Christopher Cerf

Christopher B. Cerf (born August 19, 1941) originally joined the Children's Television Workshop as director and editor of the non-broadcast products division for Sesame Street, which spun off books, records, toys, a comic strip, and others. However, Cerf's true forte was composing songs for the show, including parodies of contemporary pop hits.Lambert, Craig. "Channel Cerfing." Harvard Magazine, July 2011.
Among his best known works are "Put Down the Duckie" and "Monster in the Mirror," two collaborations with former Sesame Street head writer Norman Stiles. Both songs have been filmed in versions that feature large numbers of celebrities.
Cerf also contributed vocals for many of his songs. He was the voice and namesake of Muppets Little Chrissy, the lead singer of the Alphabeats, and Chrissy, of Little Jerry and the Monotones. Other Muppets Cerf voiced included Bruce Stringbean, Mick Swagger, How Now Brown, the Lead Frazzletone, and the Captain from "Imagine That." Cerf also sang on the Cecille theme song.
Outside of songwriting, Cerf's script credits include co-writing the joint Sesame Street/Electric Company TV special Out to Lunch, and the Sesame direct-to-video compilations Count it Higher, Monster Hits, Sing Yourself Silly, and Rock & Roll. As special consultant to CTW, Cerf helped develop Sesame Place's The Game Centre, which was credited as his "creative brain-child"."Correction: Ahl's only part of Sesame Place", InfoWorld, October 31, 1979.
Cerf's non-Sesame Muppet work includes development on the software projects Muppet Learning Keys and Muppetville, consulting and composing music for the short-lived series, Little Muppet Monsters, providing "Additional Music" for the book-and-tape of The Case of the Missing Mother and Gonzo and the Giant Chicken, and composing music for the Muppet Time interstitials. He additionally provided the piano glissandos for "I'm Gonna Always Love You" in The Muppets Take Manhattan.ToughPigs Presents CABIN FEVER with Sesame Street Writer Chris Cerf (00:57:50) 
His father, Bennett Cerf, was the co-founder of Random House books and a panelist of What's My Line? and his mother, Phyllis Fraser, co-founded Random House's Beginner Books with Dr. Seuss. His brother, Jonathan Cerf, wrote Big Bird's Red Book.
Cerf is also the co-creator and an Executive Producer of Between the Lions. He was a close personal friend of the late Douglas Adams, acclaimed author of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy trilogy. He wrote the introduction for the US edition of The Salmon of Doubt, a posthumous release of some of Adams' last works.
Cerf has been interviewed in the documentaries Sing! Sesame Street Remembers Joe Raposo and His Music (in tribute to his friend and collaborator), VH1's Greatest TV Moments: Sesame Street Music A-Z, and Street Gang: How We Got to Sesame Street.
==Song credits==
===Sesame Street===
According to his author bio for the book Encyclopedia Paranoiaca (2012, with Henry Beard), Cerf has written over 300 Sesame Street songs. 
File:2837c.jpg|"A-Cleanin' Up the Lot"
File:AboveandBelow.jpg|"Above and Below"
File:Aboveitall.jpg|"Above It All"
File:EnVogue.Adventure.jpg|"Adventure"
File:Song.Air.GuySmiley.jpg|"Air"
File:AlphabetPolka.jpg|"Alphabet Polka"
File:Antarctica.jpg|"Antarctica!"
