- but they also did straight out covers of songs- particularly Beatles songs- like this one. There is also "Yellow Submarine" and "Octopus' Garden", of course. Any other Beatles songs on the show I've forgotten?

 

[Drtooth]

"I wanna Hold Your Ear" had nothing to do with the Beatles, and is a completely different style of song entirely. Think much more 1920's Jazz. It's essentially a long line of puns of Bert singing about a girl who "went to pieces" over him.

While technically it's a parody of the Joe Cocker version of the song, "With a little Yelp From My Friends" counts, however.

 

[D'Snowth]

Watching it again, something just caught my eye. Pay close attention to the second time the hippies sing the refrain, and Ambiguously Chrissy loses its nose.

 

[GonzoLeaper]

"I wanna Hold Your Ear" had nothing to do with the Beatles, and is a completely different style of song entirely. Think much more 1920's Jazz. It's essentially a long line of puns of Bert singing about a girl who "went to pieces" over him.

While technically it's a parody of the Joe Cocker version of the song, "With a little Yelp From My Friends" counts, however.

Okay. It's been a while since I've heard the song, but at least the title "I Wanna Hold Your Ear" seems to evoke the Beatles' classic- but yeah, I do recall that the tune is quite different.
And yeah- "With A Little Yelp From My Friends" still counts. Thanks for the reminder on that.