Richie Havens sings "Wonder Child"

[purrgirl1]

I can't say how this touches my heart ~ it is so beautiful. If there is such a thing as reincarnation and time travel, I want to come back as Richie Haven's lover :) He sings with such a sweetness and depth of passion that is truly enthralling.

[GregoryIrish60]

I also don't comprehend how anyone can dislike this video. The man is a music genius!

[dantean]

@GregoryIrish60 That's why u must ALWAYS refrain from looking at how many likes/dislikes a YouTube video has garnered! I also can't imagine how anyone can dislike this, tho had no idea anyone DID prior to seeing your comment (demonstrating that ignoring YouTube comments as a rule will probably help one sleep better at night). Of course, I also cannot fathom how anyone can actually like buttermilk, so you can probably see how baffled I am by human existence.

[HopeWithPandora]

[deep long sigh]... RH's always manages to moisten my eyes. He sings in the most perfect way that opens up feelings inside as a little sun can open up the petals of sleeping flowers...

[dreadboy77]

Such an amazing voice...timeless.

[marciakenny81]

My dad is in Intensive care since this morning i randomly found this song its so beautiful really speaks to me !

[daharris26]

Please bring back Helen Reddy's version of Wonder Child it was on youtube before?

[Aberinkulas]

22 years old here... Just discovering this man's timeless magic. Thank you so so much for the upload... This is far beyond genius.

[whitespace64]

@Aberinkulas I'm so glad that you can appreciate Richie's timeless magic at the tender age of 22.Young people like you give me hope for the future.Thank you.

[therickmon1]

Richie Havens is not only an amazing artist, he's a wonderful universe. Haven't heard these songs in quite some time and this one went right through me. I'm from the states living in Ukraine now. I'm exposing my wife to music like this which she's taking very well. She's sleeping right now, and I have to go over and kiss her. In the morning, she must see this video. This is incredible! Thank you for posting it.

[marciakenny81]

@therickmon1 awe i love richie hes just fecking Good people its so nice to discover a new one of his i have been busking freedom this summer prob his most well known song ? any other good ones i should listen to ?

[skypanther1]

@marciakenny81 the 1971 version of "What about me" (a brilliant Quicksilver song) is simply stunning...

[dharmagirl108]

@marciakenny81 Nobody left to crown is perfect for now and a good busk!

[ngholden]

@ngholden okay, I'll tell you what, Ill meet you all halfway. so far I know the tuning is c# g# c# f g# c

and that the first chord is an entirely bared 5th fret.

this man salami hands the rest of the song so I have no clue yet.

[scuttlebuttlodge]

I know someone has probably asked before, but who wrote this song? I would like to sing it and give credit where it is due. Thanks to anyone with the answer :)

[jelsaba]

i wish i could buy this to keep it forever

[BoNs414]

@jelsaba well, i own it on the old school sesame street volume 2 discs...like this clip is on it. that's how i heard about it. hope this helps!

[Wuzi64]

What a awesome Song, and nobody has been better give this feeling in all of us so warm and lovely as richie - A big big thanks. - I am also father of a daughter(5) and I feel all of this everytime --- TOP 5

[edendvatri]

Love this song!!!!!

[lonerworm]

What a voice!

[AviatorRider]

Many thanks to the people who wrote this magnificent song, to Sesame Street and to the Great Richie Havens who gave his beautiful voice to this song. His voice has this special power to soothe my spirit. And also thanks to the members for sharing all these nice and moving comments.

[Airbeast54]

some one has to have a tab

[dyn237]

soul searing tune. it hurts how gr8 this song. feel bested to stumble onto it

[thegoodusernameman]

how does this have any dislikes?

[michaelgdobie]

My wife....Heather Rose. We married on her 18th birthday. At 26 .. with 2 baby sons she had to have a Kidney Transplants which gave her and extra 26 years.

To see her two sons grow up...it was not easy..she was an example to us all.

She wrote thanking the Surgeon ..for the extra years and to see her two sons grow into men.

She died ..cancer 3 years ago.!

I cry now.as I hear Richie sing this wonderful heart felt song

Now alone ..

I miss her so very much.!.xxx

Mckey Marlborough

[ctsamurai]

If and when I have a kid, I want to set a montage of him or her to this song and just tear up like a big softy. Excellent.

