This week I've started watching old episodes of
The Muppet Show on Disney Plus, and I'm realizing I've never seen ANY of
these. o.0 It's a little surreal, seeing characters I feel like I know so well
in their original element.
I'm still in the first season, so they haven't quite hit their stride yet, and I've only recognized one or two of the celebrity guests, but overall it's been surprisingly funny - like, for adults! - and utterly charming. The music, y'all. THE MUSIC. It's silly and catchy or suddenly soulful and beautiful; you just never what you're going to get. Oh! And the very first episode has the Mahna Mahna song. SCORE.
I'm still in the first season, so they haven't quite hit their stride yet, and I've only recognized one or two of the celebrity guests, but overall it's been surprisingly funny - like, for adults! - and utterly charming. The music, y'all. THE MUSIC. It's silly and catchy or suddenly soulful and beautiful; you just never what you're going to get. Oh! And the very first episode has the Mahna Mahna song. SCORE.
Anyhoo,
last night John wandered in as I was rewinding this song to listen to it
again, and I thought you might appreciate it, too:
John googles everything, so he immediately looked up Halfway Down The Stairs. Turns out the
lyrics are a poem by A.A. Milne, author of Winnie-The-Pooh, and this
recording was SO popular it hit #7 on the UK singles chart in 1977. How sweet is that?
Now the part that'll make you cry: Robin's puppeteer Jerry Nelson sang this song - in character, but without the puppet - at Jim Henson's funeral. Here's the video. Buckets, y'all. Buckets.
And just so I don't leave you on a sad note, here's the Swedish Chef skit we also watched twice, both because it's funny and because we couldn't figure out how they moved the spaghetti, ha:
Now the part that'll make you cry: Robin's puppeteer Jerry Nelson sang this song - in character, but without the puppet - at Jim Henson's funeral. Here's the video. Buckets, y'all. Buckets.
And just so I don't leave you on a sad note, here's the Swedish Chef skit we also watched twice, both because it's funny and because we couldn't figure out how they moved the spaghetti, ha:
I've watched this four times now and it still makes me laugh. The growling spaghetti, omigosh.
What's
your favorite Muppet Show song or sketch? If you can, share a link here
or over on Facebook; let's get a Muppet nostalgia thread going!
I am completely in love with the entire Harry Belafonte episode (I think it's in season 4). I'd never actually realized before this episode what a legit great voice he has, he does an awesome drum duet with Animal, and the finale is this amazing African friendship song, done right, with specifically designed culturally appropriate masks and context. I just love everything about it (and might just go rewatch that one right now...).
ReplyDeleteLike anything of that vintage, there is some extreeeeeemely questionable (to put it inappropriately mildly) stuff in some episodes (There's one just one or two episodes after the Harry Belafonte one, I think, that is just a cringefest from beginning to end), but there's also some real fantastic stuff in there.
I suspect you'll also enjoy the Vincent Price and Alice Cooper episodes.
Oh, and there's an episode where they do an opera number (I don't remember the guest star, though), and can I just say that Frank Oz does not get enough credit for his *spectacular* falsetto?
Delete"I'd sell my *soul* for a pen!"
DeleteWe LOVE the Muppet Show here! Only purchase I've made through those Life infomercial compilation things they had years ago. My (now grown) kiddos and I love to rewatch the episode with Alice Cooper (which is how I introduced them to him) and the Star Wars episode.
ReplyDeleteSo many favorites, but if I have to choose just one, it's Liza Manelli's Copacabana: https://youtu.be/LCGSZmTsX7o
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, my very favorite episode is not streaming due to music rights. It's the Alice in Wonderland episode with Brooke Shields from the last season. The episode ends with We're Off to See the Wizard, which MGM wouldn't give the rights to for Disney to stream.
ReplyDeleteMilne published two books of poems-Now we are Six and When We Were Very Young, both are charming.
ReplyDeleteLooks like a very well color-matched spaghetti covered glove on another puppeteer. That would allow both the inchworm movement and the choke hold, and the extra pasta floof covers any of the wrist you might otherwise see bent over the counter.
ReplyDeleteOne of my first purchases for the Children’s Department as the Children’s librarian was the complete set of The Muppet Show for our DVD collection. I’m sad to report it does not circulate as much as you would think.
ReplyDeleteThe duet between Rita Moreno and Animal remains my favorite. To this day, the best guests are the ones who can really let go and perform *with* the Muppets, not just I. the same scene. (Modern day examples of this are Danny Trejo)
ReplyDeleteYes, this is what made me love the movie 'Annette', I won't say more for those that haven't seen it
DeleteI think one of my favorite musical numbers is Going To Morrow. Not only is it a catchy fun tune, the muppets are actually caricatures of their respective performers.
