Sesamstraat Thema

Sesamstraat Theme is the opening theme song of Sesamstraat. The song was originally sung by a chorus of kids.
The song has been remade a number of times over the years not only for the show's opening and closing credits, but also for inserts. One of the earliest and most distinctive versions includes a harmonica solo performed by Toots Thielemans. 
There were also instrumental versions, and a version sung by Frank and the kids.
==Openings==
The first season used a translation by Ton Hasebos of the original Sesame Street Theme, sung by kids. The original intro sequence featured the Sesame Street Muppets, Pino and Tommie, as presented in stop-motion cut-out animation (in a style somewhat similar to Monty Python's Flying Circus). This variation of the song also mentioned the two networks which cooperated with the show at the time: NOS (Dutch) and BRT (Belgian). 
The second season featured a purely instrumental opening. A re-recorded version of the theme sung again by kids, using half of the original 1976 theme's lyrics (without the mention of the networks from the second half) was introduced for a shortened version of the second season's opening in 1978, and then again for the third season in 1979.
The lyrics were re-written for the fourth season in 1980, with the melody of the last part being changed from the original, and would be the same melody used for subsequent versions of the theme since. The fifth season returned to using another instrumental version of the song.
During the 6th season in 1982, the theme was played in F major and the lyrics were altered again, this time, written by Hans Dorrestijn. These included "Laat je speelgoed staan voor Sesamstraat" (put your toys aside for Sesamstraat), implying that watching TV was more important than playing.
A press release brought up a complaint over the theme song in the early 1980s. Children tried to sing along with Frank (who sang the theme from 1984 to 1991), but couldn't reach the high pitch; this led to a key change from F major to C major.
In 1984, the eighth season theme was in C major, and a reggae-style beat was added. This version of the theme remained in use for twenty years until 2004, making it the longest-running version of the theme used on the show. Small modifications to the singers were made to reflect the evolving cast during this time: in 1991, Tommie replaced Frank Groothof and was joined by Pino and Ieniemienie in 1994, then starting in 1997, the vocals were recorded by the kids.
For the 27th season in 2004, a salsa version of the song was used. This was replaced in season 28, which created an upbeat remix of the theme in D major. The music was remixed 3 years later, and again in 2010, when the song was placed back in C major. In 2013, the lyrics were re-written for the first time since 1982, to remove the line "Laat je speelgoed staan" ("put your toys aside").
Image:Seizoen01.jpg |Season 1
File:SesamstraatThemaSeason2.jpg |Season 2This is the first live-action (and instrumental, though dialogue is included) intro sequence. Later episodes in 1978 would use a shortened version, with a newly recorded version of the theme
Image:Seizoen03.jpg |Season 3This marks the shortest intro sequence of the show's run. This intro re-uses the 1978 recording
Image:Seizoen04.jpg |Season 4
Image:Seizoen05.jpg |Season 5This is the first and only intro sequence to be completely instrumental
Image:Seizoen06.jpg |Season 6
Image:Seizoen07.jpg |Season 7This is the only intro sequence to feature only one person, and none of the main cast
Image:Seizoen08.jpg |Seasons 8, 9, and 10This is the first intro sequence to last for multiple seasonsOn "Sesamstraat is Jarig", an airplane with a "Long Live Sesamstraat!" flag flies by twice during the opening
Sesamstraat1987.jpg |Season 11
Image:Seizoen11.jpg |Season 12Portions of this intro sequence appear on Sesame Street: 20 and Still Counting, The Sesame Street Experiment, The World of Jim Henson, and the 1990 International Emmy Awards whenever Sesamstraat is represented in international co-production montages
Image:Seizoen12.jpg |Season 13
Image:Seizoen13.jpg |Season 14
Image:Seizoen151617.jpg |Seasons 15, 16 and 17
Sesamstraat1994-1997.jpg |Seasons 18, 19 and 20
Image:Seizoen2122.jpg |Seasons 21 and 22This is the first intro sequence to have multiple variants, as different magic things on the street occur whenever Tommie's wand is waved
Image:Seizoen23.jpg |Season 23Portions of this opening appear on The World According to Sesame Street and A&E Biography: Sesame Street
Image:Seizoen24.jpg |Season 24
Image:Seizoen25.jpg |Seasons 25 and 26
Sesamstraat2004-2005.jpg |Season 27
Image:Seizoen282930.jpg |Seasons 28, 29, and 30This intro sequence was used by Sesame Workshop to introduce Sesamstraat online at the time
Image:Seizoen31.jpg |Seasons 31, 32, 33, and 34This is the first widescreen intro sequence
Image:Seizoen35.jpg |Seasons 35, 36, and 37
==Inserts==
Instrumental versions of the theme song were used during the early 1980s as background music or introductions for street scenes. These include the reggae cover recorded by Sly Dunbar on his 1979 album "Sly Wicked and Slick". 
