Am I the only one who didn't like the Calypso Theme Song?

[wiley207]

You can see it here...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYV8EZRhCJU

But I think it's funny how Sally bashes that theme, and you know what? She's right! I don't particularly enjoy that version of the opening theme.

It seems like the producers just wanted to "get with the times." During this era, they were trying to make it look cool and current, but instead, it just turns out embarrassing. Even if it has a lot of Muppets, it doesn't particularly help. Big Bird's the only one fit well for the opening, in my opinion.

Another thing that makes it dumb is the use of all those animated elements, such as water splashes, a monkey on a vine, fake-looking static, and that blue bird that follows the gang at the end.

At first glance, it doesn't even sound like a Sesame Street theme! The calypso-type music doesn't fit well, either. If they were going to the Carribean Islands and they had a special opening sequence for those episodes, THEN that theme would fit!

This opening unfortunately appeared on every episode during the "Around the Corner" years, which was pretty awkward itself. However, the theme debuted on Season 24, which was a pretty good season actually, despite the opening and closing used.

I am SO glad that starting in 1998 they switched back to the old theme and went back to just showing Big Bird and the kids in Central Park. Even in 2002 when they added Super Grover to the beginning, they continued using the old theme.

Is there anybody else who didn't like that calypso opening, or am I the only one?

 

[Anything Muppet]

Hated it!
The first time I heard it was around 97, and I thought it was the worst idea. I didn't realize it had been around all throughout the 90's, but I was glad to see it go. (Admittedly, the closing credits are cute.) Although they've gone back to the original song arrangement, I think it would be really cool to reinstate the original recording. Maybe for the 40th season, at least. Something about the "new" kid singers is very shrill...

 

[CensoredAlso]

I remember, I hadn't watched Sesame Street in years, and then I checked it out one day and suddenly there's this crazy Calypso theme. I was definitely not happy. It's probably a good song in itself, but to change the theme was just wrong. That was the "jumping the shark" moment.

 

[minor muppetz]

I really liked that opening. I wish that more Muppets would be in the openings.

 

[ReneeLouvier]

...I honestly never realized there was a different theme then that Calpyso verison. That's probably because I grew up with that theme for most of the time that I religiously watched SS too. (Around 92'-98') That was between the ages of 6 yrs old and 12 yrs old. After age 12 or so I kinda stopped watching it for quite sometime. Until I graduated in 04' of course!

 

[somethingofafan]

Okay, that was during the time I had outgrown the show, and my computer for some reason does not have sound (I think it happened when I replaced my hard drive) so was it a newfangled arrangement of the old theme, or did they have a different melody and lyrics?

 

[CensoredAlso]

It was a different melody.

 

[muppet maniac]

I am totally not sure if I hate it or like it. I kinda like it, because it's filled with Muppets. Pretty colorful.

Yet I do like the old opening.

 

[LittleJerry92]

Sucks to be me

Well,I was born on December 8,1992 and unfortunetly,dealed with the intro and "Around The Corner",and I started watched Sesame Street in 1994 and also by then they stopped showing classics,classics were shown on special accasions,and they started adding stupid music and sound effects to classic cartoons and I never knwe about this until I discovered Youtube and saw some clips of the older Sesame Street,so now I really don't like being a 90's kid.Oh well.

 

[ISNorden]

As yet another old-schooler who grew up in the 70s, I agree that the calypso arrangement felt wildly inappropriate for Sesame Street's theme song. The cartoons and (non-Big Bird) Muppets didn't bother me that much; CTW has included both in the credits before. Multicultural as New York City is, though, that musical style just plain doesn't fit a TV show set in a fictional version of the downtown streets.