Sesame St S3: Songs, Etc.
And now we’re back to music with another one I remember fondly, “Alligator King,” with music by Bud Luckey and lyrics by Donald Hadley:
It’s basically a jazzy twist on King Lear–with an alligator king promising his crown to the child who can cheer him up the best–but with a much happier ending. Most of his 7 sons bring him ostentatious gifts like pearls, fancy clocks, and rubbies (each naturally in sets of 7), but most of them end up backfiring. He ends up breaking all 7 of his teeth on the rubies, after mistaking them for cherries (a bit that I recall disturbing me as a kid), breaking out in spots thanks to 7 bottles of perfume that smells like “cheap cigars,” and finally falls and rumples his nose after trying on 7 toe rings that make him lose his balance.
Finally, the 7th son simply offers his dad some help, and the king gives him the crown. The Alligator King rewards the one who doesn’t fall over himself trying to impress him. See, I told you it was happier than Lear! On the other hand, he also reveals that the crown the boy won was purchased for only 7 cents at a discount store! Again, a number lesson hidden underneath a silly, whimsical exterior, and with an added moral about kindness being better than riches, not to mention the additional twist that this royal father never really had many riches after all.
Next, a fun, rocking number about names that begin with the letter “J”. Easter egg alert: the character names listed are Joe, Jane, Jim, and Joan, which are all named for people on the Sesame Street creative team! Joe is for Joe Raposo, the composer, Jane is for Jane Henson, Jim for Jim Henson, and Joan for Joan Ganz Cooney, who, as I explained in my first Sesame Street post, came up with the concept for the show in the first place!
The following clip is another sweet Bert-and-Ernie-breaking-the-fourth-wall scene reminiscent of the one in which Bert told Ernie he was special in the season premiere:
Bert comes home to find that Ernie has decorated the apartment with balloons and, after complimenting him on the great job he did (aww, another Bert-and-Ernie-getting-along sketch!) decides to guess why, wondering whether it’s someone’s birthday, guessing Maria, Bob, Big Bird (I particularly love that he brings those names up, because as I mentioned before, by the time I was watching in the ’80s, it was rare for Bert and Ernie to be seen on the street or to acknowledge people on the street, due to Jim and Frank’s busy schedules that led to all of their scenes being shot at the beginning of each season, meaning their characters couldn’t often interact with others), and then, amusingly, Bert’s Aunt Matilda, who was brought up in the earlier sketch in which Ernie accidentally opened Bert’s birthday present for her. But, nope, none of those answers are correct.
Actually, Ernie decorated for the very special visitor they have. Bert asks who it is and Ernie directs him towards the camera. They both stick their faces so close to the camera, it’s as if they’re peering directly into the viewer’s living room, and Bert says, “Oh, yeah! Why, hi! Boy, I sure am glad it’s you. Gee, it certainly is a special day.” Awwww. Honestly, I’m a grown-up and this scene made me feel all warm inside, so I can just imagine what it must have been like for kids watching to feel like Bert and Ernie could actually see and interact directly with them for a moment. As with the “special” sketch in the premiere, it also mostly isn’t a comedic sketch. It’s just lovely and kind, and they can get away with it due to not doing this sort of thing very frequently, thus making it feel even more sincere. I just…I love this show and these characters, okay?
Jesse Jackson
Next up, a very significant piece of Sesame Street history, an appearance by the controversial Rev. Jesse Jackson in 1971, reciting a poem by Rev. William Holmes Borders, Sr., called “I Am — Somebody,” with a large group of children scattered all over the street repeating each line. It includes lines such as “I may be poor…I may be young…I may be on welfare…but I am…somebody…My clothes may be different…My face may be different…my hair…I am black…Brown…White…” and is an intensely powerful moment for numerous reasons.
For one, the children are all of various ethnicities and skin tones, all saying these lines in unison. Furthermore, it’s amazing to see something so blatantly, pointedly political on Sesame Street, particularly given later years when Republican threats to PBS led the show to play it safer. I was actually shocked to hear the phrase “welfare” spoken on a children’s show, but how wonderful for lower-income, inner-city children of the time to both hear and speak this message. If this aired on the show today, people would scream bloody murder. The only truly uncomfortable part today, however, is the last line, “I am god’s child,” because as I mentioned when the show featured “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands,” it’s odd to see religion appear on Sesame Street. You can watch this momentous clip here.