The Muppets sing Jim Croce's "Time in a Bottle"

[TessLarson]

Wow! I'm in my late 30s and this really took me back! I remember the first time I saw this...it made me cry and I could not really understand why.  I was just overcome with melancholy, even though I knew I was just a little kid watching The Muppet Show.

[1Thunderfire]

I wish they would hurry up and bring out Series 4 and 5 on boxset. *sigh*

[100dollarklaatubid]

A lot of people don't realize this song was a song from Jim to his son. Makes it more poignant (sp?) when you know that.

[MiniMistro15]

I remember watching this when I was a kid..the muppets on Saturday night....fantastic!

[rachiethevidkid]

I had the album with this song on and it used to make me cry but itwas my absolute favourite apart from the one about worms! All kids should be exposed to the muppets and most 70's and 80's kids progs actually.

[CoolBreezeClub]

Alice Cooper should have covered this song. I could see him pulling it off.

[1angel0777]

I like how he starts out really old, then every time he drinks one of his concoctions he gets younger until the very last one that makes him old again...I wish they still had the Muppets on...

[JessieAshley2010]

The Muppets and Schoolhouse Rock need to go back on TV... ASAP!!!!

[Rabird74]

Sam's monologue on the record was the one on nudity

I found it as ' naked sam ' on the tube. Great comic timing..

[Rabird74]

I'm glad Jim henson is en will be among us in so many ways

[Rabird74]

as a kid I found a record out on the street in a parking space

it had hundreds of scratches and a big shard missing

(the sleeve was nowhere in sight, still don't know what it looks like.)

it was by the muppets and I took it home and actually played it a lot

the parts that still worked that is.. it had Glenda and her singing owl

and Sam's wonderful monologue on people but this one was my favourite..

I once asked a friend which muppet I am and she said Sam without thinking..which amazed me

[Rabird74]

first time I hear it without scratches

[Gaara1003]

7 people don't know what real television classics are

[redsoxfan1]

That is brilliant.

[shydmples]

This was EXCELLENT

[handymandan100]

I remember this.  Excellent stuff

[kevin07979]

To say this is brilliant would be an understatement. Thank God I was a young kid in the seventies and had great shows like this. Jim Croce and Jim Henson were amazing.

[vardiss22]

yeah i was at the peak of my childhood (nine or ten) when this was on and this is one of the songs preformed that has stuck with me over the yrs..also what was cool about this show was it gave kids a love for older music and entertainers(unlike today unless its flat out sampling) also it was EXTREREMLY well written so that both parents and kids enjoyed it

[shawnclarkston]

I remember 90% of the Muppet Show when it was new, wish all the different episodes were dated...

Nothing quite like the Muppets ever,,,

[Kwigkwig]

i agree is a shame our kids have nothing evening close to this :( thanks a bunch for sharing this vid with us :)

[honkydudeman]

ijyt

[michaelsmorrison]

Now for the intellectual stuff

[JJRage420]

They took off cookie monster and Oscar? This is BS. Man those were the best two muppets. Dang!

[drbotanus]

This is adorable.

[StarryEyedAngel]

Jim Henson is so amazing, the way his voice shifts ever-so-slightly with each transformation... I just sit here in amazement.

I think that's how you can tell if something is truly great, if you enjoy it in a simple way as a child, and then can come back as an adult and enjoy the subtleties and complexities. I miss the Jim Hensons and Walt Disneys... wish we had more like them.

[longfoot]

The bottle did the old guy in. Way too much smoke...tic...lol..

[treetrashish]

I don't want to be successful in music these days. How would you know if there's no Muppet Show to validate you?

[wakeupchannel]

my mama used bump this song on the record player

gc

1977

[drkglass01]

Where is the Jim Croce version of this?

[AnimeGamr]

*sigh* It's a pity having been born in the 90's... getting merely a glimpse at such masterpieces... then getting thrust into today's jumble of crap. :/

I recently rented the second season of The Muppet Show from the library, and instantly fell in love with this sketch. I've loved all the others I've seen so far, but this one sticks with me the most. The song used is very moving.

[SnowWhiteQueen29]

@AnimeGamr Agreed. I was born in 95 and by the time I was old enough to think of this stuff as more than just a distraction for a few hours, all the good stuff was gone.

THis song is beautiful. And you've gotta love The Muppets. :D

[treetrashish]

I love the fact that there is still kids that can know good music. Rest assured your generation can make good music, you just have to pry beneath the pop covering. We've all had to. Snow patrol comes to mind. Daniel Powter is a great singer songwriter. If all else fails there's nothing wrong with being a classic rock lover. More great music was made back in Croce's day than has ever been made sinc.

[chinpowtu]

Even when I was kid I fond this song very sad.

[fallindarkrose]

i miss watchin the muppets

[gaz2206]

i love this song so much

[NotSoUniversal]

kids have nothing like this anymore....I guess sesame street is still cool..but thats about it

[Debwesty]

now days sesame street is ruined being too politically correct sad....cookie monster has to eat vegetables he is taxed if he eats too much sugar and omg Mr. Grouch is on welfare and renting a snazzy apartment. Very sad.....

[NotSoUniversal]

no way, is that a joke or for real? i actually heard they took the grouch off cuz he was too mean

[coldandhomeless]

they took off oscar the crouch because he was promoting poor eating habits (cookies) i got my ass beat for eating like him once lol

[NotSoUniversal]

wait...they took off oscar AND the cookie monster? or they just took of the cookie monster?

[coldandhomeless]

@NotSoUniversal ya sorry they took off them both... i made a typo... now they got like a healthy carrot stick or something stupid...

[CadillacL]

@coldandhomeless That's a crime to take BOTH off.

