The Muppet Alphabet Album

***The Muppet Alphabet Album*** was the first *Sesame Street* album that was hosted solely by the Muppets without assistance from the human cast. It was originally packaged in a gatefold sleeve, featuring visualizations of each letter of the alphabet by Smollin Associates. The original package contained 26 small punch-out Template:Popup illustrating the songs, plus a letter-shaping pipe cleaner, a blackboard and chalk. The songs from this album were also released on seven consecutively numbered 45-rpm, 7-inch records. The album was also released simultaneously on a "Carry About" boxed set of 45s. The LP edition reached #189 on *Billboard's* Top LPs chart in early 1972. The album was also nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Recording for Children, but it lost to the cast album from *The Electric Company*.

The album was recorded and released concurrently with *Sesame Street*’s third season. Many of the album tracks would be performed in inserts taped for the show that year.

The 1976 reissue dropped the inserts, and the gatefold contained new "Learn Your Letters" artwork which did not directly correspond to the content of the songs. In 1977, the album was reissued as part of the 3-LP boxed set, *Letters, Numbers and Signs*.

This album was reissued many times over the years on records, cassettes and 8-tracks, sometimes with slight title changes. In 1996, a new CD and cassette edition was released, under the title *Sing the Alphabet*, with some minor changes (see below for details).

## Track listing

**Side One**

1. The Opening - Cast
2. The Sound of the Letter **A** \* - Big Bird
Music and Lyrics by Jeff Moss
3. Oscar's **B** Sandwich - Oscar
Music by Joe Raposo, Lyrics by Jerry Juhl
4. **C** Is for Cookie \* - Cookie Monster
Music and Lyrics by Joe Raposo
5. **D**ee, Dee, Dee \* - Ernie
Music and Lyrics by Jeff Moss
6. **E** What's My Letter \* - Guy Smiley and Prairie
Written by Jerry Juhl, Music by Joe Raposo
7. **F**our Furry Friends - Grover, Herry Monster, Oscar and Cookie Monster
Music and Lyrics by Joe Raposo
8. Two **G** Sounds \* - Grover, George
Music and Lyrics by Jeff Moss
9. **H**a Ha - Harvey, Herry, Big Bird
Music by Joe Raposo, Lyrics by Jerry Juhl
10. **I** Stand Up Straight and Tall \* - Grover
Music and Lyrics by Joe Raposo
11. **J** Friends \* - The Anything Muppets
Music and Lyrics by Jeff Moss
12. **K** Herbert's Silly Poem - Herbert Birdsfoot
Written by Jerry Juhl, Music by Joe Raposo
13. **L**a, La, La \* - Bert and Ernie
Music and Lyrics by Joe Raposo
14. **M**-M-M Monster Meal \* - Herry Monster, Cookie Monster
Music and Lyrics by Jeff Moss
15. The **N**oodle Story - Big Bird, Oscar
Written by Jerry Juhl, Music by Joe Raposo

**Side Two**

1. Would You Like to Buy an **O**? \* - Salesman and Ernie
Music and Lyrics by Joe Raposo
2. **P** My Favorite Letter \* - The Anything Muppets
Music and Lyrics by Jeff Moss
3. The **Q**uestion Song \* - Grover, Little Girl
Music by Jeff Moss, Lyrics by Jerry Juhl
4. The **R** Machine - Ernie and Bert
Written by Jim Henson
5. **S**ammy the Snake \* - Sammy
Music and Lyrics by Jeff Moss
6. The **T**ale of Tom Tattertall Tuttletut - Herbert Birdsfoot, Anything Muppets
Written by Jerry Juhl, Music by Joe Raposo
7. **U** Lecture - Professor Hastings
Music and Lyrics by Joe Raposo
8. **V**ery, Very Special Letter - Big Bird
Music and Lyrics by Jeff Moss
9. The National Association of **W** Lovers \* - Bert
Music by Joe Raposo, Lyrics by Jerry Juhl
10. **X** Marks the Spot! \* - Sherlock Hemlock
Music and Lyrics by Joe Raposo
11. **Y** Just Because - Grover, Little Girl
Written by Jim Henson and Jerry Juhl, Music by Joe Raposo
12. The **Z**izzy Zoomers \* - The Anything Muppets
Music and Lyrics by Joe Raposo
13. The Closing - Cast

