The closing themes of Sesame Street

[MuppetDude]

Well, here's how the Barkley closing sequence went:

First, we see an open field, and then Barkley comes on screen and barks twice. Then, he runs away from the camera with a bunch of other kids. We then see Barkley and the kids walking over a bridge. After the bridge part, we see them running through the field again. Then comes the part where they get behind the tree, but they don't come out the other side. HOW did they DO that?

They used a split-screen. One part of the theme taped was with Barkley looking for the kids, and the other part was taped with the kids running from behind the tree. If you look closely at the leaves on the trees, you can see them move very slightly when Barkley makes his enterance and exit.

 

[rjschex]

There's one closing that you've forgotten!

Circa 1974-78, the Friday closing (with cast and production credits) featured a view from the driver's seat of a car being driven down a country road.

And on #1095, in which the funding credits music was played longer: That was because of an additional credit added: the plugging of United (?) Airlines, for providing production assistance. (The end of the Hawaii week.)

On a similar note: On #2616 (1989-90 season opener), the post-opening instrumental theme (the slow harmonica/acoustic guitar rendition played when the opening theme fades out, and the live-action fades in) was played much MUCH longer than usual--I even caught the rarely heard flute bridge.

 

[Xerus]

Oh, and also, does anyone remember an alternate ending they used over the city and the sea at night? It was usually used if an episode ended at night. I have two shows with it on it. Unpaved episode #2615 used it, and I also have it on #2795. How far does this date back to? It looks like it was shot on film, unlike the ending with Barkley and the kids. Also, it didn't always have the original closing theme. There was also an alternate version of the theme that was often used if an episode ended at night. It sounded like a music box, and it was played on a celeste. And believe it or not, there were actually a few episodes where the celeste version of the theme played over the regular ending with Barkley and the kids. Does anyone remember this nighttime credit sequence that was occasionally used?

Yeah, I remember the times when the nighttime music played during the Barkley closing credits. I also remember a time when Oscar was having a party and played a rusty junk band version of the theme song and they played it during the Brakley closing credits. And another time Big Bird was listening to classic ballet music on his record player and they played that during the Barkley closing credits. That was really weird.

 

[ssetta]

When Big Bird was listening to Ballet, was it still the theme? DonMusic2004 told me he remembers an episode where Piri was playing the theme on his guitar.

 

[Xerus]

When Big Bird was listening to Ballet, was it still the theme? DonMusic2004 told me he remembers an episode where Piri was playing the theme on his guitar.

No, it wasn't the original SS theme. It was some classic ballet song that might've been from Russia.

 

[ssetta]

WOW! Now THAT would be TOTALLY WIERD!! But honestly, I thought it was wierd enough that it was accompanied with the nighttime version of the theme. Because if you may remember correctly, there actually WAS a special credit sequence over the city and the sea at night. It can be seen on Unpaved episode #2615, the episode with the birth of Gabriella, but it has the regular closing theme. But I have been told that it was accompanied by the nighttime music quite a few times. I bet it's from the mid 80s.

 

[mikebennidict]

any of our newer people remember these closing credits?

 

[Ethan Lopez]

One Sequence That Scared Me

There was one that scared the crap outta me, well at least I remember crying when it came on. It was on select mid 90s episodes. First you had the animated close, followed by closing credits on that dark ocean blue screen that was used on a lot of CPB/Viewers Like You captions. I don't know what bothered me about that sequence. Was it the way the music was played? Was it that dark background or the way the credits were displayed? Either ways, kinda weird, huh?

 

[minor muppetz]

In 1969, I think it featured an old, old live-action spot where kids are playing. In 1971 (or 1972), SS changed it into the animated closing theme with kids and muppets where it starts with Grover flying on an airplane and ends with Herry growing flowers and Oscar (naked) holding the SS lampost sign. Bert, Ernie, Big Bird, Cookie Monster, Kermit the Frog, Little Bird, Roosevelt Franklin, Herbert Birdsfoot, Sherlock Hemlock, Lefty, Professor Hastings and the AM's are in it, too! Then, like in the late '70's (or the early '80s's), it was the live spot with Barkley the Dog and the kids.

Were the muppets animated in the animated closing theme?

Did any of the first season episodes shown on Noggin have ending credits?

People keep saying that the closing credits used to onlyu be seen on episodes that were originally broadcast on fridays. However, I remember seeing the closing credits in the 30th season premier, which was first shown on a monday.

 

[jeffkjoe]

Were the muppets animated in the animated closing theme?

Did any of the first season episodes shown on Noggin have ending credits?

People keep saying that the closing credits used to onlyu be seen on episodes that were originally broadcast on fridays. However, I remember seeing the closing credits in the 30th season premier, which was first shown on a monday.

No, no. The credits weren't really "animated."

It was simply a loooong vertical drawing of the Muppets and the camera simply panned down the drawing.

It started at the top with Grover flying the plane in the sky, and it panned all the way down to Oscar on the street holding the Sesame sign.

This is found on the 1972 episode Rainstorm.