Imagination

Written by	Joe Raposo
Date	1972
Publisher	Muppet-Jonico Publishing Co.

Imagination, also known as the "Imagination Song", was included in Havin' Fun with Ernie and Bert, a Sesame Street album from 1972. On the album version, Ernie tells the listeners to close their eyes to see what they can see with their eyes closed, and Bert, Big Bird, Herbert Birdsfoot, Prairie Dawn, Grover and Oscar the Grouch make comments before Ernie starts singing this song.

On the television version, this segment starts with Ernie telling Bert that he can't sleep because he is scared of monsters; not friendly monsters like the ones he knows, but scarier monsters who hide in the dark and go "wubba, wubba." Bert tells Ernie to imagine some things that he is not afraid of (which is pretty much just different sizes of balloons), and then they sing this song.

An unaired version of this song was taped, in which various transparent drawings of monsters appear on the street and into Ernie's bedroom, scaring Ernie, after which Bert sings this song to him in order to calm him down. This version was considered too scary for kids and thus never aired. It was reshot as the version seen on the show.

In 1998, this sketch was re-recorded on Sesame Street almost exactly the same way it was in the original televised version, but with updated versions of the puppets, and with Steve Whitmire performing Ernie. (EKA: Episode 3935)

Elmo also sang this song on The Best of Elmo CD.

Audio Releases

Ernie's Version

• 1972 single
• Havin' Fun with Ernie and Bert (1972)
• Ernie's Hits (1974)
• Ernie Sings: Imagination/Tiger Hunt (single, 1976)
• The Best of Ernie (1983)
• Jim Henson: A Sesame Street Celebration
• Platinum Too
• Songs from the Street: 35 Years of Music
• Dreamytime Songs

Elmo's Version

• The Best of Elmo

Video Releases

Original Version

• Bedtime Stories and Songs