File:Count-babycountonme.jpg|"Baby, You Can Count on Me"
File:Song.BacksBusyTappin.jpg|"Back Front Tap Rap"
File:BigWolfFamily.jpg|"Bad Wolf"
File:BalladOfSlipperySlim.jpg|"The Ballad of Slippery Slim"
File:BarnInUSA.jpg|"Barn in the USA"
3536f.jpg|"BB Club Song"
File:Celeb.bbking.jpg|"B.B. King"
BBReady-Earthquakes01.jpg|"Beatin' the Quake"
File:Beginningmiddleend.jpg|"Beginning, Middle, End"
File:BertsBlanket01.jpg|"Bert's Blanket"
File:Song.Between.jpeg|"Between"
File:Song.betweenyoume.jpg|"Between You and Me"
3956y.jpg|Big and Little Letters (eight songs total)
File:Song.BigBiggerBiggest.jpg|"Big Bigger Biggest"
File:1706b.jpg|"Big Bird's Going to Camp"
File:2938k.jpg|"Big Bird's Rock Song"
File:2938m.jpg|"Big Bird's Rock 'n Roll Song"
File:Song.birdlandjump.jpg|"The Birdland Jump"
File:BloodTest.jpg|"Blood Test"
File:Song.borntoadd.jpg|"Born to Add"
File:BornToLearn.jpg|"Born to Learn"
File:BrandNewLook.jpg|"Brand New Look"
File:Breakfastclub.JPG|"The Breakfast Club"
File:Song.bubbleonmysnuffle.jpg|"Bubble on My Snuffle"
File:BusyGettingBetter.jpg|"Busy Getting Better All the Time"
File:BugsEverywhere.jpg|"Bugs Song"
File:Song.cdrivesmecrazy.jpg|"C Drives Me Crazy"
Cecille.jpg|"Cecille the Ball Theme"
File:3154v.jpg|"Cerrado/Abierto"
File:ChariotsOfFur.jpg|"Chariots of Fur"
File:CloudNine.jpg|"Cloud Nine"
File:Cluckaroundtheclock.jpg|"Cluck Around the Clock"
File:3164x.jpg|"Coastline Song"
File:1706h.jpg|"Coconut Counting Man"
File:3259d.jpg|"(Come on Out and) Share!"
File:cookiediscoTV.jpg|"Cookie Disco"
File:4128za.jpg|"Cookie's R Rap Song"
File:Song.countithigher.jpg|"Count it Higher"
File:Song.countingbackwardsinspanish.jpg|"Counting Backwards in Spanish"
File:4120bg.jpg|"Counting Fish by 5's"
File:4111zi.jpg|"Counting Flowers by 2's"
File:Song.countingrobins.jpg|"Counting Robins"
File:12starsbythrees.jpg|"Counting Stars by 3's"
File:Count vacation.JPG|"Counting Vacation"
Ewbeach-cartoon.jpg|"Crabby Crawl"
File:CrossItOut.jpg|"Cross It Out"
File:D-A-D.jpg|"D-A-D Song"
File:2096w.jpg|"Dance Myself to Sleep"
File:LittleJerryDanger.jpg|"Danger"
File:HowNowBrown.jpg|"Danger's No Stranger"
File:3976x.jpg|"Danger Song"
File:Bertdoor.JPG|"Do De Rubber Duck"
File:Doo Wop Hop.jpg|"Do-Op Hop"
File:Bennyhop.jpg|"Do the Benny Hop"
File:DoTheDog.jpg|"Do the Dog"
File:3166c.jpg|"Do the Laundry"
File:3438.ComingSoon.jpg|"Doin' the Grouch"
File:Cookieangels.jpg|"Don't Eat the Pictures"
File:2482a.jpg|"Don't Sing This Song"
File:DontTouchMe.jpg|"Don't Touch Me!"
