The Muppet Alphabet Album

[MJTaylor]

Before you think that this thread is in the wrong forum, I am refering to the Sesame Street Muppets.
This is an album that was released not long after the show debuted on US TV. I bought it second hand not long ago, and judging from the sleeve notes, it seems the songs were written for the record. Nevertheless, they were heard on the show.
Some of them went through some changes for the show, such as Dee, Dee, Dee which on the record had Bert asking what letter came after C. The TV version didn't have Bert but it did having Cookie Monster acting out if you like, the words of Ernie's song. Towards the end, Cookie forgets the right way to hold the D and holds it every other way, then just as he remembers, Ernie gets to the line, "But now I'm dee dee dee done" and walks off. Cookie faints.

 

[Tim Kelly]

I don't think any the songs went through changes, but (as you just described) there is some additional dialogue before and/or after some of the them. The one bit of dialogue that's missing from the CD version is at the very end. After Big Bird asks "What's the alphabet?" Bert says something like "Turn the record over and we'll start again." Big Bird responds "But if they turn the record over, won't we all fall off?" And then we hear the groaning and closing theme that is intact on the CD.

For years, I've said it would be nice to compile a video of all the alphabet segments, although I don't know if all of them were filmed. I do remember as a very young child Big Bird performing "The Sound of the Letter A"; I particularly recall him looking down at the sidewalk as he's talking to the ant. I'm almost certain that "U Lecture" was filmed; I can still picture Ernie talking to Professor Hastings and the latter falling asleep.

 

[minor muppetz]

What I want to know is if this album was really recorded in 1971, as mentioned in a few sources. I have the re-release, Sing The Alpabet, and quite a few songs on there have copyrights past 1971 (copyright dats on some songs go up to 1975). As far as I know, the only song on the re-reelase that's not in the original release is Elmo's version of ABC-DEF-GHI.

 

[MJTaylor]

I have been reading Philip Chapman's review of Songs From The Street and it seems I was right about C Is For Cookie, at least. According to the review, the song was not heard on the TV programme until 1972 - one year after the album's release.

 

[Phillip]

There are two versions of this record though. The first one was released in 1971 with a slightly different cover and letters inside. It was re-released in 1976. If anyone here has the original 1971 release by CRA (not the CTW release in 1976), please send me an e-mail. I could use a hi-res scan of the original cover for Muppet Central Radio.

 

[The Count]

Aw man... Sorry Phillip, but the record I still possess doesn't have a cover. Keep it in a record sleeve, along with the two records that came in the album The Count Presents Numbers!

The one with the inner art that shows items for all ten numbers.

 

[MJTaylor]

There are two versions of this record though. The first one was released in 1971 with a slightly different cover and letters inside. It was re-released in 1976. If anyone here has the original 1971 release by CRA (not the CTW release in 1976), please send me an e-mail. I could use a hi-res scan of the original cover for Muppet Central Radio.

Just so you know, the one I have is the 1976 version. Sorry I couldn't help you Phillip.