Sesame Street - J Friends (1971)

[SirBentley3000]

Hey hey I got one it goes: Junkie James was joining Jim who had a Joint with him and rolled it nice and slim!

[HeYiTsCAnDacEg]

11 people dont know what letter comes after I. ;)

[rang3r34]

This song is still pretty catchy even today! First guy sound slightly like Neil Diamond for a brief second!

[DaveWollenberg]

is that Fran Brill doin' the female vocal?

[TheLifeOfEpic]

9 people didn't want to sing a song about Jay

[dumboiscute]

this is my favorite song in the WHOLE movie!!!!!

[nellie2581]

Sesame Street oldies.

[micmac99]

I had NO idea all. these. years this song was about the actual crew.

[ajduncan100]

I was 3 years old when this came out, and I was listening, waiting for them to say my name "James" and they didn't say it. I was about ready to cry when they didn't, because they skipped my name on J-jump song too! What wonderful memories this brings back!  I was crazy about Sesame Street! Used to watch it 3 times a day.

[MsPandaRosa]

@ajduncan100

Well, "Jane" sounds close to "James", you can always change the name and sing it that way for yourself. I always thought the last name was "Jones" not "Joan".

[5minutesToFame]

i smoke a "j" with my "j"-friendß´s

[lee68506]

thanks j!

[Smartboy8877]

Just for fun, I am going to point out this this routine appeared the same year that Judy Blume published her book "Then Again, Maybe I Won't"! Has anyone here read that book? I read it when I was fourteen years old. I thought it was a pretty decent read.

[fbi09guy]

Damn you Justin Bieber!!! The letter "J' should be illegal :(

[SirBentley3000]

I got one: Junkie Jim jumping up and down! Jocking his crotch with a joint in his hand!

[quirpco]

What if one of those muppets jumped right off the puppeteer's hand, then you see this bare hand jumping & singing with the others! LOL

[JGCooney]

Is that Frank at 1:35?

[stegatops]

They could sure jam back in those days!! Love these songs!

Another good one is "Telephone rock"!

[LuvsNeoSoul302]

Hey Groooooovy Man Groooovy!!! Look at 'em go!!!

[murielsartre]

Time to dance!

[halcaannen]

J is one of my favourite letter. Say, did you know that Christmas' candy canes were candy J's (because of Jesus).

[Smartboy8877]

@halcaannen

I had no idea of that! Facinating! Where did you learn it?

[halcaannen]

@Smartboy8877 I learned in this Jesus Is The Reason For The Season type of site.

[Smartboy8877]

@halcaannen

That is very interesting! Thank you for the response!

[TnseWlms]

@halcaannen You can also make a Star of David out of two Doritos.

[Chaingang9971]

I don't know if anyone noticed but if you pause at 1:34 you can see part of the persons head thats playing one of the muppets i learned that from a websites that mentioned goofs that happen on sesame street

[JLPSHF1]

I used to love this song when I was little! I had a tape with a song for each letter and this was my favorite because my name started with J.

[nightowl8936]

Wow, what a super cool song! One of the coolest alphabet songs ever!

[Meteoro7]

Jesus!

[nicolejoanmadanu]

i got a j friend too

[MariPamJam]

what? ya gotta be kidding me. when you listen to the first lines of the green guy, you know when he says, "hey i gotta" it sounds like ernie weeping. go to muppet wiki, and you will see.

[TheRainbow2nd]

I got a j friend too....hehe

[MariPamJam]

That's because the blue guy was played by the guy who played animal. Frank OZ.

[wi8ig]

Hey you. The blue puppet is not Frank Oz, it's Jim Henson (if you know who that is?)

Frank Oz is the green puppet!

Frank makes about his voice many times, and not just the same as Animal ....

[Sabored]

the second guy kinda sounds like animal

[MariPamJam]

(chuckle) yeah, I know.

[MariPamJam]

If you look at 1:35 first of all, you half to pause it, and look closely, there's a head between the green guy and the lavender guy.

[TelephoneRock4ever]

Except that the lavender puppet's not a guy, it's a girl.  ;-)

[BossZula]

I guess he got excited XD

[jennapennagirl]

Neat...looks like a Jim Henson hair cut to me.