File:SignSaysDontWalk.JPG|"Don't Walk"
File:3154n.jpg|"Don't Waste Water"
File:2059x.jpg|"D-U-C-K-I-E"
File:1709s.jpg|"Echo Rock"
File:3136j.jpg|"Elbows and Knees"
File:Elephantelevator.jpg|"The Elephant Elevator Operator"
File:Song.fivejive.jpg|"Elmo's Jive Five"
File:ElmosSickBlues.jpg|"Elmo's Sick Blues"
File:ReadingAndWritingDay.jpg|"Every Day's a Reading and Writing Day"
Song.beyoself.jpg|"Everybody Be Yo'Self"
3878g.jpg|"Everybody Nap"
File:Song-exit.jpg|"Exit"
File:InYourCloset.jpg|"Exploring in Your Closet"
File:FaceFacts.jpg|"Face Facts"
File:3978e.jpg|"Five Waltzing Chairs"
File:3140x.jpg|"Flowers on the Doorstep"
File:3507zoe.jpg|"Follow the Dots"
File:3164g.jpg|"Four Lambs Together"
File:FrontBackYaks.jpg|"Front Back Ballet"
File:3982c.jpg|"Furry Happy Monsters"
GetLow&Go.jpg|"Get Low and Go"
File:GetOutStayOut.jpg|"Get Out and Stay Out"
File:2938o.jpg|"Gimme Some Rock 'n Roll"
File:4419-Horse.png|"A Girl and Her Horse"
File:GoBabyGo!.jpg|"Gonna Rock You to Sleep"
File:Googlebugle.jpg|"Google Bugle"
File:2802c.jpg|"Grouch Come Out"
File:1742b.jpg|"Grouchy Book"
File:Song.HandTalk.jpg|"Hand Talk"
File:HandfulOCrumbs.jpg|"Handful of Crumbs"
File:Happytapping.jpg|"Happy Tappin' with Elmo"
File:Song.healthyfood.jpg|"Healthy Food"
File:Song.heavylight.jpg|"Heavy and Light"
File:ErnieJoseCarreras.jpg|"He Lost His Duckie"
File:HeyFood.jpg‎|"Hey Food"
File:HonkAroundtheClock.jpg|"Honk Around a Clock"
File:HonkerDuckieDingerJamboree.jpg|"The Honker-Duckie-Dinger Jamboree"
File:2795p.jpg|"Hooper's! Hooper's! Hooper's!"
File:Hotinthecity.jpg|"Hot in the City"
HotThingsBurn.jpg|"Hot Things Burn"
File:CountRuler.jpg|"How Deep is Your Bathtub"
File:4112zi.jpg|"How Hard It Is to Be 15"
File:TellyRandyTravis.jpg|"How Should I Tell You I Love You"
File:Ep3277.jpg|"Hush! Hush!"
File:Song.IAmChicken.jpg|"I Am Chicken"
File:2970d.jpg|"I Can Be As Quiet"
File:ICan'tGetNoCooperation.jpg|"(I Can't Get No) Co-Operation"
File:IfElmoHadTeeth.jpg|"If Elmo Had Teeth"
File:Gotoschool1.jpg|"I Go to School"
File:1619e.jpg|"I Love to Eat"
File:4135-abbysong.jpg|"I Love Words"
File:3758a.jpg|"I Wanna Say Happy Birthday"
File:4125s.jpg|"I Want to Be Me"
File:Wishihadafriend.jpg|"I Wish I Had a Friend to Play With Me"
File:RememberILoveYou.jpg|"I'll Always Remember I Love You"
File:Song.ImABookwormBaby.jpg|"I'm a Bookworm, Baby!"
File:4419d.png|"I'm a Kangaroo"
File:4419-Lobster.png|"I'm a Lobster" 
File:Iamamanatee.jpg|"I'm a Manatee"
File:4134u.jpg|"I'm Gonna Get to You"
File:4419-Beast.png|"I'm Looking for a Beast"
File:Song.sadhappy.jpg|"I'm Sad Because I'm Happy"
File:Inout.jpg|"In and Out Crowd"
File:InYourImagination.jpg|"In Your Imagination"
File:2795m.jpg|"The Inside Story"
File:Song.Island.jpg|"Island Song"
File:ItsMyFeather.jpg|"It Ain't Heavy, It's My Feather"
File:StartsWithGoo.jpg|"It All Starts with Goo Goo Goo"
File:Zydeco.jpg|"It's Zydeco"
File:3136m.jpg|"Jump"
File:Song-strawberries.jpg|"Just One Strawberry Blues"
File:KidsGottaListen.jpg|"Kids Gotta Listen and Kids Gotta Speak"
Kid'sGuidetoLifeOpeningLogo.jpg|"Kids' Guide to Life Theme"
File:3159m.jpg|"(The Name of the Place is) The Laundromat"
The Lead Police.JPG|"Lead Police"
File:3568.ComingSoon.jpg|"Let the Triangles In"
File:3penguins.stopmo.jpg|"Let's Count Penguins"
File:3144w.jpg|"Let's Lay an Egg"
File:Thebeetles.jpg|"Letter B"
2976c.jpg|"Life Without P"
File:2404j.jpg|"The Like Changed Into Love"
File:LongTimeNoSee.jpg|"Long Time, No See"
File:3165j.jpg|"Lost Bug Blues"
File:BBGrouch-2.jpg|"The Loudest Lullaby (You've Ever Heard)"
File:3763f.jpg|"Love in the Junkyard"
File:MeGoingtoMunchYou.jpg|"Me Going to Munch You, Munch You, Munch You"
File:Megottabeblue.jpg|"Me Gotta Be Blue"
File:TheotherMEsong.jpg|"Me, M-E, Me!"
