Sing (Joe Raposo song)

"Sing" is a 1971 song written by Joe Raposo for the children's television show Sesame Street. In 1973, the song gained popularity when performed by the Carpenters, who made it a #3 hit on the Billboard Hot 100.

Raposo was one of the staff songwriters on Sesame Street,^[1] and the song became one of the most popular on the program, sung in English, Spanish, and sign language. In its initial appearance, the song was sung by adult human cast members of the show (the most frequent lead singer was Bob McGrath) and Muppets, including Big Bird.

Barbra Streisand's 1972 version of "Sing" was released as a single, reaching number 28 on the Easy Listening chart and number 98 on the Billboard Hot 100. Many other versions of the song have since been recorded by a variety of artists.

Background of The Carpenters version

Although Barbra Streisand had an Easy Listening hit in 1972 with "Sing", Karen and Richard Carpenter heard the song for the first time as guests on ABC television special Robert Young with the Young in 1973. The Carpenters loved the song and felt it could be a hit.^[2] The song acted as their debut single from the LP album Now & Then, released in 1973.^[1] "Sing" reached number three on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and number-one on the easy listening chart,^[3] and it became the group's seventh gold single.

Their recording of the song was produced and arranged by Richard Carpenter, and engineered by Ray Gerhardt. The lead vocal was sung by Karen Carpenter, with backing vocals by Karen and Richard Carpenter and the Jimmy Joyce Children's Choir. Keyboards were by Richard Carpenter, bass by Joe Osborn, drums by Karen Carpenter, and recorders by Tom Scott.^[2]

In 1974 while touring Japan, The Carpenters recorded their first live album in Osaka. The album contained a new version of "Sing" with the children's chorus sung by the Kyoto Children's Choir. The song is featured on the album Live in Japan which was recorded in June 1974 and released in Japan only on March 7, 1975.^[4] This album has since been released on CD.

The 1991 box set From the Top contains a "Spanglish" version of the song. The title is listed as "Canta/Sing", and is sung with the Spanish and English versions switching off between certain lines of the song.^[5]

An additional recording and remix of the Carpenters version was done in 1994, that time with sound engineer Roger Young.^[2]

Subsequent Sesame Street versions

Lily Tomlin sang and signed this song to a group of deaf children on Sesame Street in 1975. In 1976, on the eleventh episode of The Muppet Show, guest Lena Horne sang this song. Later, Alaina Reed (in her character of Olivia) sang this song, while Linda (Linda Bove) signed the lyrics. After the hurricane struck Sesame Street in 2001, Big Bird sang "Sing" in celebration of his nest being rebuilt.

As an iconic Sesame song, "Sing" was used to close many of the show's anniversary specials, including Sesame Street: 20 and Still Counting, Sesame Street's All-Star 25th Birthday: Stars and Street Forever and Sesame Street's 25th Birthday: A Musical Celebration. It was used for the title of the 1990 documentary that eulogized Raposo, Sing! Sesame Street Remembers Joe Raposo and His Music.

The original and subsequent Sesame Street recordings were released on Sesame Street Concert/On Stage – Live! (1973), Sing the Hit Songs of Sesame Street (1974), Bert & Ernie Sing-Along (1975), Sesame Street Silver – 10th Anniversary Album (1978), Sesame Street Disco (1979), Sing: Songs of Joe Raposo (1992), Sesame Street Platinum: All Time Favorites (1995), The Bird Is the Word – Big Bird's Favorite Songs, Songs from the Street: 35 Years of Music (2003), and The Best of Elmo. A Spanish version was included in Fiesta Songs! (1998).