==Closings==
The closing theme is a shortened instrumental version of the opening theme. Like the opening, the closing has changed many times throughout the show's run.
During the first season, the closing originally used a mellow harmonica solo of the theme performed by Toots Thieleman, originally used for opening scenes of the American production from 1969 to 1992. The original closing sequence would end with an illustration of Cookie, Ernie, Bert and Grover poking out of a curtain with the Sesamstraat sign (with a bit of the sign bitten off by Cookie Monster) and the BRT and NOS logos. (This illustration was also used to close out the show's co-productions in Italy, France and Japan.)
For the second, third, and fourth seasons, generic music pieces were used instead of the theme song. Seasons 2 and 3 involved varying closing gags with the production copyright (NOS/BRT/CTW) and either one or both of the clown mimes (usually the male clown) featured on the show at the time. Season 4's closing featured one random character waving goodbye, followed by a group of hands taking apart the screen like a puzzle. It was the shortest closing in length, lasting for only 5 seconds. Season 5 became the first to use a shortened version of the opening theme, more specifically the last part.
During season 6, the closing showed the Sesamstraat residents walking home together at night. For season 7, the closing is a pan-out shot of the street, with the lights slowly turning off, as the boy from the opening rides home on his tricycle. Unlike most seasons, the 7th season's ending features a full instrumental version of the opening theme.
Since season 8, almost all endings would have the cast waving goodbye to the viewer. Some endings had the characters waving from a table while enjoying a meal (as shown in seasons 12 and 31-34), while others featured them in bed. (Season 5 had the cast together in a giant bed laid in the street, while for seasons 9-10, three or four different characters were shown sleeping individually in their own homes. Season 11 had everybody having a sleepover in Pino's nest area, while seasons 28-30 also had the characters in their own individual beds laid in the centre of the street, like season 5.)
Sesamstraat_outro_1976_-_1977.jpg|Season 1
Sesamstraat1977Einde.jpg|Season 2 (version #1) 
Sesamstraat1978close.jpg|Season 2 (version #2) 
Sesamstraat78close.jpg|Season 2 (version #3) 
SesamstraatS04eindleader.jpg|Season 4 (Magda) 
Sesamstraat_outro_1980-1981.jpg|Season 5 
Sesamstraat_outro_1981-9182.jpg|Season 6 
Sesamstraateindtune1983.jpg|Season 7 
Sesamstraat_Outro_1984.jpg|Season 8 Four different variants were used 
PinoSleeping.jpg|Seasons 9 and 10 Two different variants were used 
Sesamstraat1987eindtune.jpg|Season 11 
SesamstraatOutro1988-1989.jpg|Season 12
Sesamstraat89End.jpg|Season 13
Sesamstraat1990Einde.png|Season 14
SesamstraatOutro1991-1994.jpg|Seasons 15, 16 and 17
Sesamstraat_Outro_1994_-_1997.jpg|Seasons 18, 19 and 20 
SesamstraatOutro1997-1999.jpg|Seasons 21 and 22
SesamstraatOutro1999-2000.jpg|Season 23
Sesamstraat2000Eindtune.png|Season 24
SesamstraatOutro2002-2003.jpg|Season 25 
SesamstraatOutro2003-2004.jpg|Season 26 
Sesamstraat20042005Eindtune.jpeg|Season 27
Sesamstraat_Outro_2005_-_2008.jpg|Seasons 28, 29, and 30 
Sesamstraat_Outro_2008_-_2010.jpg|Seasons 31, 32, 33, and 34
Outro Sesamstraat 2010.jpg|Seasons 35, 36, and 37
==Audio releases==
All versions released are performed by kids, unless otherwise noted.
*Sesamstraat (album) (1976) the closing version also features Ernie and Bert singing along
*15 Jaar Sesamstraat (1991)
*Vakantie Favorieten (1993)
*Vrolijk Op Weg (1995)
*Uit Je Bol met Bert en Ernie (1995)
*Vakantie Pret (1996)
*Dance Party (1997)
*Zomerkriebels met Bert en Ernie (1998)
*Dieren (1998)
*Muziek (1998)
*Sesamstraat is Jarig! (2000)
*Feest (2000)
*De Leukste Liedjes uit Sesamstraat (2004)
*Monsters en Andere Enge Dingen (2005)
*Dierendingen (2006)
*Vriendjes Voor Altijd (2007) performed by the Muppets
*Sesame Street Playground (2008)
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Category:Sesamstraat Songs
Category:Theme Songs