File:M-O-M.jpg|"M-O-M Song"
3662f.jpg|"Monster Baby Horns Coming Out Party Song"
File:Monsterinthemirror.jpg|"Monster in the Mirror"
File:Mountainsong.jpg|"Mountain Song"
File:Character.mrbetween.jpg|"Mr. Between"
File:BoyfriendBackFront.jpg|""My Boyfriend's Back and Front"
File:SeeMyNewComputer.jpg|"My New Computer"
File:Song.natashaslullabye.jpg|"Natasha's Lullabye"
File:NearFar.balcony.jpg|"Near and Far"
File:3538c.jpg|"Near to You"
File:Oscarfamily01.jpg|"New Year Chorale for Six Grouches"
File:Nexttoewe.jpg|"Next To Song"
File:Travelsongs.jpg|"Ninety Nine Bats (In My Car Today)"
File:3996l.jpg|"No Letter Better Than B"
File:OhG.jpg|"Oh, G (I Love That Letter)"
File:Onmypond.jpg|"On My Pond"
File:OnceIsNotEnough.JPG|"Once Is Not Enough"
File:OneWaysong.jpg|"One Way"
File:Song.OPEN.jpg|"Open Song"
File:OppositeGame.JPG|"Opposite Game"
File:TheOppositeSong.jpg|"The Opposite Song"
File:Band.oscarsjunkband.jpg|"Oscar's Junk Band"
File:2746q.jpg|"Our Grouch (and We're Stuck with You)"
File:2963-C7.jpg|"Part of the Whole"
File:3525j.jpg|"Perfect as a Pig"
File:4pineapples.jpg|"Pineapple Addition"
File:3957s.jpg|"Playground Map Song"
File:Song.Pleasebecareful.jpg|"Please Be Careful"
File:2867-03.jpg|"Practice"
File:Pushsong.jpg|"Push! Push! Push!"
File:PutDowntheDuckie.jpg|"Put Down the Duckie"
File:TracyChapman.jpg|"Questions"
File:3rabbits.jpg|"Rabbit Subtraction"
File:GladImMe.jpg|"Really, Really, Really Glad I'm Me"
File:RebelLsong.jpg|"Rebel L"
File:3121f.jpg|"Recycle, Save a Tree (Reggae Recycle)"
4126m.jpg|"Rock Birthday Song"
File:Chrissyandthealphabeats.jpg|"Rock 'N Roll Readers"
File:RockNRollStar.jpg|"Rock 'N Roll Star"
File:3150u.jpg|"Rollin' on the River"
File:3959c.jpg|"The Room Is Full of Chickens"
File:4027c.jpg|"Rosita"
File:Toothpaste.jpg|"Say Toothpaste, Somebody!"