Personnel

Karen Carpenter – lead and backing vocals, drums
Richard Carpenter – backing vocals, piano, Wurlitzer electric piano, celesta, orchestration
Joe Osborn – bass
Tom Scott – recorders
The Jimmy Joyce Children's Choir – backing vocals
Uncredited - triangle, tambourine

Covers

In 1972 Barbra Streisand had a single release of "Make Your Own Kind of Music" in a medley with "Sing" which became an Easy Listening hit (#28) but only reached #94 on the Billboard Hot 100.
In 1973, Julie Andrews and Perry Como sang the song in a medley as part of the television special "Julie on Sesame Street."
In 1975, Shirley Bassey recorded the song on her album Good, Bad but Beautiful, and also performed it in concert several times in the 1970s.
In 1976, Donnie Harper and the Voices of Tomorrow performed a Gospel cover of the song on episode 13 of season 2 of Saturday Night Live.
In 1977, Christopher Knight performed the song with a puppet named Collette on an episode of The Brady Bunch Variety Hour.
In 1979, Sammy Davis, Jr. performed it as part of his live show.
In 1981, the song was included in Lea Salonga's first album, Small Voice, recorded when she was nine years old.
In 1989, Julie Andrews and Carol Burnett sang the song in a medley as part of their "Julie and Carol: Together Again" concert at Carnegie Hall.
In 1996, Dutch group Nakatomi produced a happy hardcore version of this song.
The Dixie Chicks once recorded a version of this song, and in 2000, there was also an all-celebrity version, featuring such celebrities as R.E.M., Conan O'Brien, Ben Stiller, and, again, The Dixie Chicks.
In 2002, Ivy sang a version of this song on the For the Kids compilation album.
In 2003, Benny Green and Russell Malone recorded a jazz duo version of this song on their album Live at the Bistro
In 2008, Kristin Chenoweth covered this song with new additional holiday lyrics on her latest Christmas album, A Lovely Way to Spend Christmas.
In the mid-1990s, American power band Autumn Teen Sound often played the song live.
In 2009, Pink Martini included an English and Spanish language version of the song on their album Splendor in the Grass.
MoccA, Indonesian story-telling pop band, covered the song on their album Colours.
In 2010, the song was prominently featured in the video game Metal Gear Solid: Peace Walker.
In 2012, Lea Salonga recorded another version of this song for her Inspired album.
In 2013, it was one of many songs Japanese singer Rie fu included on her cover album, Rie fu sings The Carpenters.

Bing Crosby & Fred Astaire recorded this on their album "Together" released in 2006

Charts

Carpenters version

Chart (1973)	Peak position
Australia	24
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	3
U.S. Billboard Easy Listening	1
U.S. Record World	4
Canadian Singles Chart	4
Oricon International Singles Chart	1
Oricon (Japanese) Singles Chart	18

References

1 2 Review of "Sing" on allmusic
1 2 3 "Carpenters •• Sing" on richardandkarencarpenter.com
↑ Whitburn, Joel (2002). Top Adult Contemporary: 1961-2001. Record Research. p. 47.
↑ Live in Japan > Overview at allmusic
↑ Carpenters - From The Top (Box Set)

External links

The Carpenters singles

1960s	1966 "Looking for Love" 1969 "Ticket to Ride"

1970s	1970 "(They Long to Be) Close to You" "We've Only Just Begun" "Merry Christmas, Darling" 1971 "For All We Know" "Rainy Days and Mondays" "Superstar" "Bless the Beasts and Children" 1972 "Hurting Each Other" "It's Going to Take Some Time" "Goodbye to Love" 1973 "Sing" "Yesterday Once More" "Top of the World" 1974 "Jambalaya (On the Bayou)" "I Won't Last a Day Without You" "Please Mr. Postman" "Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town" 1975 "Only Yesterday" "Solitaire" 1976 "There's a Kind of Hush (All Over the World)" "I Need to Be in Love" "Goofus" "Breaking Up Is Hard to Do" 1977 "All You Get from Love Is a Love Song" "Calling Occupants of Interplanetary Craft" "The Christmas Song (Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire)" 1978 "Sweet, Sweet Smile" "I Believe You"

1980s	1981 "Touch Me When We're Dancing" "(Want You) Back in My Life Again" "Those Good Old Dreams" 1982 "Beechwood 4-5789" 1983 "Make Believe It's Your First Time" 1984 "Your Baby Doesn't Love You Anymore" "Now" "Little Altar Boy" 1986 "Honolulu City Lights" 1987 "Something in Your Eyes" 1989 "If I Had You"

1990s	1991 "Let Me Be the One" 1994 "Tryin' to Get the Feeling Again" 1996 "Ave Maria"

2000s	2001 "The Rainbow Connection"

Book Category

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