Sing (Joe Raposo song)

"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 the Carpenters, who made it a #3 hit on the Billboard Hot 100.

"Sing"
Cover to the single, "Sing"
Single by Carpenters
from the album Now & Then
B-side"Druscilla Penny"
ReleasedJanuary 13, 1973
Recorded1972
Genre
Length
  • 2:54
  • 3:18
LabelA&M
Songwriter(s)Joe Raposo
Producer(s)Jack Daugherty
Carpenters singles chronology
"Goodbye to Love"
(1972)		 "Sing"
(1973)		 "Yesterday Once More"
(1973)
Now & Then track listing
7 tracks
Side one
  1. "Sing"
  2. "This Masquerade"
  3. "Heather"
  4. "Jambalaya (On the Bayou)"
  5. "I Can't Make Music"
Side two
  1. "Yesterday Once More"
    1. "Fun, Fun, Fun"
    2. "The End of the World"
    3. "Da Doo Ron Ron (When He Walked Me Home)"
    4. "Dead Man's Curve"
    5. "Johnny Angel"
    6. "The Night Has a Thousand Eyes"
    7. "Our Day Will Come"
    8. "One Fine Day"
  2. "Yesterday Once More (Reprise)"

Raposo was one of the staff songwriters on 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 adult human cast members of the show (the most frequent lead singer was Bob McGrath) and Muppets, including Big Bird.

Barbra Streisand's 1972 version of the song was released as a single, reaching number 28 on the Easy Listening chart and number 94 on the Billboard Hot 100. Many other versions of it have since been recorded by a variety of artists, including Trini Lopez, who recorded a Spanish-language version in 1972 which appeared on his album, "Viva" (1972).

Background of The Carpenters version

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 ABC television special Robert Young with the Young in 1973. They loved it and felt it could be a hit.[2] It acted as their debut single from the LP album Now & Then, released in 1973.[1] It reached number three on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and number-one on the easy listening chart,[3] and it became the group's seventh gold single.

Their recording of the song was produced and arranged by Richard, and engineered by Ray Gerhardt. The lead vocal was sung by Karen, with backing vocals by her, Richard, and the Jimmy Joyce Children's Choir. Keyboards were by Richard, bass by Joe Osborn, drums by Karen, and recorders by Tom Scott.[2]

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 which was recorded in June 1974 and released in Japan only on March 7, 1975.[4] The album has since been released on CD.

The 1991 box set From the Top contains a "Spanglish" version of the song. The title is listed as "Canta/Sing", and is sung with the Spanish and English versions switching off between certain lines.[5]

An additional recording and remix of the Carpenters' version was done in 1994, that time with sound engineer Roger Young.[2]

Subsequent Sesame Street versions

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; they sang the song in the film. In 1976, on the eleventh episode of The Muppet Show, guest Lena Horne sang it. Later, Alaina Reed (as Olivia) sang it, while Linda (Linda Bove) signed the lyrics. After the hurricane struck Sesame Street in 2001, Big Bird sang it in celebration of his nest being rebuilt.

As an iconic Sesame Street song, the song was used to close in a few 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's 25th Birthday: A Musical Celebration, Sesame Street's 50th Anniversary Celebration, and 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 segment involved Suzie Kabloozie (voiced by Ruth Buzzi) and her cat, Feff. Another involved Cab Callowmouse (parody of Cab Calloway), singing in an art museum as part of a medley. The other one featured a clay/sand animation segment of animals.

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 all by herself with the help of some penguins.

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

Covers

Chart performance
Carpenters version

See also
  • List of number-one adult contemporary singles of 1973 (U.S.)

References
  1. Review of "Sing" on allmusic
  2. "Carpenters • Sing". Richardandkarencarpenter.com. 2008-06-04. Retrieved 2016-10-08.
  3. Whitburn, Joel (2002). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961-2001. Record Research. p. 47.
  4. Bruce Eder. "Live in Japan - Carpenters | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved 2016-10-08.
  5. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2010-09-13. Retrieved 2010-08-18.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  6. "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. 1973-04-28. Retrieved 2019-02-18.
  7. "Toutes les Chansons N° 1 des Années 70" (in French). InfoDisc. 1973-03-19. Retrieved 22 December 2019.
  8. "flavour of new zealand - search listener". Flavourofnz.co.nz. Retrieved 2016-10-08.
  9. "Carpenters Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard.
  10. "Item Display - RPM - Library and Archives Canada". Collectionscanada.gc.ca. Retrieved 2016-10-08.
  11. "Top 100 Hits of 1973/Top 100 Songs of 1973". Musicoutfitters.com. Retrieved 2016-10-08.
  12. "Cash Box YE Pop Singles - 1973". Tropicalglen.com. 1973-12-29. Archived from the original on 2014-07-15. Retrieved 2016-10-08.
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