File:BunnyShadow.jpg|"Shadow Show"
File:4116za.jpg|"Shake Your Rattle and Roll"
2964b.jpg|"She'll Be Comin' on the Subway"
File:Song.ShortTall.jpg|"Short or Tall"
File:2586g.jpg|"Silly Dancing"
File:3161u.jpg|"Silly Squirrel Dance"
File:Lake_song.jpg|"(Sittin' On) A Boat on a Lake"
File:3806d.jpg|"Six Circus Balls"
3978y.jpg|"Sleepover Dance"
File:Googoodolls.jpg|"Slide (Pride)"
File:2995scene4.jpg|"Slimey and Snuffy's Big Small Song"
File:Song.slimeytothemoon.jpg|"Slimey to the Moon"
File:SnufflePolka.jpg|"The Snuffleupagus Polka"
File:AlwaysBetweenUs.jpg|"Something Always Comes Between Us"
File:SometimesACookie.jpg|"Sometimes a Cookie"
File:StandByYourCan.jpg|"Stand By Your Can"
File:StartinKindergarten.jpg‎|"Startin' Kindergarten"
File:Bert-moranis.jpg|"Stick Out Your Hand and Say Hello"
File:3715e.jpg|"Stinky's Love Song"
File:3144p.jpg|"Take 6"
File:3370d.jpg|"Take a Bird to Work Day"
File:Hair.jpg|"Take Care of Your Hair"
File:TallTale.jpg|"Tall Tale"
File:Littlejerryandthemonotones.jpg|"Telephone Rock"
File:TellyTheDad.jpg|"Telly the Dad"
File:10CommandmentsofHealth.jpg|"The Ten Commandments of Health"
File:Canttakethat.jpg|"They Can't Take That Away from Me"
File:Song.NotAlive.jpg|"They're Not Alive"
File:3187za.jpg|"Things Are Always Changin'"
File:3142v.jpg|"Thirteen"
File:2874d.jpg|"This Song Is for the Birds"
File:3107h.jpg|"Twice as Nice"
File:4127zn.jpg|"Two Pretty Flowers"
File:Song.twoprinces.jpg|"Two Princes"
3657d.jpg|"Up and Down Dance"
File:001.JPG|"Up and Down Opera"
File:Cecille.UpDown.jpg|"Up Down, In Out, Over and Under"
File:DoctorPlease.jpg|"Waiting Room Song"
File:Song.Walk.jpg|"Walk Song"
File:4137m.jpg|"Washin' the Dog"
File:3007f.jpg|"Watching All the Triangles Go"
File:WeAreYourDoctors.jpg|"We Are Your Doctors"
File:WeHateTheRain.jpg|"We Hate the Rain"
File:3816h.jpg|"We're All Growin'"
File:WetorDry.jpg|"Wet or Dry"
File:Wetpaintsong.jpg|"Wet Paint"
File:WetPaintSign.jpg|"Wet Paint Sign"
File:Whatsinside2.jpg|"What's Inside?"
File:Song.WhenYouGrowUp.jpg|"When You Grow Up"
File:3898b.jpg|"When You Move the Mouse"
File:3831oinkerBsong.jpg|"Where Can You Be, B?"
File:Nosong.jpg|"The Word is "No""
File:3592a.jpg|"Words That Rhyme with Play"
File:WriteItDown.jpg|"Write It Down"
File:BBWaylon1.jpg|"Wrong"
File:3259f.jpg|"Yell"
File:3816s.jpg|"You Don't Have to Be a Grizzly"
File:1815h.jpg|"You Got a Nose"
File:BePatient.jpg|"You Gotta Be Patient (To Be a Patient)"
File:CountElvis.jpg|"You Gotta Count My Blue Suede Shoes"
File:Little chrissy you're alive.jpg|"You're Alive"
File:Cartoon-takeawayfood.jpg|"Zero Song"
File:Song.zigzagdance-original.jpg|"Zig Zag Dance"
File:2356-4.jpg|"ZZ Blues"
===Unfinished Songs===
*"Gunko" (for Little Muppet Monsters)
*"Oops!" (for Sesame Street)
*"Pooch on the Loose" (for Little Muppet Monsters)
*"Take a Bath with Bert" (for Sesame Street)
*"Together" (for Little Muppet Monsters)
==Sources==
==External links==
* New York Social Diary: Christopher Cerf
* Wikipedia Article on Christopher Cerf
* Christopher Cerf on Twitter
* Cerf's official YouTube channel
* Christopher Cerf, 2010 McGraw Prize in Education Winner
* The Atlantic interview: "The Songsmiths of Sesame Street" by Julie Beck, March 29, 2019
__NOWYSIWYG__
Category:Composers
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Category:Muppet Voice Actors
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