Songs you'd like to see on the next Muppet Compilation CD

[Drtooth]

Let's pretend that they're going to make another Cd like the 25th anniversary one... which songs would you like on it?

Firstly, I'd have to say that my one complaint with the whole album is that there are no real solo songs with Rowlf the dog in it... so either

I've never harmed an onion

Cottleston Pie

or Lydia the Tatooed Lady

Then I think that one of the "made for record" sketches should be in there, like Pigs in Space or Veternarians Hospital.

We need You don't take no for an answer and Saying Goodbye from TMTM And Cabin fever from MTI. Of course I think it should also feature the New "Everyone matters" from the AVMMCM.

And I would like them to restore some of the old songs from the show NOT used on any album, like Scooter Singing Six String Orchestra or Floyd and Janice playing 50 ways to leave your lover.

 

[CousinLuke]

I personally am partial to most of the songs from GMC, so maybe steppin out with a star or couldn't we ride. In addition I also think that the song Bless us all from MCC should be on the CD. I would recomend the whole Musical sequencece From TMTM except for the fact that part of it was on the last CD.

 

[Chilly Down]

I agree that the 25th anniversary was lacking in a lot of important tracks. How could you have nothing by Rowlf but a bit by Wayne and Wanda? I suppose they would want to avoid the copyright issues with using songs with guest stars, but to me those are some of the best moments (and the name recognition makes it more likely for the casual fan to pick it up). And while it was probably easier to simply make the album a compilation of the first two albums (which only covers the first two seasons), many of the most memorable musical moments came in the remaining three seasons. And (never having owned the original albums) if I had known there were Pigs in Space and Vet's Hospital sketches made specifically for an album, I would've hit the roof that they weren't included. They expect the casual fan to pick up a Muppet album that doesn't have Pigs in Space (a name they'll recognize) but does have the obscure "There's a New Sound"?

OK, fanboy venting done now. There's a lot of good stuff on the album, and the liner notes by Craig Shemin are wonderful. Here's what I'd like to see in a second compilation album:

MUPPET SHOW
1. Muppet Show Theme (the fifth-season version; it's the most recognizable theme and is often used in TV compilations. In fact, I was surprised to hear the less-recognizable Season 1 theme on the CD. Oops, did I say I was done venting?)
2. "There's No Business Like Show Business" w/ Ethel Merman (one of their standards)
3. "You and I and George" by Rowlf (or "Cottleston Pie")
4. Pigs in Space
5. "Fever" with Rita Moreno and Animal
6. A Muppet News Flash
7. "I Get Around" with Miss Piggy
8. "Rockin' Robin" with the Electric Mayhem (or "Fifty Ways")
9. Veternarian's Hospital
10. "In the Navy" with the Viking Pigs
11. "Turn the World Around" with Harry Belafonte (not one of my favorites, but one of the most famous moments from the show)
12. "I Got Rythym" with Fozzie and Rowlf (and Statler & Waldorf)
13. "Inchworm" with Danny Kaye
14. "Four-Finger Orchestra" with Scooter and the Electric Mayhem
15. "Your Love Will Live in My Heart" with Linda Ronstadt
16. Closing Theme (fifth-season, with Kermit doing his trademark "We'll see you all next time on the Muppet Show!")

The rest I don't feel were glaring omissions, but I would like to see them on the next compilation:
SPECIALS AND TALK-SHOW APPEARANCES
17. "Bein' Green" with Kermit and Ray Charles
18. "Just One Person" from Mupp. Celebrate Jim Henson
OTHER SHOWS
19. Jim Henson Hour Theme
20. Muppets Tonight Theme
MOVIES
21. "I Hope that Something Better Comes Along" with Kermit and Rowlf (TMM)
22. "Couldn't We Ride" with Kermit, Piggy and cast (GMC)
23. "Saying Goodbye" with cast (TMTM)
24. "It Feels Like Christmas" with cast (MCC -- the version heard on the Ed Sullivan Show with the classic characters, not the film version with the Ghost of Christmas Present)
25. "Cabin Fever" with cast (MTI)
26. A song from Kermit's Swamp Years
27. "Everyone Matters" with Kermit and Gonzo, seguing into full cast (VMMCM).

So anyway, that's what I'd like to see. And you know what the best part is? I've got enough more songs stewing around in my head for a third compilation.

 

[CousinLuke]

Would you want Cabin fever to be the extended version on the soundtrack or the film version?

 

[Skeeter Muppet]

Here's my picks, even though there will be a bunch of reiterating other people's choices (And Chilly Down, it's not "Four Finger Orchestra", it was "Six String Orchestra." And try and find the extended version sung by Harry Chapin sometime; it's a hoot!)