ReplyDeleteDude, I love the ones with Alice and Vincent, and of course the one with Mark Hamill, but give me the Debbie Harry episode for the WIN! Robin and his troop of Frog Scouts are trying to earn their Punk Merit Badges, so they ask to hang out and observe her, "'cause we think you're real PUNK!" She ends up doing "Rainbow Connection" with Kermit... LOVE.
ReplyDeleteAnd you may be surprised to find out that my old Goth ass also loves the one with Crystal Gayle. "Running Away Down River Road" and "We Must Believe in Magic" are straight BANGERS! And she's (still) so beautiful.
Your Pal,
Storm the Klingon
These shows were all Greatness!
ReplyDeleteSomething that they sometimes did for their guests is to ask them "What's something fun that you've always wanted to do, but nobody would let you?" Which is how they got Rudolf Nureyev dancing "Swine Lake" and Beverley Sills tap dancing.
ReplyDeleteI love Candice Bergen & the "Put Another Log on the Fire" song. My family loves to sing that and tease each other. ;-)
ReplyDeleteI love their version of Time in a Bottle though I forget what episode it was in. I agree that the best guests are the ones that really let their hair down and interact fully with the Muppets as if they were real creatures and not just puppets.
ReplyDeleteI think you can tell a lot about a person based on their favourite Muppets. My first BF liked Fozzy Bear (likes being the center of attention but also insecure), I love Animal and Rolf (musical and a little bit nuts).
My mom and I recently watched it together. She was super helpful identifying the guests I didn't know. There were a lot of episodes I didn't remember at all and a few that I did. The Swedish Chef is my favorite character. Every time he came on my mom and I would yell "BORK, BORK, BORK" at the end of his song. It's hard to choose but I think the lobster bit is my favorite. I have to say my all-time favorite song is Rita Moreno singing Fever with Animal.
ReplyDeleteWe had the First & Second seasons of the Muppet Show DVD collections, and watched them often. My son was the only kid in kindergarten (about 8 years ago) who said his favorite actor was Rita Moreno. I'm pretty sure his teacher realized then what a nerd family we were, but later that same year she and my son later bonded over an appreciation of Dr. Who (heavily edited viewing on my part).
DeleteThe Muppets are a fantastic way to enjoy a hilarious look on older pop culture, and get a new appreciation for another side of some of those actors.
My favourite Swedish Chef is how he makes brussels sprouts https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zS2qNc188Ps
ReplyDeleteMy favourite is and will always be It's Not Easy Being Green. Such a lovely song about how it's perfectly fine to be who you are, even if who you are isn't someone super exciting.
ReplyDeleteHave you ever seen/heard the version that the lovely late Andy Hallett sang as Lorne, the green karaoke singing demon on "Angel"? It breaks my heart in a thousand pieces, especially since he died so very young (infected tooth led to cardiomyopathy led to congestive heart failure at 33); he was a friendly, spectacular person.
DeleteYour Pal,
Storm the Klingon
Time in a Bottle - Still gets me. I love(d) the Muppets growing up.
ReplyDeletehttps://youtu.be/GtS4cBjCxhA
Jen, have you read Jim Henson: The Biography by Brian Jay Jones? It is hefty, but PACKED with delightful history and tidbits (including the development of the Swedish Chef!). Highly recommend.
ReplyDeleteoh man, second this. Such a great book! I grew up on the Muppets (thanks, Mom!) and loved all of the detail this book went into.
DeleteOh my gosh! Years ago we bought the entire series on DVD and my kids watched and rewatched them all. It was funny because they were pretty young and none of their friends had a clue what they were talking about! They loved them and I loved seeing them again. Such a fantastic show. There are so many great bits...I think my favourite is the Swedish Chef.
ReplyDeleteIf you like the Muppet Show, I would suggest following @historymuppet on Twitter. He's a young man, but a massive Muppet nerd, and he's always unearthing interesting tidbits from behind the scenes and posting clips of favorite moments.
ReplyDeleteI watched a lot of these when I was a kid, but several of them were also in Muppet Show collection things and so I watched skits without the rest of the episode. It's been fun watching the show in order and rediscovering skits I knew and loved as a kid.
ReplyDeleteOh, and Halfway Down The Stairs has been a favorite of mine ever since I can remember. Various family members have sung it (or bits of it) while stopped halfway down our staircase.
All the songs by Rowlf or Robin evoke such sweet childhood memories. I grew up on the Muppet Show and shared it with my kids years ago via the library DVDs. I'm so thankful we have it now on Disney+. I also love all their collaborations with John Denver and Paul Williams.
ReplyDelete"A Christmas Together" is still just amazing. It's just about the only holiday album that you can play start to finish and start over again (unlike YOU, "Christmas in the Stars: Star Wars Christmas Album", you overblown, schmaltzy dork).
