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The closing themes of Sesame Street

mikealan

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Here is the brief history of the closing themes of Sesame Street.

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. It was shown after any episode until the early '90's. Now, in the early '90's, it was a new animated closing with the dancing Statue of Liberty, the dancing buildings and things, and it features Elmo, Big Bird, a pigeon muppet and the live kids in it.

Remember these closings?
 

ssetta

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Okay now did they have another closing theme between the animated one in the early 70s and the one with Barkley the Dog in the late 70s? And also, I remember in the early 90s, they used the Barkley one most of the time, but sometimes, I remember there was one with Big Bird and kids walking through Central Park. Remember that?
 

Fiery Princess

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I had completely forgotten about the segment with Barkley....weren't they playing hide-and-seek or something? That just brought back a few memories for me.
I don't really like the new closing. I was upset when Sesame Street got so animated in their opening and closing themes. Maybe its just a personal preference. :rolleyes:
 

MIKEB97

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Originally posted by ssetta
Okay now did they have another closing theme between the animated one in the early 70s and the one with Barkley the Dog in the late 70s? And also, I remember in the early 90s, they used the Barkley one most of the time, but sometimes, I remember there was one with Big Bird and kids walking through Central Park. Remember that?
I definetly remember those. Do you recall one where a camera pans above New York city in the sunset? There were also close-ups of tall lush grass and a tide on beach during sunset. This was from 1989.
 

Daffyfan4ever

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Reply

I definately remember the one with Barkley. That one was classic! I've also seen the one with the dancing statue of liberty. Everything else was either before I was born or when I stopped watching the show.
 

Gonzo

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The one with Barkley and the kids is my favorite; I also loved the music they'd sometimes have during the closing credits, with just text on backgrounds--a lot of electric guitar, just rocking out (in a Sesame Street funky kinda way).

That's some of my favorite SS music.

Quinnnnnnnnnn
 

ssetta

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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?
 

Comical_DrBob

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I've rember the 80's version with Barkley but I've seen the 90's animated one.
 

Censored

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

Comical_DrBob

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ssetta said:
Okay now did they have another closing theme between the animated one in the early 70s and the one with Barkley the Dog in the late 70s? And also, I remember in the early 90s, they used the Barkley one most of the time, but sometimes, I remember there was one with Big Bird and kids walking through Central Park. Remember that?
I seem to remeber the one with Barkley & one with Big Bird like you said I mainly watched in the 80's & early 90's I prefered the live action one to the cartoon
 
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