The Electric Company - Sign Song

[JGCooney]

Was that the real Joan Ganz Cooney at 1:03 talking?

[pictureisup1]

The street sings are now green instead of yellow

[microbusss]

hehe What are the odds of a RED yield sign?? I'm used to seeing yellow or in red AND white

I'll be not even 1% of these signs even exist lol

[litsci]

Tow away zone!

[thesagebrushkid]

Scary part is that some of those signs shown are STILL there.

[pictureisup1]

@thesagebrushkid in Green not yellow

[612gideon]

Cute  Thanks For Sharing

[RatBatSpiderCrab]

Anybody know who the guy in the taxi was?

[POTRADS]

@RatBatSpiderCrab - even better: is he still a NYC Cabby?

This is probably the most legendary song ever written!

[lakebay972]

@RatBatSpiderCrab I always thought it was Don Reid from "The Statler Brothers"

[pictureisup1]

@RatBatSpiderCrab a cab driver?

[RatBatSpiderCrab]

One of my favorite songs from this show!

Thanks for posting!

[MrJacMac1986]

that George Carlin at 32 sec?

[cmulwee001]

@MrJacMac1986

I would say that it's definitely is George Carlin. After seeing footage of Carlin from the early days of his career,and seeing that he looks just like the man we see at :32, I am 98% certain that is is indeed George Carlin as the frustrated,stressed out Taxi driver.

The Electric Company was known for using big name celebrities in brief cameos. People like Carol Burnette,

Barbara Eden, Gary Owens, and even the cast of Bonanza have had short on screen cameos on this series.

[NantoVision1]

@cmulwee001 No, that it is definitely not George Carlin. He does look a little bit like him, and that exasperated expression is somewhat similar, but it's not him.

There were many celebrity cameos in The Electric Company, but this is not one of them.

[JGCooney]

@cmulwee001 Also Barbara Eden cameos right after "My Name is Kathy".

[cmulwee001]

@MrJacMac1986

PLUS that is a very Carlin-esque expression that the Taxi man gives, so again it most likely is him. After all the show was produced in New York and Mr. Carlin grew up there.

[Charla1606]

Always had this stuck in my head evry time I saw this.

[ECWaxman]

I easily recognise all these Manhattan locations this song was done at. I remember it as a kid seeing it on telly!!! Especially the Village, Midtown, Central Park West @ Columbus Circle. I remember NYC had the streetcorner signs in black and gold. In the 1980s-present, they are ubitiquous green and white. Now green and white - lower case signs utilising the new Clearview Hyw typestyle are popping up all over the 5 boros.

[smittykins]

Can't say that I've ever seen a red Yield sign.

[UpRoaryus]

isn't it amazing what sticks with from childhood, even something so random as a song comprised of street signs? For some reason this one left a very strong impression on me also - I still know the lyrics after all these years even though they don't even make a sentence other than the question in the middle "what can you do?" Great show that instrumental in my reading skills I'm sure. Always liked it better than Seasame Stree or Mr. Rogers (who struck me as a little creepy, actually...)

[cmulwee001]

@UpRoaryus

Interesting that you should mention Mr. Rogers. If you've ever paid any attention to the Friday episodes throughout the series, when they have the full cast and production crew credits, there is a Fred Rogers who is part of the production crew. However, it is most likely a different Fred Rogers, I doubt that it's THE Fred Rogers."Mister Rogers" however was produced in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania, a state not that far from New York

where TEC was produced.

[rhsharp]

The Electric Company inspired me to create my own Emmy-Award winning children's series, Math Park. Check it out.

[Sharptooth100]

There should be a remarke of this on The New Electric Company.

[AWSMMOM]

Part of this song would flit through my mind when I'd see a sign. Thanks for finding and posting it so I can hear the whole thing again. :)

[TnseWlms]

It's conceivable, if one of the streets had a green left arrow for cars.

[QBCNetwork]

Gas, wash, Cinnamon Toast Crunch! That part sounded like that jingle.

[heine71]

@QBCNetwork Sounds like a cereal song, or maybe not.

[jfpinell]

Why are there 2 walk signs on at the same time at 90 degrees to each other? Is something wrong with that picture?

[TechnoNubian]

STILL LOVE this!

[zorinlynx]

I love these glimpses at early 70s New York, too. :)

[georgelee43211]

this music reminds of ''Three's Company & The Ropers''

[cootmaster]

tow away zone best

[grumpypant]

An amazing thing about this video is that despite the fact that it was filmed in New York somewhere, there's not one single gang graffiti shown anywhere...

Great job, CTW!!!

[LarryGastropoleau]

When did graffiti become widespread in New York?

[savinhillguy]

I remember as a suburban kid unfamiliar with one way streets (and, well, driving for that matter) being so concerned for that cabbie...for years I wondered what, in fact, did he do, and what about all the other cars that would come up behind him!

[KLRwashere]

@savinhillguy I used to wonder the same thing, for years. I was blessed with the answer! You go forward...Proceed straight forward. Dont be confused. God Bless! I hope that sort of made you smile a little as it did me when it occurred to me..

[kangalic]

as a new yorker, i love watching this

[d72jjpilc]

Great TEC memory indeed...makes me feel HOME SWEET HOME back in the day!

[robfergusonjr]

wow ... from America's Golden Age.

[yeahyeahyeah04]

LOVE IT!

[mborcherding47]

Tow awaaaay zoooooooone!!!

[zacandtaylorrule]

A classic that is back in my favorites. thanks Nanto. :)

[SnowbirdFlock]

Maybe that was Charlie Brown's teacher singing the 2nd half of the song.