\* this track was performed on the show.
## Edits

On some later non-record editions of this album, the following section of dialogue has been cut from the end of side 2, after Big Bird says, "What's the alphabet?" and everybody groans:

Bert: Well, don't just sit there. Turn the record over and let's start again.
Big Bird: Hey, if they turn the record over, won't we all fall off?
Then the closing music plays, on all versions.

## Other releases

LP1976
Sesame Street Records
CC 25503
(reissue cover)CassetteSesame Street Records
C 50038-trackSesame Street Records
T 5003CassetteSesame Street Records
C 79010
*The Muppet Alphabet Cassette* (reissue title)CassetteSight & Sound
GNL-206CassetteSight & Sound
62229Cassette1987
MPI Production
Sing-Along PackCassette1990
Golden Music
4107
*The Sesame Street Alphabet Album* (reissue title)
## International releases

LPAustralia
Axis Records
AXIS 6322CassetteAustralia
Axis Records
TC-AXIS 6322LPAustralia
Summit Records
8002CassetteAustralia
Summit Records
8002CDJapan, 1991
Sony Records
SRCS 5451
*Sesame Street Alphabet Album* (reissue title)CDJapan, 1997
Sony Records
SRCL 4060
*Sesame Street Alphabet Album* (reissue title)CDJapan, 1999
Sony Records
SVWC 4004
*Sesame Street Alphabet Album* (reissue title)
## *Sing the Alphabet*

Released in 1996, ***Sing the Alphabet*** is a retitled CD and cassette reissue of *The Muppet Alphabet Album*. The opening and closing dialogue tracks from the original album are included. The opening is combined with "The Sound of the Letter A", and the closing, which is combined with "The Zizzy Zoomers," omits some dialogue mentioning that this is a record album (see "Edits" section above). This version of the album opens with a remake of ABC-DEF-GHI, sung by Elmo, and includes a lyric booklet.

This album was reissued on CD by Koch Records on March 4, 2008. The re-released album included the same track listing; however, it featured new cover art.

## Credits

* Produced by Jim Henson
* Associate Producer for the Muppets: Diana Birkenfield
* Written by Joe Raposo, Jeff Moss and Jerry Juhl
* With the talents of Frank Oz, Caroll Spinney, Jerry Nelson, Fran Brill and Jim Henson
* Original Concept and Design by Arthur Shimkin, Producer
* Studio control and editing by Jim Timmens
* Visuals by Smollin Associates

## Cast

* Frank Oz as Bert, Cookie Monster, Grover, Harvey Kneeslapper, Professor Hastings, and The Salesman
* Caroll Spinney as Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch
* Jerry Nelson as George, Herbert Birdsfoot, Herry Monster, Sammy the Snake, and Sherlock Hemlock
* Fran Brill as Prairie Dawn and A Little Girl
* Jim Henson as Ernie and Guy Smiley

Uncredited
* Jerry Juhl as the Queen, with Jeff Moss and Joe Raposo as background voices

*Sing the Alphabet* only
* Kevin Clash as Elmo

## Other releases

Cassette1996
Sony Wonder
LT 67747
LT 67748CD2008
Koch Records
KOC-CD-4475
## International releases

CDAustralia
EMI
72435 31857 2CassetteAustralia
EMI
72435 31857 4CDAustralia, 2013
ABC Music

## External links

* "Jim Henson's Red Book" entry, 9/20-24/1971 – 'Recording Alphabet album at night.'