DeleteOh! I just remembered! "Grandma's Feather Bed!" I gotta look that up, all I remember is the chorus!
Your Pal,
Storm the Klingon
And here I thought I was the only one who still has "Christmas in the Stars"... Although I agree, the Muppet Christmas albums are better. =-)
DeleteI always considered John Denver and Paul Williams to be honorary Muppets - everything they did with them was great.
DeleteHere's a great article about how the Muppets helped Paul Williams with his sobriety.
https://www.vulture.com/2017/12/the-story-behind-the-music-of-the-muppet-christmas-carol.html
I grew up watching the Muppet Show, so I think you for this blast from my past. Sadly, I'm old enough to know just about every star they had on the show. LOL
ReplyDelete"You're Always Welcome at Our House" with Marisa Berenson and the not quite rhyming "Rhyming Song!"
ReplyDeleteMy family used to watch the Muppet Show together every week! It's the reason that John Denver was my first celebrity crush
ReplyDeleteThe entire episode with Peter Ustinov. And "While my Guitar Gently Weeps." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nr7v5lLQhHQ
ReplyDeleteI remember watching every Saturday night with my younger brothers. The episode with Lynda Carter is always the first episode I think of and the first skit is Pigs in Spaaaaaaaaaace! Also, I worked with a vet named Dr. Bob for three years who was a wee bit more professional than Rowlf.
ReplyDeleteI knew about the origins of this song because of the album Rowlf the Dog: Ol' Brown Ears is Back. It was released after Jim Henson's death, but he recorded all of the songs. If you can find it, you should definitely get it or listen to it. So many gems.
ReplyDeleteI remember sitting at the kitchen table studying for my 5th grade spelling test. My siblings were watching the muppets and while I was trying to learn how to spell phenomenon, the muppets started singing the song. Phenomenon anon doodadoodo. ��
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a kid the muppet show was on Nickelodeon and it was the highlight of summer vacation. I was so excited when it came on streaming because I had missed it.
ReplyDeleteI saw a really great documentary about Jim Henson recently -- it's on youtube channel Defunctland, and it's in like four parts. It's really fascinating to learn all the behind the scenes stuff!
ReplyDeleteWarms my heart to know people are still watching and learning from the original Muppets, when innocence and family fun were much more highly rated than they are these days. They're all my favorites, but remember most fondly Harry Belafonte, John Denver singing 'Inch by Inch' by Pete Seeger) and a MUST WATCH is 'A Muppet Family Christmas'. It's an annual tradition here, where Muppets AND Sesame Street gang spend Christmas together. You'll never laugh so hard or think of your loved ones so fondly. Promise.
ReplyDeleteP.S. There's a hand under the spaghetti, wearing a spaghetti costume...
ReplyDeleteMy family watched the Muppet Show every week when I was a young child, and I remember going to see the original Muppet Movie at a drive in movie theater in our station wagon. The Muppet Christmas Carol is on my top 10 list of all time favorite movies, and it isn't the Christmas season until I've watched it at least once. Statler and Waldorf are two of my favorites, which turns out to be a good thing because my husband and son often sound just like them with their snarky retorts to things. I bought them matching Statler & Waldorf t-shirts during the shelter-in-place because I often felt like I was sharing my home with those two muppets!
ReplyDeleteThere are so many. Favorite quote, "but Mr. Cooper, these aren't our monsters." "I know Scooter. They're mine."
ReplyDeleteFavorite song, Rubberband Man sung by Lynda Carter and a bunch of rubberbands.
I am old enough that the Muppet Show was must see tv for my brother and I on Sunday nights. We never missed an episode. I particularly loved the skits with the babies. Those creatures cracked me up and made me laugh till my belly hurt. The Mark Hamill episode was also one that reigns supreme in my memory. Such a great show, fascinating to watch now and see how the characters changed.
ReplyDeleteI was lucky to grow up when this show was on, but it definitely colored my opinion of some celebs. The first time I heard an Elton John song and realized he wasn’t just a Muppet Show star? 🤣
ReplyDeleteSo few people know that the show was shot in the UK as no American network would touch it
ReplyDeleteHalfway Down the Stairs is so iconic.
ReplyDeleteBernadette Peters singing Just One Person is amazing.
Danny Kaye singing & directing Inchworm is super-special.
I can never get enough of Harry Belafonte's Earth Song.
Darn, when I was a kid (I am 53 now) we lived in the country and could only get one t.v.channel It didn't include the Muppets, Happy Days, Mork & Mindy, or Charlie's Angels. I did go to my friend's in town to watch Solid Gold, the Love Boat, and Fantasy Island quite often though. So, I am missing huge chunks of popular pop culture from my childhood. Maybe I will try to remember to check out the Muppet Show on Disney +.
ReplyDelete