19 July 2008

How to play the saxophone


In honor of my cousin Karl, who plays tenor sax in Barcelona, I offer this video of the Muppets' famous rendition of "Put Down the Duckie."

"In 1986, Christopher Cerf and Norman Stiles wrote a song that was meant to teach kids that they should put down their prized possessions if they get in the way of what they are supposed to be doing.

This song was sung to Ernie by Hoots the Owl. Ernie wanted to play the saxophone, but due to the presence of Rubber Duckie in his hand, whenever he played the sax, he got a funny squeaky sound.

During the season that this song premiered, every time a celebrity appeared on the show, the producers would tape a special verse to be sung by that celebrity, and these verses were then edited into the song for later re-airing."

The celebrities, in order of appearance: John Candy (as Yosh Schmenge from SCTV), Andrea Martin (as Edith Prickley from SCTV), New York Mets Keith Hernandez & Mookie Wilson, Jane Curtin (of SNL and Kate & Allie), Madeline Kahn, Joe Williams, Paul Reubens (as Pee Wee Herman), Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Wynton Marsalis, Celia Cruz, Ihtzak Perlman, Gordon Jackson & Jean Marsh (as Angus Hudson and Rose Buck of Upstairs Downstairs), Paul Simon, Jeremy Irons, Pete Seeger, Rhea Perlman and Danny Devito, and NY Giants Sean Landeta, Mark Ingram, Karl Nelson and Carl Banks.

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