[epistrophy68]

It was co-written by Sam Pottle and David Axlerod, as an original "Sesame Street" song. Pottle was the show's musical director after Joe Raposo. He and Axlerod co-wrote a huge number of "Sesame Street" songs: "What's the Name of That Song", "Count Up to Nine", "Cookie's Rhyming Song", "Five Monsters in My Family", etc. Pottle also wrote the "Muppet Show" theme. Axlerod is no relation to Pres. Obama's advisor, nor the famous producer of Lou Rawls and Cannonball Adderley (both spelled Axelrod).

[gretchenpc]

How wonderful. No wonder I grew up decent. This is the kind of Sesame Street I watched. :)

[makeamelaugh]

thumbs up if EW brought this to you!

[reddog281]

Someone shared this song with me today and now I wood like to share it with you. What an amazingly beautiful afternoon here in VA.

[njteech]

Bless Richie

[ubirahy8]

Maravilha!

Quando voltará ao Brasil?

[decampp]

I met Richie in person and asked him about this exact video and he said he just happened to be in the studio that day john sebastian and the sesame street people asked him if he would record this song.

[nezantak]

Richie...Love Forever!!!

[Vacantstance]

BRAVO!

This song is such a celebration of parenthood. It's a melodic commentary of just how having children changes how we see the world and more importantly how we see ourselves.

[tcferguso1]

Ritchie tunes his guitar to an open D chord.

[joealanouf]

love is playing style

[TheHadashi]

とてもきれい！

his voice and music is very nice.

[atlas772]

Belíssima voz ! musicas lindas !

[porkie1953]

I have 3 grandchildren now...I left a comment about a year ago.

[jovialduke]

@porkie1953 congratulations. beautiful song

[ngholden]

I just wish I knew how he was playing this- alternate tuning? fingering? chords? anything. I want to play it so badly. I feel I could learn something from it.

[MsLouise1960]

Richie Havens has been with us all this time and i wish him well and should of gone to see him when he played in Falmouth Cornwall thats how brilliant he is . We are so off the map for great musicians but he made it to us..

[owljolson1]

everyone here is wrong, this is part of a Starbucks product tie in with the DVD/CD ROM for Sesame Street. This video is made to look old, like pre washed jeans craze of the late 90's. also, who is this? i thought it was the guy from Coach Carter, Fishburene or whatever but now im not convinced.

[randomartist01]

@owljolson1 Are you an idiot?

[jerrysgt]

This song touches my heart and makes me think of how wonderful they are my children, and mourn when I see them, break my heart.

How sublime and tender .. . . . .

[vdeweese]

hello

[penseur817]

magnifique !!!!

[daharris26]

I like Helen Reddy's version better

[storyacoustic]

"Wonder Child" is a song that was written for Sesame Street and first performed by Sesame Street cast members. It was written by Sam Pottle and David Axlerod.

[mcguffin2001]

@storyacoustic sorry to correct you, but the cast did not sing this. It was sung on Sesame St. only by Helen Reddy and Richie Havens. Cheers.

[erscott13]

This brings tears to my eyes every time. I wonder if that would happen if I'd never had my son. Elisabeth

[jamesbrown69]

@erscott13 me too, so beautiful, especially if you have kids!

[bathory1234567890]

such a beautiful voice

[keemer08]

Im really fucking confused. Mary Black did not write this. They lyrics are completly different then these. I think this is an original.

[415montgomery]

I do love Richie Haven's version after listening to it again because it sounds natural . I also love Helen's version which is sung the way a Sesame Street song for children should be sung. I 'm sure that her version appealed to the kids more which was the intention of that show.

[timtyrellisgay]

@415montgomery - i actually agree with you that her version would suit kids better. This version is just unreal, though - but i feel that away often with Richie Havens

[atthehops]

Everything I see is new

The sky's a nicer shade of blue

And look, the grass is greener too

Since the time I first saw you

[atthehops]

Flowers grow around my door

I've never seen that rose before

And now, a rose means so much more

Must be you, its growing for

'Cause you're a wonder child

Living in a world that's all surprise

And you make me see things through your eyes

Wonder child, this I know

It's no wonder that I love you so

Wonder child, wonder child

[415montgomery]

Richie Havens has a very inprov way of singing. I love his style but with this song Helen Reddy's is the version that sounds better.

[PrincessPaleface]

I respect your opinion, but I think Richie Havens version sounds better by far. Helen's has a nice kind of pop seventies sound to it, but Richie's resonates so much more. The emotion in his version is unmatched. I also prefer the acoustics to the off-screen instrumental.

[nteixei2]

Does anyone know the guitar model he's playing? Is it a Fender?

[lumberjackvsbear]

It's a Guild D-40, classy guitar for a class player.

[2base]

Only lovely and amazing.

