1973 single by Carpenters
"
Sing
" is a 1971 song written by
Joe Raposo
for the children's television show
Sesame Street
as its
signature song
. In 1973, it gained popularity when performed by
Carpenters
, a #3 hit on the
Billboard
Hot 100
.
Raposo was a staff songwriter for
Sesame Street
,
[1]
and the song became one of the most popular on the program, sung in
English
,
Spanish
and
sign language
. In its initial appearance, it was sung by the show's adult human cast members (the most frequent lead singer was
Bob McGrath
[
citation needed
]
) and
Muppets
, including
Big Bird
.
Barbra Streisand
's 1972 version of the song was released as a single, reaching #28 on the
Easy Listening
chart and #94 on the
Billboard
Hot 100. Many other versions have been recorded by a variety of artists, including
Trini Lopez
, who recorded a Spanish-language version in 1972 that appeared on his album
Viva
.
Bing Crosby
recorded it with
Fred Astaire
on their
1975
album
A Couple of Song and Dance Men
.
[2]
Crosby also performed it with
Vera Lynn
on
The Vera Lynn Show
on the same year.
[3]
The Carpenters' versions
[
edit
]
Although
Barbra Streisand
had an
easy-listening
hit in 1972 with "Sing,"
Karen
and
Richard Carpenter
heard the song for the first time as guests on the
ABC
television special
Robert Young with the Young
in 1973. They loved the song and felt that it could be a hit.
[4]
It appeared as the debut single on the group's 1973 album
Now & Then
.
[1]
It reached #3 on the
Billboard
Hot 100
chart and #1 on the
Billboard
Easy Listening
chart,
[5]
and it became the group's seventh
gold single
.
The Carpenters' recording was produced and arranged by Richard Carpenter and engineered by Ray Gerhardt. Karen Carpenter sang lead vocals, with backing vocals by herself, Richard and the
Jimmy Joyce Children's Choir
. Keyboards were played by Richard, bass by
Joe Osborn
, drums by Karen and
recorders
by
Tom Scott
.
[4]
In 1974 while touring
Japan
, the Carpenters recorded their first live album in
Osaka
. It contained a new version of the song with the children's chorus sung by the Kyoto Children's Choir. It is featured on the album
Live in Japan
,
recorded in June 1974 and released in Japan only on March 7, 1975.
[6]
The album has since been released on
CD
.
The 1991 box set
From the Top
contains a bilingual version of the song; the title is listed as "Canta/Sing," and the song is sung with alternating Spanish and English lines.
[7]
The Mexican single version contains full Spanish lyrics except for the
refrain
.
[8]
A new recording and remix of Carpenters' version was created in 1994 by sound engineer Roger Young.
[4]
Subsequent
Sesame Street
versions
[
edit
]
Lily Tomlin
sang and
signed
the song to a group of deaf children on
Sesame Street
in 1975. The same year, she played the mother of two deaf children in
Robert Altman
's film
Nashville
, and they sang the song in the film. In 1976, on the 11th episode of
The Muppet Show
, guest
Lena Horne
sang the song.
Alaina Reed
(as Olivia) sang it while
Linda
(
Linda Bove
) signed the lyrics on
Sesame Street
.
As an iconic
Sesame Street
song, the song was used to close several episodes and many of the show's specials, including
Sesame Street: 20 and Still Counting
,
Sesame Street's All-Star 25th Birthday: Stars and Street Forever
,
Sesame Street: Unpaved
,
Sesame Street: 25 Wonderful Years
,
Sesame Street's 50th Anniversary Celebration
and
Sesame Street: Elmo's Playdate
. It was used for the title of the 1990 documentary that eulogized Raposo,
Sing! Sesame Street Remembers Joe Raposo and His Music
.
The song was also used in animated segments. One such segment involves Suzie Kabloozie (voiced by
Ruth Buzzi
) and her cat Feff. Another involves Cab Callowmouse (parody of
Cab Calloway
) singing in an art museum as part of a medley. Another features a clay/sand animation segment depicting animals.
It was sampled in the opening theme of
Eat Bulaga!
in 1982.
In 2000, various celebrities sang the song, including
Nathan Lane
,
Denyce Graves
,
Gloria Estefan
,
Patti LaBelle
,
Ben Stiller
,
Maya Angelou
,
Fran Drescher
,
Garth Brooks
,
Doug E. Doug
,
Vanessa Williams
,
R.E.M.
,
Rosemary Clooney
and
Conan O'Brien
. A year before the celebrity edition of the song was released, Graves sang the song solo.
The original and subsequent
Sesame Street
recordings were released on
Sesame Street Concert/On Stage ? Live!
(1973),
Sing the Hit Songs of Sesame Street
(1974),
Bert & Ernie Sing-Along
(1975),
Sesame Street Silver ? 10th Anniversary Album
(1978),
Sesame Street Disco
(1979),
Sing: Songs of Joe Raposo
(1992),
Sesame Street Platinum: All Time Favorites
(1995),
The Bird Is the Word ? Big Bird's Favorite Songs
,
Songs from the Street: 35 Years of Music
(2003) and
The Best of Elmo
. A Spanish version was included in
Fiesta Songs!
(1998).
Personnel
[
edit
]
Barbra Streisand medley
[
edit
]
In 1972
Barbra Streisand
recorded "
Make Your Own Kind of Music
" in a
medley
with "Sing," which became a #28 hit on the
Billboard
Easy Listening chart but only reached #94 on the
Billboard
Hot 100
.
Chart performance
[
edit
]
- Carpenters version
Weekly charts
[
edit
]
Chart (1973)
|
Peak
position
|
Australia
|
24
|
Canadian
RPM
Top Singles
[9]
|
4
|
Canada
RPM
Adult Contemporary
[10]
|
5
|
France (
IFOP
)
[11]
|
21
|
Japan (Oricon International Singles Chart)
|
1
|
Japan (Oricon Singles Chart)
|
18
|
New Zealand (
Listener
)
[12]
|
7
|
US
Billboard
Hot 100
[13]
|
3
|
US
Billboard
Easy Listening
|
1
|
US
Cash Box
Top 100
|
5
|
US
Cashbox
Radio Active Airplay Singles
|
1
|
US
Record World
|
4
|
|
Year-end charts
[
edit
]
Chart (1973)
|
Rank
|
Canada
[14]
|
52
|
US
Billboard
Hot 100
[15]
|
59
|
US
Cash Box
[16]
|
42
|
|
See also
[
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]
References
[
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]
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Studio albums
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Live albums
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Compilation albums
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Solo albums
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Singles
| |
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Other songs
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Television series
and specials
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Music video releases
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Documentaries
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Related
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People
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Production
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Songs
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Films
| Cameos
| |
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Upcoming
|
- Untitled
Sesame Street
Movie (TBA)
|
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U.S. spin-offs
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Television
specials
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Books
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Literature
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Video games
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Attractions
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Related
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