About this episode
Kirk pays a visit the musical world of The Muppets, from their Sesame Street origins in the 60s to the globe-hopping, cinematic heights of the 70s and 80s, with plenty of detours along the way. FEATURING: "Sesame Street Theme" by Joe Raposo, Jon Stone, and Bruce Hart "Mah Na Mah Na" by Piero Umilliani from Sweden: Heaven and Hell "Pinball Number Count" by Walt Kraemer and Ed Bogas, feat. The Pointer Sisters "Rainbow Connection" by Paul Williams (Lyrics) and William Ascher (Music), sung by Jim Henson as Kermit the Frog ALSO REFERENCED/DISCUSSED: "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy" by Josef Zawinul from Mercy, Mercy, Mercy (Live at 'the Club') , Cannonball Adderley Quintet, 1966 "Sesame Street Theme" performed by Gladys Knight and the Pips "Sesame Street Theme" arr. Dennis DiBlasio for Maynard Ferguson on Storm , 1982 "Bein' Green," "'C' is for Cookie," "Happiness Hotel," and "Sing" by Joe Raposo Rowlf ( pitch Sesame Street in 1968 "Mah Nah Mah Na" on Sesame Street, 1969 ... and on The Muppet Show , 1976 "Groovin' High" by Dizzy Gillespie, recorded w/ Charlie Parker and Slam Stewart, 1945 A letter from Walt Kraemer on the writing and recording of "Pinball Number Count" "The Neutron Dance" by Allee Willis and Danny Sembello recorded by The Pointer Sisters on Break Out , 1983 "Red Clay" by Freddie Hubbard from Red Clay , 1970 "The Muppet Show Theme" by Jim Henson and Sam Pottle Buddy Rich vs. Animal drum battle from The Muppet Show , 1981 PINBALL NUMBER COUNT CHEAT SHEET Intro: 4 + 3 + 4 + 3 Verse: 4 + 4 + 3 + 3 4 + 4 + 3 4 + 4 + 4 + 3 4 + 4 + 4 + 5 Solos: In regular 4/4, with a bar of 5 at the very end ----LINKS----- 💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS! Patreon | Paypal 🏠 HOMEPAGE strongsongspodcast.com 👚 MERCH strongsongspodcast.com/store 📬 KIRK'S NEWSLETTER newsletter.kirkhamilton.com 📷 SOCIAL MEDIA Instagram: @Kirk_Hamilton Bluesky: @kirkhamilton.com 💬 STRONG SONGS DISCORD SERVER strongsongspodcast.com/discord 🎧 STRONG SONGS PLAYLISTS Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music 🎸 KIRK'S GEAR & INSTRUMENTS kirkhamilton.com/gear 🎶 KIRK'S MUSIC kirkhamilton.com/music 🎨 SHOW ART Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics -------------------- APRIL 2025 WHOLE-NOTE PATRONS Andy Lisa Crotty Elizabeth Culver Meryl Allison Robyn Metcalfe Cesar Corpus Frisky Ben Barron Catherine Warner Damon White Jay Swartz Rush Daniel Hannon-Barry Christopher Miller Jamie White Christopher McConnell David Mascetti Joe Laska Ken Hirsh Melanie Andrich Jenness Gardner Nathaniel Bauernfeind Paul Delaney Sami Samhuri Jeremy Dawson AccessViolation Dave Florey APRIL 2025 HALF-NOTE PATRONS Dave Douglass Suzanne Crawford PhantomMare Kym Griffith Rachel Aruni Jayatilleke Ryan Gillen Terry Auvenshine TB Daniel Kaberon Wiggy Hash Whit Sidener Julie Kellman Simon Hellman Bea Claudia Carty Dani Glenn Jackson Christopher Selby Spink Philip Kelly Daniel Nervo Kevin Stafford Lawrence Sy Jacobs irritable Ian Pidd Andrew Hofer Jordan Gatenby Melissa Kuhns Ashley Seattle Trans And Nonbinary Choral Ensemble Kevin Marcelo Samantha Coates James Jeff Dan Cutter Joseph Romero Ol Parker John Berry Danielle Kriz Clint McElroy Mordok’s Vape Pen Inmar Givoni Michael Singer Merv Adrian Joe Gallo Lauren Knotts Dave Kolas Henry Mindlin Monica St. Angelo Stephen Wolkwitz Rand LeShay Max eric sp Matthew Jones Thomas Anthony Mentz James McMurry Ethan Laser Brian John Peter Chris Remo Aaron Wilson Dent Earl Carlos Lerner Misty Haisfield Abraham Benrubi Lee R. Callum Webb Lynda MacNeil Dick Morgan Ben Stein Grettir Asmundarson Sean Murphy Randal Vegter Kellen Steffen Kaya Woodall Robert Granat dave malloy Alan Maass john halpin Peter Harding David John Bauman Martín Salías Stu Baker Steve Martino Dr Arthur A Gray Carolina Gary Pierce Matt Baxter Luigi Boccia E Margaret Warton Tim Sheehan Charles McGee Catherine Clause Ethan Bauman KenIsWearingAHat Jordan Block Aaron Wade Jeff Ulm David Futter Jamie Deebs Portland Eye Care Richard Sneddon Janice Berry Doreen Carlson David McDarby Wendy Gilchrist Lisa Turner Paul Wayper Miles Forman Bruno Gaeta Kenneth Jung Adam Stofsky Zak Remer Rishi Sahay Jeffrey Bean JRRJ Ailie Fraser Rob Tsuk NATALIE MISTILIS Josh Singer Amy Lynn Thornsen Adam W Kelli Brockington Victoria Yu mino capossela Steve Paquin David Joske Bernard Khoo Robert Heuer David Noah Geraldine Butler Madeleine Mader Jason Pratt Abbie Berg Doug Belew Dermot Crowley Ryan Rairigh Michael Berman Linda Duffy Bonnie Prinsen Eoin de Burca Kevin Potter M Shane Borders Dallas Hockley Jason Gerry Nell Morse Nathan Gouwens Lauren Reay Eric Prestemon cbalmain Angela Livingstone Diane Hughes Michael Casner Lowell Meyer Stephen Tsoneff Joshua Hill Geoff Golden Pascal Rueger Randy Souza Clare Holberton Diane Turner Tom Coleman Dhu Wik Melmaniac Eric Helm Jonathan Daniels Caro Field Dave Sharpe Naomi Watson David Alexander Adam Georgandis Chris K Gavin Doig Sam Fenn Tanner Morton AJ Schuster Jennifer Bush David Stroud Brad Callahan Amanda Furlotti Andrew Baker Andrew Fair L.B. Morse Bill Thornton Brian Amoebas Brett Douville Jeffrey Olson Matt Betzel Nate from Kalamazoo Melanie Stivers Richard Toller Alexander Polson Justin McElroy Arjun Sharma James Johnson Kevin Morrell Colin Hodo ----LINKS----- 💰 SUPPORT STRONG SONGS! Patreon | One-Time Donation 🏠 HOMEPAGE 👚 MERCH 💬 DISCORD SERVER 📬 KIRK'S NEWSLETTER 🎸 KIRK'S GEAR & INSTRUMENTS 🎶 KIRK'S MUSIC 📷 KIRK’S SOCIAL MEDIA: Instagram | Bluesky 🎧 EVERY STRONG SONG: Spotify | Apple Music | YouTube Music 🎨 SHOW ART: Tom Deja, Bossman Graphics