[415montgomery]

I love Helen Reddy's version the best. Richie Haven's version is okay, but doesn't catch your attention like Helen Reddy's version.

[moveonupcb]

if this doesn't catch your attention you don't know what music is !

[katiecayle]

I can't find this on itunes. does anyone know where to get this version?

[mbrand19971]

One of my favourite acoustic guitar players in music. And he does a nice version which I may had seen it my self and it's been years.

[MUSlCFAVORITES]

how. beautiful.

[lounalual]

j'étais agité par un vent contraire et le souffle voilé de Richie m'a rendu le bon sens du jour...

[loas55]

nice song......................real­y softly

[Williamgilbert]

I just listen to this song repeatedly throughout the day. Makes me think of the True Wonder Child. Has anyone else heard the phone ringing sound at around 1:27 in the recording. Goes to show how live it really was.

[TTGOSBORN]

FLIPPIN HELL UV GOT A GD EAR

[robincovers]

Wow, what an amazing song, and what an amazing man! This is so great, it just inspired me to do my own cover of it... my first youtube video, feel free to have a listen.

[arouska]

I looked it up and it was Helen Reddy who performed it first.  It was written for Sesame Street. But Haven's version is much better. Reddy's version sounds like a carpenter's song.

[brtcb]

Anyone know if he's still alive and performs?

[hottraill]

He's playing in Arlington , MA next Wed. pm.

[GeneralTrousers]

Yes he is alive and still performs ... he performed at MontreauX

@

[keemer08]

richie will always live.

[Garrettk41]

Richie Havens is one of the best guitarists ever. And he has an awesome voice. Anyone hear him sing "I'm On My Way"? I doubt if I'll ever hear a better version. I guess it's only fair that his version of this song is the one on Old School Volume 2, since Helen's got another song on it.

[The10nisnut]

Richie puts a smile on my face every time I hear his voice. One of the most beautiful voices of all time!

[Elipsic17]

how can download that song?

[GeneralTrousers]

Buy the Sesame Street Season-1 DVD where this came from ...

@

[ivanreateguiismodes]

Bellisimo tema

[lateforthesky61]

Richie Havens just goes right to the soul of life. His music always reminds me that theres something sacred about living, an awareness and participation in some greater reality—even if our day-to-day lives are often mundane and difficult. Its hard to even put into words what his music does for me, so the point is to just listen and feel and wonder.

[learntoswimca]

@lateforthesky61 I was just feeling the very same way about him.

[flickerman68]

Richie Havens has always been a magnificent emoter of spirit and beauty

[mcguffin2001]

A reply to last year's comment by pinkfreud326, The song "Wonder Child" was written by Sam Pottle (music) and David Axlerod (lyrics). The lyric writer is often confused with Capitol Records producer, radiohead producer and composer David Axelrod. (Note difference in spelling..)

Pottle took over the musical direction of Sesame Street after Joe Raposo left. He and Axlerod wrote a number of songs for Sesame Street. See Muppet Wiki for further details.

[sanchopp]

Un vrai délice, une pure merveille...

[simonj50]

Beautiful

[edx9]

Meravellós,un cop més hem quedo sense paraules amb la veu i la interpretació d'aquest home tant extraordinari. Thanks Richie!!!!

[moveonupcb]

weird technique he has with thumb fretting - great as usual. ritchie can spellbound audiences just with voice and guitar

[loikmg]

this is as good as helen readys version, was this on sesame street too.

[porkie1953]

I wish he would have this put on I tunes or someplace where I could buy it. I would even buy a complete CD! Thanks Mr. Havens for this WONDERFUL song!

[skyrissian]

Beautiful song. Anyone know the chord changes?

[rr5n]

its actually pretty easy tuning. top to bottom go dadf#ad. a chords are all on 7 fret, b on 9 c on 10, d are on 12 an open (no strings held), e are on 2, f are on 4, and g are on 5.. his site has minor, major and 7 variations on it

[thereverendfetus]

He plays a bunch of suspensions, augmenteds, diminisheds, and what he calls "color chords" on this one. I figured out "License to Kill" using his site and the knowledge that he plays in open D, but this one has stumped me for a few months. Just not enough good camera angles to give me some clues... Hit me up here if anyone has it figured out.

[LP1378]

The high string (bottom) is tuned to C on this one. This is one of those tuning variations that he uses. If you like playing his style, I highly, highly recommend the DVD "The Guitar Style of Richie Havens" It goes into far more detail than the website. Its also worth it just to see him perform the songs.

