Posts Tagged ‘Kermit’
Being Green, A Singable Book
Posted on: May 11, 2010
This treasure of a book came in the mail today.
Etienne Delessert’s pictures illustrating Joe Raposo’s iconic song “Being Green” are fantastical, weird, exciting and fun. Maybe a little disturbing but the strange beasts draw you into their world and you want to see more…and you want to sing the song.
“Being Green,” is a wonderful song for children, wistfully pondering the question of being and why one is what one is, and ultimately delivering the message that you are just right the exactly the way you are. It reminds me of “The Little Elf,” but with a strong dose of existential wonder in it and wrapped in a lovely melody.
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Being Green
Words and Music by Joe Raposo
Illustrated by Etienne Delessert
A page from the book…
The end papers of the book (published in 1973) says that “Raposo and Delessert have combined their talents on…an animated film based on the background characters of this book, to the sounds of Sinatra singing ‘Bein’ Green.’ See it on Sesame Street. I used every word I could think of to search for this short film, but found nothing. That would be some groovy thing to see!!
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Kermit (Jim Henson) singing “Being Green” in 1969, the original version on Sesame Street
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Kermit sings an inspired “Being Green” with the late great Lena Horne:
(added to post May 15, 2010)
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I like this video, too:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4ZxxHbJGbY
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Another illustration of this song is published by Hal Leonard,
Bein’ Green (Sing-A-Song Storybook)
Words and Music by Joe Raposo
Illustrated by Mario Macari
This version is about a young dragon coming to terms with who and why he is. No crazy monsters here. Macari’s illustration is more accessible and cartoon-like (and the kids love it), but I can’t help being especially drawn to Delessert’s creative and colorful pictures.
Sinatra singing “Bein’ Green” here:
http://www.amazon.com/Bein-Green-Frank-Sinatra-Collection/dp/B001UF2S1I/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dmusic&qid=1273103625&sr=8-1
My personal favorite version is by the great Shirley Horn:
http://www.amazon.com/Being-Green/dp/B000W1XGG2/ref=sr_1_fkmr0_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1273106490&sr=8-1-fkmr0
Sing-along with a karaoke track 1:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00388LXK2/ref=dm_ty_trk?ie=UTF8&qid=1273104271&sr=8-1
This one is serene and gentle, lovely.
Sing along with a karaoke track 2:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003CPR4ZE/ref=dm_ty_trk?ie=UTF8&qid=1273104640&sr=1-32
This one is dramatically orchestrated at times. It is also fun for singing along, but a whole different experience.
The printed sheet music for this song can be found on pages 7-9 of,
The Sesame Street Songbook –
64 Favorite Songs
Featuring Songs and Arrangements by Various Artists
Illustrated by David Prebenna
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Being Green
Words and Music by Joe Raposo
It’s not that easy being green
Having to spend each day the color of the leaves
When I think it could be nicer being red, or yellow, or gold
Or something much more colorful like that
It’s not easy being green
It seems you blend in with so many other ordinary things
And people tend to pass you over
‘Cause you’re not standing out
Like flashy sparkles in the water
Or stars in the sky
But green’s the color of spring
And green can be cool and friendly-like
And green can be big like a mountain
Or important like a river
Or tall like a tree
When green is all there is to be
It could make you wonder why
But why wonder why wonder
I am green, and it’ll do fine
It’s beautiful, and I think it’s what I want to be
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Related Posts
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FAVORITE SINGABLES
Of the hundreds (maybe thousands) of choices, this list onPinterest displays the top blockbuster favorite Singable Picture Books that we warble together at Sing Books visits:
http://pinterest.com/singbooksemily/
“Halfway Down” (A Singable Poem)
Posted on: May 5, 2010
One of my son’s favorite lullabies is “Halfway Down.”
“Halfway Down”
Poem by A. A. Milne
Illustration by E. H. Shepard
Set to Music by Harold Fraser-Simson
Halfway down the stairs
Is a stair
Where I sit.
There isn’t any
Other stair
Quite like
It.
I’m not at the bottom,
I’m not at the top;
So this is the stair
Where
I always
Stop.
Halfway up the stairs
Isn’t up,
And isn’t down.
It isn’t in the nursery,
It isn’t in the town.
And all sorts of funny thoughts
Run round my head:
“It isn’t really
Anywhere!
It’s somwhere else
Instead!”
“Halfway Down” was first published as a poem in A. A. Milne’s 1924 book of poetry for children, ”When We Were Very Young.”
When We Were Very Young
Poems by A. A. Milne
Illustrated by Ernest H. Shepard
When I was a kid, I listened to The Muppet Show record over and over and over (and can still sing every single song!).
“Halfway Down” is the 9th song on the Original Muppet Show Album.