THE MUPPET SHOW

1. The Muppet Show Theme (I agree with the fifth season version, although it'd be nice to hear a crack from Statler and Waldorf instead of their "Why do we always come here?" lyric)
2. The Cat Came Back, sung by Rowlf
3. "With a Little Help From My Friends" by the Electric Mayhem (with Kermit's "human sacrifice" intro)
4. "Six-String Orchestra" by Scooter with the Electric Mayhem
5. "Halfway Down the Stairs" sung by Robin
6. "I (Don't) Got Rhythm" by Rowlf and Fozzie
7. "While My Guitar Gently Weeps" by Sgt. Floyd Pepper
8. "Rama Lama Ding Dong" by a Muppet Whatnot Shepherd
9. "In the Navy" by the Viking Pigs
10. "Turn the World Around" by Harry Belafonte and the African Masks (just because this number rocks)
11. The Muppet Show Ending Theme (with a different crack from Statler and Waldorf this time, maybe the one that ends "Why do YOU watch it?")
    
    MOVIES, SPECIALS AND OTHER SHOWS
12. Theme from "Muppets Tonight"
13. "Just One Person" from The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson
14. "I Hope That Something Better Comes Along" from the Muppet Movie
15. "Couldn't We Ride" from Great Muppet Caper
16. "The First Time it Happens" from Great Muppet Caper
17. "You Can't Take No For an Answer" from Muppets Take Manhattan
18. "Rat Scat (Something's Cooking)" from Muppets Take Manhattan
19. "It Feels Like Christmas" from Muppet Christmas Carol
20. "Bless Us All" from Muppet Christmas Carol
21. "Sailing For Adventure" from Muppet Treasure Island
22. "Cabin Fever" from MTI (the extended version that was on the soundtrack)
23. "Everyone Matters" from A Very Merry Muppet Christmas (and I like the idea of the segue from Gonzo and Kermit's version into the cast version at the end of the movie)
    [/list=1]

 

[Thijs]

Hmm, to be honest, I like Charles Aznavours version of Inchworm better then Danny Kaye`s.
And 'Cabin fever' is the only MTI song I don`t like. I`d rather see the duet with Kermit and Piggy, or Professional Pirate, or sailing for adventure.

other suggestions:
Pukka Pukka Squeetily Boink
Titwillow
Time in a bottle
A silly song
Macho man

 

[CousinLuke]

They will not use Profesional Pirate because they would have to pay Tim Curry. I just thought that mabe they could have "Room in your heart" from MCC soundtrack because that is just a great song. "The first time it happens" won't be on the CD because it is on the first CD.

 

[Chilly Down]

Tommie: It was a toss-up between both versions of "Inchworm" for me. I deliberately picked songs that were done more than once on the show, so it doesn't really matter which one. I suppose I went with Danny because the casual fan is more likely to know who Danny Kaye is, and the song featured the whole Muppet cast as opposed to the generic Muppets in the Aznovaur version.

As for "Cabin Fever," I picked it because it's the only other song I can remember from MTI besides "Love Led Us Here" (and that's only because they played it constantly at MF). I didn't pick "Love" because it's already on the first compilation soundtrack.

Skeeter: Thanks for the correction on "Orchestra". LOL! It was late and I was typing too fast, I guess. I like your choices -- I love "Bless Us All" (just didn't have enough room for it), and I hadn't even thought about "Rat Scat." I didn't put "The First Time It Happens" on my list since it's part of the first compilation.

Cousin Luke: I really have no preference over which version of "Cabin Fever" is used. I suppose fans would probably want the extended version. As I said earlier, I only picked "Cabin Fever" because I couldn't remember any of the other songs from that movie. It wasn't my favorite Muppet film, so I haven't seen it since it was first in the theaters. I just volunteered the song because I wanted every Muppet film to have some kind of representation on the album (except for MFS, which didn't really have music to speak of. The "Brickhouse" is a great visual sequence, but since none of the Muppets are singing on it, it's not necessary).

I thought of 3 more songs that would be great on a compilation:

Act Naturally (I like the Floyd and Janice version better, but the Gonzo version is good and I'd want him to get some earlier representation on the album)
Two of a Kind -- Robin and Sweetums
Time in a Bottle (Good suggestion, Tommie! I don't know if I'd be able to fit that on the second disc, but it's definitely one worth having.)

 

[Thijs]

If you put sketches on a disc, wich version do you take? With laughter, or without. I think without laughter, it just doesn`t work.

 

[wockawocka]

I think they should have "I Hope That Something Better Comes Along" on that cd!