[LP1378]

p.s. if you like "San Francisco Bay Blues" he also plays it in the same tuning. D A D F# A C

[shouldabeenacritic]

RICHIE HAVENS did a song by KRIS KRISTOFFERSON several years ago called "THE HAWK" that might be even more beautiful than this song ......................

WONDER CHILD.

[buckyskank]

"Wonder Child" is a Sesame Street song that was performed on the show by Helen Reddy, as well as Richie Havens. The song is written from the point of view of an adult singing to a child about how a child's sense of wonder about the world can make an adult see the world in the same way, too.

[Segantini1899]

simply beautiful

[porkie1953]

I have been looking for this song for AGES. I remember my son at about 2 years old watching this on Sesame Street. He is now a father of 2 wonderful children and I want him to hear this. . I am a happy Granny! Candy in Colorado

[sadsontag]

Thank you. Awesome song & gorgeous performance by Richie Havens. Very powerful. Nice quality on the clip too. Thank you...you made my day.

[alexPsanz]

so awesome

[echofilms]

What a wonderful clip this is. I keep comin' back to watch it again!

Thanks for posting this.

Please check out Ernie Payne at "echofilms" channel for another great singer in the same vain as Richie.

[marleymanbob]

odd you'd say hes like richie i checked him out and hes not awful but i would put him on the same 'vain' as Mr Havens

[calderon2000]

when a child lives a life with this sense of wonder that us adults blanket them with, we contribute to the whole pie of harmony.

[Lancaster300]

I'd love to have this song as an mp3. Thanks for putting it up.

[oplusc]

beautiful. heartwrenching. uplifting.

[blue888blue]

Made me cry. Just beautiful.

[noogens]

This is cool. Is he dead?

[jehanne13642]

Nope, he's still performing.

[hani273nhk]

beautiful song....

[PaulKerseysStepSon]

Pure musical artistry!!! They don't make 'em like Richie Havens any more!

[echofilms]

Truly awesome, the man is trancendent!

[Petah5]

Richie Havens is the fucken man

[abelmister]

Absoluely beautiful.Richie Havens has a gift of singing somewhat meloncholy songs in a way which have an strong uplifting effect on the countenance rather than making people sad.

[quirpco]

Ah, the GOOD ol' days of Sesame Street, when CTW had no problem showcasing contemporary artists like Richie Havens, Helen Reddy and Paul Simon without dancing muppets getting in the way. They knew kids were intelligent enough to appreciate this music. I know I did back then, which is why I still do today.

The crap marketed for kids today is insulting to a child's intelligence. I KNOW they're smarter.

[andrewshepard88]

right on!

[Dnrothx]

Always wondered about how he used his thumb in his chords.

[LP1378]

check his website richiehavens.com. he gives a pretty thorough tutorial on how he taught himself how to play that way. it's pretty amazing.

[pinkfreud326]

Wonder Child was written by Joe Raposo, a co-creator of Sesame Street and performed on the show by both Helen Reddy and Richie Havens.

[vortextheory]

I saw him play at a small theater in foxboro Mass about seven years ago. He is an amazing performer.

[echofilms]

Please take the time to check out Ernie Payne on our "echofilms" channel.

If you are a fan of Richie I think you'll agree Ernie was cut from the same cloth as richie, Definately the same vibe.

check him out now!

[Petah5]

I did check out Ernie Payne as you said, at first I stumbled across a white guy that was good, but nothing compared to Richie Havens then I tried the next match and hats where I really saw what you mean.

Ernie Payne is good, great even but I feel Richie Havens has more than Ernie Payne, but only by a little, they are both great.

Could you recommend any more?

[hobofury8]

Beautiful Person

[jaydude28]

His Group peroformed another song on the show, cant think of it but it must have been Here Comes the Sun.

[kingofalldoughboys]

It WAS Here Comes the Sun! You are correct!! I'm 42 but remember it like it was last week! I couldn't have been older than 6 or 7 when he sang that one on Sesame Street!

[jaydude28]

yeah i was like 5 or 6 when i saw this myself and im only 30, but then ending he put in on the SS version was cool, I wish someone could upload that one.

[echofilms]

Richie! What an incredable performer and person, one of a kind.

[TinyDancer500]

Wonderful clip, thank you! I've never heard Richie's version before, I only know it through Helen Reddy (of "I Am Woman" fame). She recorded this on "The Stars Come Out On Sesame Street" album in 1979 and performed it on the show as well. Not sure about the songwriter, though, sorry.

[Folkhippie]

Wow, he played on sesame street? Thats so awsome, love this song, too bad its not on any albums :(