Signature Muppet songs

[SesameMike]

What would you consider a "signature" song for each of the Muppets? And for that matter, any non-human character. I would base the signature song on two criteria: (1) the extent the song describes or fits the Muppet's personality, and (2) the song's popularity.

Here is my list:

Ernie -- "Rubber Ducky"

Bert -- "Doin' the Pigeon"

Cookie Monster -- "'C' is for Cookie" (this has other Muppets in it, but only as backup singers. A better choice might have been the song in which he was surrounded by mounds of cookies, but that never became quite as popular)

Oscar -- "I Love Trash" (I picked this over "Then you're a grouch like me" because, again, ILT is way more popular.)

Big Bird -- "ABC-DEF-GHI" (the one where he thinks the alphabet is one long word. The song provides a great insight into Big Bird's childlike inquisitiveness)

Herry -- "I Just Can't Help It" (only song I know by Herry that he sings alone, not as part of a duo. And it does describe his nature.)

Grover -- "What Do I Do When I'm Alone"

Kermit the Frog -- "It's Not Easy Being Green"

Simon Soundman -- "I was taking a walk..." (the one with all the sound effects where a cat gets stuck in a tree)

Mr. Snuffleuppagas -- "Doing the Snuffleuppagas" (that "Make believe I'm love" song would have been a better choice BEFORE he was revealed to the adults, since that explained his feelings better)


The following I consider signature songs because I don't remember any other songs by these folks. But the songs do fit them well.

Count von Count -- "The Song of the Count"
Lefty the Salesman -- "Would you like to buy an 'O'?"
Sherlock Hemlock -- "'X' marks the spot"

Were there any songs by and for: Amazing Mumford, Harvey Kneeslapper, Fat Blue, Beautiful Day Monster, Guy Smiley, Little Bird, etc.

 

[Ziffel]

I covered the screen after each of the character names to see what I would say first and then see if you agreed. Most all of them I agree. No question for CM, Kermit, Ernie, Lefty, Sherlock, and The Count that the ones you selected are their signature songs. Bert and Big Bird I also go along with. For Grover I would go with the I song. I think the enormous familiarity and popularity of it tips the scale in its favor. Oscar is tough. Probably would have to go along with you, due to its popularity as you pointed out, though I personally absolutely LOVED the "Then you're a grouch like me" song. And yes for Simon Soundman. I can't think of another song he did but that one was a very good one anyway (Well my silly ol' friend..." ). I'm not familiar with the Herry one, was that one before late 70's?
As for songs by those other characters, I can't think of any by Mumfy, Little Bird, etc. Harvey Kneeslapper sang in that H song with Herry and Big Bird, but don't think he ever sang anything alone.
Roosevelt Franklin sang the alphabet ("Well the very first letter is the letter a...") but Susan contributed. And the Yip Yip martians did that song with Bob (Hi friend) but Bob did most of the vocals. I think the martians just did a few "la la la la la la" s. Oh and Farley did the tv version of "Has anybody seen my dog?", right? (whereas a character named Marty did it for the record album). That would be a good signature song for him since he's just a little boy muppet and any boy would be heartbroken over a missing dog.

 

[minor muppetz]

What would you consider a "signature" song for each of the Muppets? And for that matter, any non-human character.

uh, aren't the muppets and non-human characters the same thing?

anyway, here are some more signature songs i can think of:

grover: either "proud of me" or "Monster in the mirror". I would say that monster in the mirror is more popular, but that was made 21 years after the shows premier, and proud of me was around longer, and this song was included on 'a celebration of me, grover" while "monster in the mirror" wasn't. however, Monster in the Mirror was in Songs from The Street, and the lyrics are in Sesame Street Unpaved.

gladys the cow: proud to be a cow.

forgetful jones: "write it down", although maria, gordon and luis do more singing.

Hoots The owl: I would say "put down the duckie", even though ernie had a big part and the song fits ernies personality better, but ernie only had one line. maybe The Birdcall Boogie is a more appropiate choice.

little jerry and the monotones: telephone rock.

chris and the alphabeats: count it higher.

elmo: elmos song.

although I agree that ABC-DEF-GHI is a signature song for Big Bird, I also think that I Just Adore Four and Wheels On My Feet are good enough to consider "signature".

I think "The batty bat" is more signature for the count than "The Song Of The Count".

Guy Smiley has sang a few songs, like "they can't take that away from me" (which is more of a cookie monster song)and "air".

 

[Dantecat]

Guy Smiley also sings about the letter "E" to the letter "E" on "The Letter of the day" show.

 

[SesameMike]

uh, aren't the muppets and non-human characters the same thing?

Big Bird and Snuffy aren't Muppets, and they're non-human. And how about Sam the Machine -- did he sing any songs? Though there was this one beautiful instrumental piece that they closed the episode with. He said he'd heard a cement mixer sing it once.

 

[mikebennidict]

are we sure they're not considered muppets inspite of there size? I've never heard that before.

 

[Fuzzy and Blue]

This is just my personal opinion, but I think Grover's signature song is "Over, Under, Around, and Through" (if that's the right title)...Feel free to disagree with me.

~Dana~

 

[minor muppetz]

full body muppets

yeah, I thought that full-body characters were considered muppets as well. although not puppets (or at least not puppet size), Big Bird, Mr. Snuffleupagus, Bruno, Sam The Robot, Barkly, Alice, and the elephant are all muppets.

 

[BEAR]

Big Bird and Snuffy ARE puppets. They are just considered "full body puppets". Carroll Spinney may be inside the Bird suit but he is moving the mouth with his hand just like any other puppet.
As for sinature songs:

Oscar's signature song is no question "I Love Trash". It is the song he has sung ever since the early 70s and no other song that i can think of displays his personality better and who he is as a character. The only other one I can think of that equally, if not more, shows himself if Follow That Bird's "Grouch Anthem". "A Grouch Like Me" did not come along until Elmo In Grouchland was released I believe.

I can only think of one song that Herry sang solo and that was "Furry Blue Mommy of Mine."

"ABC-DEF-GHI" is definitely Big Bird's signature, but I am sure there are plenty of others that revealed himself more as a character.

 

[Rattus P Rattus]

Sesame Encyclopedia says Kermit's signature song is "It's Not Easy Bein' Green"
But I'm pretty sure "Rainbow Connections" is a more recognised song of Kermit's than "It's Not Easy Bein' Green"