The closing themes of Sesame Street

[Fozzie Bear]

Anybody remember the bridge part that goes:

"It's a magic carpet ride
Every door will open wide to happy people like youu
What a wonderful, What a beautiful--" (Sunny days...)

 

[jeffkjoe]

I do know the credits with the sunset and the tide on the beach. On that one that Noggin airs from 1989, it used the regular theme music, but there was also special theme music they used when it took place at night. It sounded like a celeste, kind of like a music box. It was actually on Unpaved a few nights ago where The Count was counting people's lights going out. I would imagine they used that celeste theme with the credits with the sunset at one point. Is that one from the 70s as well as the one with Barkley?

The closing music that you refer to, ssetta, is the "nighttime" version of the SESAME STREET theme, and could be heard whenever the show ended during events that took place at night.

The celeste music can be found on, like you said, the 1974 Season Premiere, as well as the late 1980's Unpaved episode where Luis and Maria fall in love, and Luis says goodbye to Maria late at night.

 

[somethingofafan]

I also remember the Barkley ending. Specifically, I remember the part where everyone disappears behind a tree. As a kid, I wondered how those kids and that dog did that.

 

[ssetta]

I think the Barkley ending was the one that was used the longest (so far). It was used from 1978-1992. If they continue to use the one that replaced it, with the dancing buildings and statue of liberty, it will hold the record. The only difference is, it's been shortened.

 

[ForgetfulJones1]

I watched mainly during the Barkley years..that was sucha wonderful ending..wonder if it won any awards?? That "hiding" technique impressed us early 80s kids..that was cool seventies technoloogy..today kids wouldn't bat an eye. These closings though..were only used weekly or so, if I recall?? Every Sun or Fri can't remember the day of week. Every otehr day, the condensed creits text only with the metalic/monster music ended the show.

 

[jeffkjoe]

Well, I know where you can get the SESAME STREET CLOSING THEME that you all are referring to....

It's on a CD called SING-A-LONG TRAVEL SONGS that you can order at amazon.com, BUT there's a catch:

Elmo and Zoe sing the Sesame Street lyrics over it, so you can't hear the music by itself

 

[gbrobeck]

Also, most of the music heard on that track was never heard on air! As soon as it gets into the part heard on-air, it starts fading out unfortunately.


Greg

 

[Stupendous Man]

There was also a closing theme in the 70's that featured hands holding a steering wheel while down a road.

What year did CTW start using that one, and when did they stop? Was that one featured at the end of episode #560 at the Museum of Television & Radio?

 

[Mark The Shark]

What year did CTW start using that one, and when did they stop? Was that one featured at the end of episode #560 at the Museum of Television & Radio?

I'm curious about this myself. I seem to have a vague memory of some imagery which I though was some character riding in a plane looking down over the neighborhood, but I'd be hard pressed to place that in a specific year. If I remember it, it would have to be mid-1970s or earlier. The closing with the drawing of all the Muppet characters which pans down is on episode #355 (from the 1971-1972 season).

#560 (at MTR) was never shown on Noggin then, right?

The funky instrumental (frequently referred to as the "bells and horns" music) was introduced over the grant acknowledgements beginning with #406 (the first show of the 1972-1973 season). Before that, those announcements were silent.

 

[ssetta]

I actually wonder how long that "bells and horns" music actually went. If you'll notice, on episode 1095, it played for longer than usual, a full 45 seconds. How long exactly was this piece?