What songs would you have liked to see TMS do?

[Jennifer]

Okay, guys, time to exercise your imaginations a bit. If you could have your pick of any song(s) you would have liked to see on classic TMS, what would you have picked and how would you have them present it?

One pick I'd have is the song "Right Field", written by Willy Welch and sung by Peter, Paul and Mary. (Or rather, sung by either Paul Stookey or Peter Yarrow. It's on the Peter, Paul and Mommy Too CD.) The singer actually sounds a little like Ernie when singing, but I can very easily imagine Scooter doing this one. Here, for your enjoyments, are the lyrics. Imagine them being acted out by Scooter as he sings them:

Saturday summers, when I was a kid,
We'd run to the schoolyard and here's what we did...
We'd pick out the captains, we'd choose up the teams,
It was always a measure of my self-esteem...
'Cause the fastest and strongest made shortstop and first,
The last ones they picked were the worst...
I never needed to ask...it was sealed...
I just took up my place in right field...

Playing right field, it's easy, ya know,
You can be awkward and you can be slow,
That's why I'm here in right field,
Just watchin' the dandelions grow.

Playing right field can be lonely and dull...
Little Leagues never have lefties that pull...
I'd dream of the day they'd hit one my way,
They never did, but still I would pray
That I'd make a fantastic catch on the run
And not lose the ball in the sun...
And then I'd awake from this long reverie
And pray that the ball never came out to me.

Here in right field, it's easy, ya know,
You can be awkward and you can be slow,
That's why I'm here in right field,
Just watchin' the dandelions grow.

(Whistles riff from "Take Me Out To The Ballgame"...)

Off in the distance, the game's draggin' on,
There's strikes on the batter, some runners are on,
I don't know the inning, I've forgotten the score...
The whole team is yelling and I don't know what for...
Suddenly, everyone's looking at me...
My mind has been wandering, what could it be?
They point to the sky and I look up above...
And a baseball falls into my glove....!

Here in right field, it's important, ya know!
You gotta know how to catch!
You gotta know how to throw!
That's why I'm here in right field,
Just watchin' the dandelions grow!

Anyway, what are your thoughts? What songs would you like them to have done and how would they be staged/presented? From pop songs to classic rock to Broadway show tunes, the sky's the limit, friends!

 

[Joggy]

Whenever this discussion comes up, I always suggest the same. Put On A Happy Face.

I picture this one being sung by two Anything/Whatnot Muppets, possibly Jim Henson and Frank Oz. One is the positive happy lead singer, one is angry.

The happy one sings this song and starts pulling eyes, noses etc. off the other guy and puts new things on him. The angry guy tries to do the same with the positive one, trying to make him look rediculous. As the song lingers on, the two are in a heavy bodypart fight.

Since Henson never came up with this, maybe this is one I should do myself!

 

[Salmoto]

Yes, but we must explore the possibility of this song as interepereted by Robin or Sweetums. Possibly even Gonzo and the 6 foot tall "swine lake" pig.

 

[monkeymuppet]

There is this really creepy but funny song called Fish Heads. I think Lew would do a great job singing that.
"Fish heads, Fish heads, rolly polly fish heads. Fish heads, Fish heads, eat them up. Yum!"

I think the Muppets might have done Put on a Happy Face. I have a short sound clip on my computer with Dr. Teeth and Floyd singing it.

Adios,
~Megan~

 

[Salmoto]

Well I'm pretty sure it's been done, but I'd like to here "I only have eyes for you." Especially if it's sung by Pepe. EspeciallyEspecially if it's sung by Pepe to another female prawn or even a beautiful human woman.

I think maybe a song that hasn't been done is "I'm in the mood for love" and that'd serve the same perpose.

-MikeCervantes

 

[Jennifer]

Hey Monkeymuppet...

Did you know that none other than Billy Mumy, Will Robinson himself, wrote "Fish Heads"? There *is* one bit in the song where whoever's singing sounds *amazingly* like Gonzo. I can see him doing that one...it's definitely weird enough!

Ok, so you've put the Dr. Demento CD in my head. Maybe they could do "Witch Doctor" if they haven't already, using one of the guys who backed up Harry Belafonte on "Turn The World Around"? I guess Tom Lehrer's songs would be a little *too* much for the show.

Hmmm...Beatle fan mode on...they've already done a few of the Fabs' best on there. I can see Statler and Waldorf doing "When I'm 64." Or...they could do George's song "Piggies" off the White Album, with Piggy and Link and Strangepork and the gang to back up whoever's singing it. At the end, Piggy isn't overly pleased with the not-too-flattering lyrics, and it's the singer who ends up with "a d***ned good whacking"!

 

[Gorgon Heap]

I've said it before, I'll say it again. "New York, New York" sung by a male guest star with the Mutations in tux, top hat and tails and city Muppets.

Chopin's "Grande Valse Brilliante": UK Spot; excerpt, played by Rowlf. This is the song in E flat major that accompanied the flamingo clip on Sesame Street.

"Joke Quartet" (I think it was Haydn who wrote it, can't remember offhand): dancing clowns; I'd kind of like to keep this one myself

"Let a Smile be your Umbrella": not gonna tell you what I'd do with this; keeping it for myself

"Wedding Day at Troldhagen" (sp?): UK Spot, Rowlf. Thinking about this one today while driving, after having heard one of my mom's piano students TRY to play this. Perhaps there's a bouquet sitting on the piano instead of a candelabra, or at the end of the song he throws a bouquet into the audience, or catches a bouquet thrown at him.

"Wichita Lineman": they had a Muppet sing a snippet of this in the Paul Williams episode, but basically I'm thinking a Jim Nabors/"Gone with the Wind" scenario, seeing as Wichita is probably the tornado capital of the U.S. (this would have to be mentioned by Kermit in his intro of course).

"Sweet City Woman": no particular idea, but I heard the song on the radio the other night and couldn't help thinking of TMS. It just sounds like a song they would've done (that is, the song itself).

"Right Place, Wrong Time": Dr. Teeth sings Dr. John (his namesake and basis). Maybe.

"Paper Moon": yeah I know Wayne & Wanda did it, but I'd have liked to see full version.

"Till the End of Time": Robin or Piggy

More to come soon, I'm sure.

BTW Jog, when you originally proposed "Put On a Happy Face" I also pictured a body part fight gradually breaking out.

David "Gorgon Heap" Ebersole

 

[Joggy]

Dr. Teeth and Floyd sang Put On A Happy Face in the Brooke Shields episode. Just a short bit though, and not much action.

Dave - Let A Smile Be Your Umbrella was performed by Oscar the Grouch and Farley - except the lyrics were turned to "Let A Frown Be Your Umbrella".

And I have a Merv Griffin show from 1983 where Merv sings "New York New York" at the piano with Kermit and Piggy. It's a real cool version.

 

[BEAKER128]

Keeping it for yourself, Dave? Then why the DEVIL did you post it? And WHY are you "keeping it for yourself"? Is it too precious to be shared with the rest of us? Hmph. I am thoroughly baffled.

-David

 

[Gorgon Heap]

Re: "Let a Smile be your Umbrella"

Well, my best friend and I created some characters and it's really something I had in mind for one of them, but it was Muppety inspired. I got the idea from Link's "I Talk to the Trees", a musical number cut short by something unexpected that fits with the song. Only reason I posted it was because it was Muppet-inspired.

David "Gorgon Heap" Ebersole