The Sesame Street Book & Record

***The Sesame Street Book & Record*** is the very first record album of *Sesame Street* material ever released. It was recorded in April 1970, at the end of the show's first season, and was released later that summer. The album was originally packaged in a gatefold sleeve that contained a full-color poster teaching parts of the body and a 24-page book featuring illustrations by Brian Cranner, as well as lyrics to all of the songs. It was also released simultaneously in a less expensive edition with a different cover, no book, and no poster. The songs from this album were also released on nine consecutively numbered 45-rpm, 7-inch records. The first six of these were also available in a "Carry About" boxed set, and the final three were also available as a set.

The album peaked at #23 on *Billboard's* Top LPs chart in 1970, and was certified Gold (sales of 500,000 copies) by the RIAA. It also won a Grammy Award for Best Recording for Children. It was subsequently reissued many times (without the book or poster), first on Columbia under several different titles and covers, then on other labels (see below for details). It was also later issued as part of the 1977 2-LP set *Sesame Street Gold!*

The entire album was released on CD for the first time under the title *The Sesame Street Record*, as part of the 3-disc set *Old School: Volume 1* on March 23, 2010, along with *Big Bird Sings!* and *Bert & Ernie Sing-Along*.

## Track listing

**Side One**

1. Sesame Street - The Entire Cast
2. ABC-DEF-GHI - Big Bird
3. I've Got Two - Big Bird and Oscar plus everybody including Mr. Hooper
4. Goin' for a Ride - Anything People
5. What Are Kids Called - Bob and Susan
6. Everybody Wash - Ernie and Bert
7. One of These Things - Bob and Susan
8. Up and Down - Two Monsters
9. Green - Kermit

**Side Two**

1. Somebody Come and Play - The Kids
2. I Love Trash - Oscar
3. A Face - Bob
4. J-Jump - The Kids
5. The People in Your Neighborhood - Bob and The Anything People
6. Rub Your Tummy - Gordon
7. Number 5 - The Kids
8. Five People In My Family - Anything People
9. Nearly Missed - Susan
10. Rubber Duckie - Ernie

## Edits

On all releases that don't contain the book, the song "One of These Things" was edited to remove the following material after Susan says "Ernie's Rubber Duckie!":

A woman's voice: "Here are some more sounds. Listen."
(sounds of three bells ringing one at a time, followed by a trumpet playing)
(sounds of three dogs barking one at a time, followed by a cat meowing)
Then the closing music plays on all versions.

## Notes

* Although the spine and cover call this album *The Sesame Street Book & Record*, the actual label simply says *Sesame Street*.
* On the *Old School: Volume 1* release, the original cover is featured, but altered so that the sign simply says *The Sesame Street Record* and has a pink round "sticker" that says "Features Rubber Duckie."
* On Side 2, after "Rubber Duckie", there is a short track where the cast tells the listener goodbye. Although this track is not listed on the LP or album cover, the 8-track lists it as "Tag".
* The 1974 cassette release (C-5064) features a different running order: "What Are Kids Called" plays before "I've Got Two," and the final track "Rubber Duckie" is preceded by "Up and Down," "I Love Trash," and "A Face." Additionally, the closing tag, where Gordon instructs the listener to turn the record over, is omitted.
* The 1974 reissue cover is a Season 5 cast photo featuring several human and Muppet characters who were not introduced when the album was originally recorded, including David, Maria, Luis, Mr. Snuffleupagus, The Amazing Mumford, and Sherlock Hemlock.

## Other releases

Cassette1970
Columbia Records
16 10 10698-track1970
Columbia Records
18 10 10698-track1970
Columbia Records
18 10 1069 (back cover)LP1970
Columbia Records
Radio Promo CopyLPNo book, 1970
Columbia Records
CR 21530LPNo book, 1970
Columbia Records
CR 21530LPNo book, 1970
Columbia Records
CR 21530LPNo book, 1974
Sesame Street Records
CTW 22064
First PressingCassette1974
Sesame Street Records
C 50648-track1974
Sesame Street Records
T 5064LPNo book, 1977
Sesame Street Records
CTW 22064
Second PressingCassetteSight & Sound
GNL-201CassetteSight & Sound
GNL-221
## International releases

LPAustralia
CBS Records
SBR 235402LPJapan, 1970
CBS RecordsLPJapan, 1970
CBS RecordsLPGermany, 1973
CBS Records
S 64 462CassetteCanada, 1974
Sesame Street Records/Shan-lon Enterprises
CTW 22064LPAustralia
Axis Records
AXIS 6288CassetteAustralia
Axis Records
TC-AXIS 6288LPAustralia
Summit Records
8014CassetteAustralia
Summit Records
CS-8014
## Cast

* Matt Robinson as Gordon
* Loretta Long as Susan
* Bob McGrath as Bob
* Will Lee as Mr. Hooper
* Jim Henson as Ernie and Kermit
* Frank Oz as Bert and Cookie Monster
* Caroll Spinney as Big Bird and Oscar
* and the voices of the kids: Lois Winter, Ana Isa Otis, Clyde Otis Jr., Althea Jackson, Todd Graff, Tom Spiro, Andrea Giglio, Christine Winter

## Production credits

* Album produced by Thomas Z. Shepard
* Album edited by James Timmens
* Engineering by Frank Laico and Ed Michalski
* Executive director: Joan Ganz Cooney
* Executive producer: David Connell
* Producer: Jon Stone
* Head writer: Jeffrey Moss
* Musical director: Joe Raposo
* Visuals by Brian Cranner
* Music coordinator: Danny Epstein
* Words and Music Mostly by Joe Raposo and Jeffrey Moss
* Project director: Arthur Shimkin

## Sources

1. ↑ Jim Henson's Red Book entry, 4/1970 - Record 1st Sesame Street cast album.
2. ↑ Billboard: Col Bows 'Sesame Street' Cast LP/ Book Package - June 20, 1970