The People in Your Neighborhood

Written by	Jeff Moss
Date	1969
Publisher	Festival Attractions, Inc.

"The People in Your Neighborhood" has been performed on Sesame Street many times, sung by many different characters. This song is about the various jobs that people have, with the jobs being different depending on the version of the song.

The version heard on most albums is sung by Bob and two Anything Muppets, a postman and a firefighter performed by Jim Henson and Frank Oz respectively. David and Olivia sang this song at one point, though it is included in The Street We Live On timeline as from 1974, despite being two years before the character of Olivia was introduced.

Bob also sang this song with celebrities such as Martina Navratilova, Barbara Walters and Ralph Nader in The Sesame Street Special, as well as in episode 4031. The song was also performed in the Sesame Street Live shows A Sesame Street Mystery: The Case of the Missing Rara Avis and Elmo Makes Music.

Versions

Picture	Singer	Earliest Known Appearance	Featured People
	Bob and the Anything Muppets	Episode 0023	Postman (Jim Henson) and Fireman (Frank Oz)
	Bob and the Anything Muppets	Episode 0067	Grocer (Jim Henson) and Doctor (Frank Oz)
	Bob and the Anything Muppets	Episode 0276	Teachers (Frank Oz and Jerry Nelson) and Newsdealer (Jim Henson)
	David and the Anything Muppets	Episode 0718	Librarian (Jim Henson) and Plumber (Richard Hunt)
	Bob and the Anything Muppets	Episode 0951	Lifeguard (Fran Brill) and Carpenter (Jim Henson)
	Bob and the Anything Muppets	Episode 2244	Dentist (David Rudman) and Bus Driver (Jim Henson) (Remake)
	Hoots the Owl and the Anything Muppets	Episode 2619	Night Watchman, Baker, Actress, Firefighter and Policeman
	Young Bob and the Anything Muppets	Episode 2621	Fire Fighter (Martin P. Robinson) and Letter Carrier (Camille Bonora)
	Bob (in 1700's outfit) and the Anything Muppets with a Muppet George Washington and a Horse	Episode 2640	Candlemaker (Richard Hunt) and Saddler (Kevin Clash)
	Bob	Episode 2687	Archaeologist
	Bob, Barbara Walters, Martina Navratilova and Ralph Nader	Sesame Street, Special	News Correspondent, Tennis Player, and Consumer Advocate
	Yoav, Jeremy Miller, and the Natives of Israel	Shalom Sesame: Chanukah	Miller, Blacksmith, and Olive Crushers
	Ben Stiller, Telly Monster, and the Anything Muppets	Episode 3812	Cable Guy (Joey Mazzarino), Letter Carrier (Stephanie D'Abruzzo), and Cheese (Ben in costume)
	Big Bird, Gina, Ms. Camp, Lulu and a Horse	Episode 4008	Veterinarian, Horse, and Letter Carrier
	Chris and an Anything Muppet Salesman	Episode 4136	Gym Teacher, Salesperson, Dancer, and a job at Hooper's Store
	Maria, Abelardo Montoya, Lola, Pancho, Multimuppet, and Multimonstruo	Plaza Sésamo Episode 918	Postman and Fireman
	Bob, Linda, and the Anything Muppets	Season 8	Elevator Operator (Frank Oz) and Pharmacist (Jerry Nelson)

The CTW Archives also list these versions:

Bob and the Anything Muppets Episode 0045 Garbageman and Barber Bob and the Anything Muppets Episode 0106 Dentist and Bus driver Bob and the Anything Muppets Episode 0234 Baker and Shoemaker Episode 0696 Butcher and Zookeeper Bob and the Anything Muppets Episode 0817 Oil man and Street Cleaner Episode 0884 Pilot and Nurse Maria and the Anything Muppets Episode 0892 Fisherman and Farmer Episode 0901 Florist and Electrician

Episode 0913 Moving Man and Hot Dog Vendor Episode 0947 Crossing guard and Waiter Episode 0965 Repairman and Clock maker Episode 1019 Exterminator and Window washer Episode 1028 Veterinarian and Taxi driver Episode 1061 Park attendant and Garage mechanic Episode 1161 Babysitter and Photographer Episode 1193 Painter and Milkman

Notes

• When Ralph Nader performed the song with Bob during his special guest appearance in The Sesame Street Special, Nader insisted on singing the grammatically correct "the people whom you meet each day", rather than the original "the people that you meet each day." The producers agreed to this change, but in the end the original lyric was used.

• Lyrics to this song were included in The Sesame Street Book & Record, The Sesame Street Song Book, Sesame Street Unpaved and The Sesame Street Book of People and Things.

• Following Jeff Moss's death, Joey Mazzarino has written some of the newer verses.

• This song was once referenced in The Electric Company. When Big Bird visits Fargo North and gets help translating his scrambled message, he then asks Fargo how to get to Sesame Street. Fargo tells him to find a bus driver, to which Big Bird answers "I know the bus driver. He's a person in my neighborhood."

Variations

• Ernie once sang a variation of this song entitled "The Insects In Your Neighborhood".

• Placido Flamingo sang a variation of this song, "The Bugs in Your Neighborhood", along with Bob in a spider outfit and a Muppet bumble bee (Camille Bonora). (EKA: Episode 2587) Template:SSvideo

• In an episode from season 30, Bob sang a variation of this song about the letter Z being "A Letter in your Alphabet."

• "The Computers in Your Neighborhood" was sung by Elmo, which was released on video as Computer Caper. The song asks where computers can be found, and Elmo learns from Farley and Mrs. Turow that they are in libraries and schools.

• On the program Let's Get Ready!, a Dalmatian sings a variation called "Who Helps You When There's an Emergency" to Grover and Rosita, backed by some kids off-camera. They sing about the work of the teacher, the fireman, and the doctor.

• The song was incorporated in a Sesame medley at the 2009 Daytime Emmy Awards, where the cast sings about Soap opera actors, cooking show hosts, talk show hosts and game show hosts.

Releases

Audio

• The Sesame Street Book & Record (1970)
• People in Your Neighborhood/Somebody Come and Play (single, 1970) (includes two extra verses, with a garbage man and a grocer)
• Five People in My Family/People in Your Neighborhood (single, 1976)
• What Time Is It on Sesame Street? (1977)
• The People in Your Neighborhood (1980)
• Platinum All-Time Favorites (1995)

Video

• Put Down the Duckie ("Special" version)
• Sesame Sings Karaoke (version from Episode 4031 intercut with Ben Stiller's version)
• Old School: Volume 1 (from Episode 0276)
• Sesame Street: 40 Years of Sunny Days (Elevator Operator/Pharmacist version)
• Countdown to Shavuot (2011, Ben Stiller's version)

Publications

• Sesame Street Songbook Vol. 1
• The Sesame Street Songbook (1971, 1992 and 2007 editions)
• Songs of Sesame Street (1977)

See also

• People in Your Neighborhood (book)