Sesame Street Soul
Forty years of funky television
by Kurt Iveson
Sesame Street Songs
“Pinball Number Count” (featuring the Pointer Sisters)
This tune is plain ridiculous. There were eleven versions in all, one for each number, two through twelve. Funky as hell, despite the tricky time signatures, it accompanied some very trippy pinball animations to match. DJ Food released a 12-inch edit through Ninja Tune a few years back that now commands high prices, and the Neil Cowley Trio included a nice cover of the track on their 2006 LP, Displaced. Individual segments are available on the Sesame Street YouTube channel, but for the full number count edited together into a seven-minute extravaganza, check:
“Jazz Numbers”
A series of piano-driven jazz grooves for some more animations featuring different numbers. More weird time signatures, more psychedelic cartoons.
“Cookie Disco”
Cookie Monster in a concert performance spoof of “Shaft”…seriously. After a dramatic Isaac Hayes-style entrance, complete with gold chain-link cape and black beard, the backup singers kick it off: “He’s shaggy, he’s blue, and he knows how to chew…Cookie!” Like Cookie says, “It’s really a trip to watch me chew chocolate chip!” Stick with it to the end for the typical Cookie resolution.
