B-side "Druscilla Penny" Format 7" single Genre Pop | Released January 13, 1973 Recorded 1972 Length 2:54 + 3:18 | |
"Sing" is a 1971 song written by Joe Raposo for the children's television show Sesame Street. In 1973, the song gained popularity when performed by the Carpenters, who made it a #3 hit on the Billboard Hot 100.
Contents
- Background of The Carpenters version
- Subsequent Sesame Street versions
- Personnel
- Covers
- Chart performance
- References
Raposo was one of the staff songwriters on Sesame Street, and the song became one of the most popular on the program, sung in English, Spanish, and sign language. In its initial appearance, the song 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 "Sing" was released as a single, reaching number 28 on the Easy Listening chart and number 98 on the Billboard Hot 100. Many other versions of the song 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. The Carpenters loved the song and felt it could be a hit. The song acted as their debut single from the LP album Now & Then, released in 1973. "Sing" reached number three on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and number-one on the easy listening chart, and it became the group's seventh gold single.
Their recording of the song was produced and arranged by Richard Carpenter, and engineered by Ray Gerhardt. The lead vocal was sung by Karen Carpenter, with backing vocals by Karen and Richard Carpenter and the Jimmy Joyce Children's Choir. Keyboards were by Richard Carpenter, bass by Joe Osborn, drums by Karen Carpenter, and recorders by Tom Scott.
In 1974 while touring Japan, The Carpenters recorded their first live album in Osaka. The album contained a new version of "Sing" with the children's chorus sung by the Kyoto Children's Choir. The song is featured on the album Live in Japan which was recorded in June 1974 and released in Japan only on March 7, 1975. This 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 of the song.
An additional recording and remix of the Carpenters version was done in 1994, that time with sound engineer Roger Young.
Subsequent Sesame Street versions
Lily Tomlin sang and signed this song to a group of deaf children on Sesame Street in 1975. In 1976, on the eleventh episode of The Muppet Show, guest Lena Horne sang this song. Later, Alaina Reed (in her character of Olivia) sang this song, while Linda (Linda Bove) signed the lyrics. After the hurricane struck Sesame Street in 2001, Big Bird sang "Sing" in celebration of his nest being rebuilt.
As an iconic Sesame song, "Sing" was used to close many of the show's anniversary specials, including Sesame Street: 20 and Still Counting, Sesame Street's All-Star 25th Birthday: Stars and Street Forever and Sesame Street's 25th Birthday: A Musical Celebration. It was used for the title of the 1990 documentary that eulogized Raposo, Sing! Sesame Street Remembers Joe Raposo and His Music.
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
Bing Crosby & Fred Astaire recorded this on their album "Together" released in 2006