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Africanmasks
Written by Harry Belafonte and Robert Freedman
Date 1977
Source Turn the World Around (album)
Publisher Clara Music Publishing Corp.

Co-written and recorded by Harry Belafonte, the song "Turn the World Around" was performed as the closing number on episode 314 of The Muppet Show.

Harry Belafonte began the song in his dressing room, where he talked to Fozzie about the inspiration for the song. As he began to sing, he was joined by a group of African Masks created especially for this number. As the number drew to a close, a group of Muppets joined them on stage. Statler and Waldorf even refrained from making their typical cynical closing remarks to join the cast in song.

To end the song, and the episode, Gonzo slyly weaves in The Muppet Show Theme on his trumpet, and Zoot tops it off by playing — for once — the tonic note on his sax.

Clips from this song are often shown in anniversary specials and documentaries as an example of the more serious side of Jim Henson's work with the Muppets. Lyrics appear in Jim Henson: The Works, a clip appeared in The Muppets: A Celebration of Thirty Years, and most of the segment (it was sung through the ending credits) appeared in The Muppet Revue.

Belafonte also performed this song at Jim Henson's memorial service.

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