So, I was talking to Suzie over at Words for Snow, and we got on the subject of our favorite Schoolhouse Rock songs. I've always been partial to the adjectives one. And Lolly and her adverbs. And, I don't know if anyone else does this, but if I have to count something by fives, I don't count... I sing the "five" song instead. You know, the one where they're playing hide and seek (I also count by threes using that song... just the part where the football players are running through the door, with the giant #30 at the end).
Anyways, she mentioned a few of her favorites. Rufus Xavier Sarsaparilla. "WHO brought that rhinocerous on the bus?" Heh. (My fave line from Rufus Xavier Sarsaparilla? "SHE found a kangaroo that followed HER home, and now IT is hers... but I can't say that... 'cause she found an aardvark!")
She also mentioned Mr. Morton. Now, I had never heard of Mr. Morton. Never ever ever. So, I consulted the oracle of YouTube. You know, this is a pretty damned catchy tune:
Now, I'm not sure if there's an "orignal" to this, and this is a cover by Skee-Lo... can anyone tell me? Because, I'd be curious as to hear what the orignal sounds like. Either way, nice job, Skee-Lo. Do you have any other educational songs? Because you should.
Another thing I didn't know? Schoolhouse Rock covered foods. Jo told me that one of her faves was the beans and rice one. Me? Whenever I hear "beans and rice," I think "... din't miss her." But then again, that's Sir Mix-a-Lot, not SHR. Heh.
So, what was your favorite Schoolhouse Rock? Or, your favorite line?
Take your time in answering. I'll be busy looking up all my old faves. Gotta love YouTube.
update: OK, so, yeah. I'ma need to find these on DVD.
Yeah, they have an original for this song. I have the DVD at home. I'm gonna have to give it a spin with the kids.
By the way, the Skee-Lo remake of Mr. Morton came from the "School House Rock0! Rocks!" that had different artist doing School House Rock songs, like Blind Melon doing "Three Is A Magic Number" and Biz Markie doing "The Energy Blues".
Skee-Lo, as in "I wish I was a little bit taller, I wish I was a baller"? I thought he only had one song.
I was always partial to the "Time for Timer" spots like "Hanker for a Hunka Cheese" or the other health-related ABC PSA's like "Don't Drown Your Food" and "Call Me Yuck Mouth", which weren't really School House Rock, but along the same line and still produced by ABC. As for actual SHR, the only one I really remember very much from when I was a kid is "I'm Just a Bill."
My senior year of H.S. we were offered extra credit if we could either recite the Gettysburg address or the preamble of the constitution. since we were seniors, we wanted to be cool and "recite" the preamble. Not one of us got past "We the people" without breaking into song. The teacher actually got pissed at us because we learned it from tv. Well guess what...22 years later and I STILL know it by heart/song.
I was actually feeling sorta sad all day that I couldn't remember any of these things clearly and then I come back and I remember the ones Craig mentioned. Whew. And just when I thought my childhood was lost, I find it here. Lucky...
