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| 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. The song focuses on occupations, with each variation focusing on different jobholders (usually portrayed by Anything Muppets). Bob originated the song and performed the majority of versions on the show. Occasionally, it has been performed by other members of the human cast, such as David, Maria, or Olivia. Every so often, a variation would be performed by Muppet characters such as Ernie or Placido Flamingo.
The version heard on most albums is the postman and firefighter version.
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 | Singers / EKA | Description | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
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Bob and the Anything Muppets Episode 0023 |
Postman (Jim Henson) and Fireman (Frank Oz)
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Bob and the Anything Muppets Episode 0045 |
Garbage Man (Jim Henson) and Barber (Frank Oz) | ||
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Bob and the Anything Muppets Episode 0067 |
Grocer (Jim Henson) and Doctor (Frank Oz)
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Bob and the Anything Muppets Episode 0106 |
Dentist and Bus Driver | ||
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Bob and the Anything Muppets Episode 0276 |
Teachers (Frank Oz and Jerry Nelson) and Newsdealer (Jim Henson)
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David and the Anything Muppets Episode 0718 |
Librarian (Jim Henson) and Plumber (Richard Hunt)
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Maria and the Anything Muppets Episode 0884 |
Pilot (Jerry Nelson) and Nurse (Fran Brill)
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Bob and the Anything Muppets Episode 0951 |
Lifeguard (Fran Brill) and Carpenter (Jim Henson) | ||
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Bob, Linda, and the Anything Muppets Season 8 |
Elevator Operator (Frank Oz) and Pharmacist (Jerry Nelson)
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Maria and the Anything Muppets Episode 1193 |
Painter (Olga Felgemacher) and Milkman (Jim Henson) | ||
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Maria and the Anything Muppets Episode 1255 |
Motorperson and Telephone Repairman | ||
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Bob and the Anything Muppets Episode 2244 |
Dentist (David Rudman) and Bus Driver (Jim Henson) (remake) | ||
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Bob (in 1700's outfit) and the Anything Muppets Episode 2640 |
Candlemaker (Richard Hunt) and Saddler (Kevin Clash) with George Washington (Jim Henson) and a Horse (Martin P. Robinson) | ||
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Ben Stiller, Telly Monster, and the Anything Muppets Episode 3812 |
Cable Guy (Joey Mazzarino), Letter Carrier (Stephanie D'Abruzzo), and Cheese (Ben in costume)
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Street Scenes/Stories | ||||
| Picture | Singers / Episode | Description | ||
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Hoots the Owl and the Anything Muppets Episode 2619 |
Night Watchman, Baker, Actress, Firefighter and Policeman | ||
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Young Bob and the Anything Muppets Episode 2621 |
Fire Fighter (Martin P. Robinson) and Letter Carrier (Camille Bonora) | ||
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Bob Episode 2687 |
Archaeologist | ||
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Big Bird, Gina, Ms. Camp, Lulu and a Horse Episode 4008 |
Veterinarian, Horse, and Letter Carrier | ||
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Chris and an Anything Muppet Episode 4136 |
Gym Teacher, Salesperson (Joey Mazzarino), Dancer, and a job at Hooper's Store | ||
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Olivia, David, and a Fat Blue Anything Muppet |
Sung in front of Hooper's Store. Brief clip included in the timeline from The Street We Live On, but incorrectly cited as 1974 (as Olivia wouldn't first appear until 1976). | ||
Specials and Other | ||||
| Picture | Singers / Production | Description | ||
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Bob, Barbara Walters, Martina Navratilova and Ralph Nader Sesame Street, Special |
News Correspondent, Tennis Player, and Consumer Advocate | ||
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Yoav, Jeremy Miller, and the Natives of Israel Shalom Sesame: Chanukah |
Miller, Blacksmith, and Olive Crushers | ||
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Roberta Flack and the Muppets The Rosie O'Donnell Show |
Postman (Joey Mazzarino) | ||
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Maria, Abelardo Montoya, Lola, Pancho, Multimuppet, and Multimonstruo Plaza Sésamo Episode 918 |
Postman and Fireman | ||
The CTW Archives also list these versions:
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Non-Muppet performances
- Bob McGrath performed this on Bob's Favorite Street Songs, with a Dixieland band replacing professions, and Bob explaining the instruments within it.
- The Mormon Tabernacle Choir performed this song with the Muppet cast of Sesame Street during their 2015 Christmas concert.
- In 2015, members of the news team of NJTV, New Jersey's public TV network, sang this song in a promo for the network.
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.[1]
- 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 similar variation in Episode 2754.
- Placido Flamingo also sang another 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)
- In a street scene from season 29, Big Bird gives a tour of the street to a family potentially moving in. He sings a variation of the song, naming the different "Places in Our Neighborhood."
- 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.
- At the Jim Henson's Musical World concert, Bob and the Sesame Street cast sang the song which featured a new verse about the conductor.
- Murray Monster and Ovejita find people in the neighborhood in a series of tune-ins in season 43. Murray sings a rap tune inspired by the titular song, while the original song appears as background music during the segments.
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)
- 60 Favorite Songs from Sesame Street (1975)
- 25 Greatest Hits (1975)
- 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)
- Publications
- Sesame Street Songbook Vol. 1
- The Sesame Street Songbook (1971, 1992 and 2007 editions)
- Songs of Sesame Street (1977)
See also
Sources
- ↑ Borgelnict, David Sesame Street Unpaved page 150