[100dollarklaatubid]

@NotSoUniversal thank the child protective act of 1978, when cartoons fell to the ax (surprised Star Blazers made it through) and pretty much after Henson died too. In my opinion, the first and 2nd muppet movies were good, after that, goodbye good writing aimed at the whole audiance. Just my opinion.

[Bradius123]

@NotSoUniversal

Feist 1234!

:)

[badnewsBH]

The folks who came up with this skit were brilliant. It's a wonderful interpretation of the lyrics. The Muppet Show is classic TV, and Jim Croce is the best of the best in music... a winning combination every time.

[ChromWolf]

What I find most sad about the song is when you consider who's singing it behind the muppet.... How so terribly ironic.

If *I* could save time in a bottle, I'd save the day we lost Jim away in a bottle and bury it so no one could ever find it.

[wherefalconsfly]

the mad scientist makes the sad even sadder. omg this is sooo sad.

[Blakefe]

i always fell sad hearing this cuz so many great things gone just like toonami and the good shows on cartoon network and nicklodion

[pabloatpethig]

Love this song and sad that the original video was taken off :-( I really thought he was gonna turn into Beaker though lol

[skinheadfunboy]

Yup, this was the show that my mom told me about Jim Croce. I was 7 and I'd been listening to his music on the radio since I could remember. However, since then my heart drops and a lump goes into my throat everytime I hear Croce's music. Kinda embarrassing simce I'm a rocker, heavy metal, punk!

[yveslabelle]

this show was so brilliant

i really miss it :_(

[paulswebdiscounts]

Excellent rendition, but listen closely, and you can totally say this voice is a slower Kermit the Frog, lol. Long live Jim Croce!

[jcsigma]

and Jim Henson!

[zombyjesus]

i remember watching this when i was a child, and feeling sad but not knowing quite why.

[tommyrocketship]

where is gonzo?

[naganokumas]

I have just done a first for me.

I've actually jumped up and added something to my favourites.

I've added things to my favourites before. But this is the first time I've jumped up to do so.

[t0000ohyea]

i soiled myself while wathching this video

[kennethlellison]

this makes a great song even better.

[just4loooks]

the old man is so cute...lol

[kennethlellison]

simply awsome

[hispeed007]

Wow, I haven't seen this since I was a kid! Thanks for posting!

[dtv67]

I haven`t seen that in 30 years, so sad, thank you for letting us see what a genius Jim Hensen could be!

[wwwcoginkcom]

Right on!! I had no idea the Muppets covered Croce on their show. That is awesome! Thanx for sharing! 5 stars!

[majorgeek]

I can't believe I found this here! I'd forgotten all about seeing this as a kid. The Muppet show had alot of cool musicians on their show and did really good interpretations of hit songs! I love this song and the segment that was done for it.

[lalacasper]

that is beautiful and sad!!!!!!! i will always remember watching this video......

[Laety]

this version is brilliant and sad at the same time. a beauty in sadness

[TaraLeeB]

Thank you for posting this!

This is still one of my favorite songs. It was our High School Graduation Song. (That was a LONG time ago.)

"There never seems to be enough time to do the things you want to do, once you find them.."

How very true.

We love and miss you both, Jim Henson and Jim Croce.

I miss the Muppets and the more simple times we had then.

Thanks, Shawn for sending this link to me.

Love, Mom

[redsoxfan1]

Wow, that was beautiful/sad.

[gaylebugs]

There never will be anything like the muppets. The older I get the better I love their recreation of songs.

[RobertGary1]

He sounds just like Kermit ;)

[Pennstereo]

Thank you for posting this version, I missed hearing the old man sing it. Jolly good fun and it really brings back some childhood memories.

[BASavage81]

I too remember when this was shown on TV. Brilliant. "They sure don't make them the way they used to." Thanks for posting.

[shoppersgirlforever]

I'm 31 and this is one of many songs that take me back to my Muppet days every time I hear it. I never thought I'd ever see this clip again. Thanks for posting it!

[CadillacL]

WOW..I remember watching the show as a kd (i'm 36 now) but, not sure I remember this part. AWESOME.

[marybeth830]

My 8 year old son loved this as much as I did decades Ago!

:-)

[dimplesbaby69]

I remember watching this. Wow brings back memories!!!!!!

[sg72646]

Yeh same here, must have been nearly 30 years ago.

[b4ifly2paradise]

From the EDGAR BERGEN episode (Season 2, Episode #31), CLASSIC!

[maximumgravity]

What a great tribute. One of the last greats of family television honoring a "timless great" himself, by singing one of his most popular songs.  What an iconic blend of two media that tell a story of the greats of yesterday!!

Way to go "Jims" - you both did us proud, we miss you both!!

[neptho]

Wow, I remember this. This has stuck with me for over the past two decades; not only as a fan of Jim, but the end, where he becomes old and decrepit again..

[neptho]

I came back to watch this, half a year later.

Goodspeed, Jim. Jim.

[Blondeinanelevator]

I loved this clip from the Muppets. It was one of my favorite shows with my most favorite singer of all time, Jim Croce. <3

[66flamer]

i havent seen this video in about 10 to 20 years. wow. speachless.

jim henson was a very very important treasure.

thank you. almost crying.

[glowworm2]

I remember seeing this one as a child myself-it scared me!

[yankeesteve67]

I know the feeling!! I saw this to. It was my first exposure to the fact that we dont live forever. The end startled me..

[seaweed555]

I remember this from when I was a kid, thanks.

[boc8888]

thanks for the posting ..great memories

[culpit]

I remember hearing this song on a Muppet record. The way Jim's voice would start sounding old, then kept getting younger in each verse.