Info about The Muppet Show album, here:
http://muppet.wikia.com/wiki/The_Muppet_Show_(album)
Kermit’s nephew Robin sings “Halfway Down” on episode 10 of season 1 (Harvey Korman guest stars):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGFR3zz12p0
A link to a synopsis/guide of episode 10, season 1 of The Muppet Show (including information about Robin singing “Halfway Down”):
http://www.muppetcentral.com/guides/episodes/tms/season1/10_korman.shtml
When my son began to enjoy lullabies, I was able to sing it from my heart. But, a little research revealed that the song was written by Harold Fraser-Simson (who set many of A. A. Milne’s poems to music) in 1926.
The sheet music for “Halfway Down” is published on pages 106-107 in,
100 Years of Popular Music, 20 – Volume 2
Published by International Music Publications Limited
(“Halfway Down” is printed on pages 106-107)
The music for “Halfway Down” is also printed in,
The Pooh Songbook
Words by A. A. Milne
Music by Harold Fraser-Simson
Illustrated by E. H. Shepard
A very kind friend of this blog wrote with a tip that an easy-to-play version of this song can be found in,
Toots and Twiddles: Tunes for the Young
Words and Music by Various Artists
Arranged by John Loesberg
Find “Halfway Down” on p. 22
(Special thanks to Jean-Louis for the tip!)
“Halfway Down” can also be found in compilations of children’s poetry, including:
Poetry Speaks to Children
Edited by Elise Paschen
Illustrated by Judy Love, Wendy Rasmussen, Paula Zinngrabe Wendland
(“Halfway Down” by A. A. Milne is printed and illustrated on p. 68)
Childcraft, Volume 1, Poems of Early Childhood
Published by Field Enterprises Educational Corporation
Words and Music by Various Artists
Illustrated by Various Artists
“Halfway Down” is printed and illustrated on p. 144
(The pictures above show the binding and title page)
Here’s a Little Poem (A Very First Book of Poetry)
Words and Music by Various Artists
Collected by Jane Yolen and Andrew Fusek Peters
Illustrated by Polly Dunbar
“Halfway Down” is printed and illustrated on p. 16
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I’m thrilled to write that “Halfway Down” is one of the songs we selected to be part of
“Oh, What a Beautiful Day: Sing Books with Emily, the Cabaret.”
I make a strong committment to each song I perform and completing my Song Craft Worksheet is part of that process,
Because the first section of the Song Craft Worksheet involves background research on the song, I’ll share the answers with you so you can know about the song, too. The more about the song you know (both concrete facts and less tangible artistic choices), the more “authority,” and heart and soul you can put into the singing and sharing of the song with others. If you are interested in improving your artistic abilities for singing songs in any capacity, just simply filling out the Song Craft Worksheet is a great place to start! After the background research, the rest of the Song Craft Worksheet gets VERY personal…don’t worry! I won’t bore you with that.
1 Q: Who wrote the words?
1 A: A. A. Milne
2Q: Who wrote the music?
2A: Harold Fraser-Simson
3Q: When was the song written?
3A: The words were written in 1924, the music 1924/1925
4Q: At what point in the lyricists’ and composer’s career was the song written?
4A: Middle
5Q: What is the song from?
5A: A. A. Milne’s book of poetry, “When We Were Very Young”
6Q: If from a show, what character sang it?
6A: This song was not written for a show, but it was featured on the Muppet Show and sung by Kermit’s nephew Robin
7Q: If from a show, from what situation does the song arise? Why does the character sing the song? What function does the song/character play in the story?
7A: NA
8Q: What other contextual elements of the song are significant?
8A: For me, I adored this song on The Muppet Show record. I always remembered it. Now it is a favorite lullaby in the Gleichenhaus house.
9Q: Was the song written for a particular singer? Why?
9A: NA
10Q: If not from a show, why did the songwriter write the song?
10A: This is a poem in a collection by A. A. Milne. It is possible that he wrote this poem with his son in mind. I’ve also read that Mr. Milne wrote his so-called children’s books acutally for the “child” in each adult.
11Q: What do you feel the lyricist is trying to say?
11A: I think what Mr. Milne is getting at in thi song is that every person needs a place to sit and let his/her mind wander, think, and imagine. A safe place where we can create worlds of our own and philosophise on the meanings (or non-meanings) of things. For me, my spot “halfway up the stairs” is that state of consciousness just before we wake in the morning or just before we go to sleep, when your mind can wander freely, play, create, rehearse and enjoy.
12Q: Does the song tell a story or just express feelings or ideas?
12A: This song wonderfully, elegantly expresses feelings and ideas about a place and a state of mine.
13Q: Who else has recorded this song:
13A: Jerry Nelson (as Robin on the Muppet Show Record), Jack Gilford, Rebecca Zapen, and soon…Emily
The rest of the questions require VERY personal answers and I will spare you those!
Related Articles:
THE WORLD OF A. A. MILNE
http://singbookswithemily.wordpress.com/2010/05/04/a-few-favorite-singable-books-the-world-of-a-a-milne/
HALFWAY DOWN (A SINGABLE POEM)
http://singbookswithemily.wordpress.com/2010/05/05/halfway-down-a-singable-poem/