[vigerfa]

@MariPamJam Yeah, I see it, took me a while but yes, it's there!!

[BBallBryan23]

Oh wow, keep your eye on the green guy...he makes the song!!! Probably got a concussion w/all that head thrusting!

[TelephoneRock4ever]

I know! The green guy got me giggling near the end with all that head-shaking!

He can really get into the groove, can't he?

[0047124]

And check out the purple girl too. She lost her nose while dancing.

[TelephoneRock4ever]

No, she's never had a nose. At the beginning, when she first appears, you can see she already doesn't have a nose.

[TelephoneRock4ever]

This song would make a pretty good tongue twister. I got mixed up singing this to myself once.

[scao09]

This helps a lot teaching your younger siblings with their letters!!!

[BossZula]

I'm pretty sure I saw this, back when they would show the oldest episodes on Noggin, Back in 02 I think.

I loved it ever since.

[PimpThe478]

Love the colorful Pyschadelic look.

[bloofan06]

Love this! Just saw it the other day! I wish my name started with J! LOL

[monmichka77]

LOL that shimmy down dance that big head blue muppet does, that was my favorite!

[Blondiegreeneyes72]

lol at the blond muppet dancing :)

[hollygolightly101]

You can see one of the muppeteers at 1:35!

[SnugglySara]

Yup!

[pettee1979]

I wonder how many times this was repeated. I remember this song from when I used to watch Sesame Street, but I was only born in 1979, so it would have been between 1982-1986.

[wutzernutzer]

They often repeated stuff for years, bt they could because most of it was great. I was born in 1978. I would bet a lot of the segments we saw were from the 70's.

[MrRichyou]

Check how the green gut comes in. He's like...n' J,Jones jumping on a pole..lol. The bass guitar line is wicked too.

[chillin26]

I love the J Friends song, fav line is "J Joe jeans and his jelly beans hey lets sing about j!" thanks for the upload

[kermitthefrog512]

thats my fav line too! since I was little!!!

[SeasideDetective2]

Nelson and Oz harmonize really well. And isn't that Jim Henson himself as the final singer?

[efil4own1]

Also, listen to some of the voices the Muppet performers use! The orange Muppet has the same voice Jerry Nelson would use for Sgt. Floyd Pepper on "The Muppet Show". Jim used the same voice he'd use for Rowlf & Dr. Teeth, and Frank used the same voice he'd use for George the Janitor on Season 1 of "The Muppet Show".

[AlicePleasance09]

Look at those Muppets shimmy! Woo-hoo!

[BBallBryan23]

Too bad this didn't happen 30 years later because the green guy would totally win Dancing With The Stars...look at that green thing move.

[ofudgems]

I know exactly what you mean! When I was watching the clip, I couldn't take my eyes off of him! He's really got some killer rhythm! That's what I love about Sesame Street, the puppeteers really put their love into their work, and it shows. Ahh the good ole days. R.I.P. Jim Henson.

[BBallBryan23]

lol my little sister and i remember that segment from when we were kids and we've watched it like 20 times on here laughing at the green guy. You're right, RIP Jim Henson...amazing show!

[TelephoneRock4ever]

I need to see the green J friend dance again. I was paying too much attention to the Pumpkin J friend, probably because he looks cute! ;-)

[TelephoneRock4ever]

Okay, NOW I saw the green guy! At the end, he was really workin' it! And, he has such a nice voice. Baritone, isn't it?

[xenakaii]

@BBallBryan23 you are hilarious...u really made me stop and look at him hahaaaaaaaaaaaaa!

[BBallBryan23]

@xenakaii Thanks! It's true though isn't it? He went a little crazy during this song...let it all hang out :)

[xenakaii]

@BBallBryan23 I tried doing that head move ...I almost broke my damn neck!! I'll leave it to the professionals hahaaaaaaaaa

[splatbubble]

@BBallBryan23 HAHAHAH I can't take my eyes off that green guy now.

[444kingtuts]

J, Joe and his Jelly Beans jumping in the early 70's sun.

[mezzoly]

I'm pretty sure this is Fran Brill onthe woman's part. I was ecstatic to hear a woman's voice when this came out. I loved Ernie and Bert but I was a little girl who noticed there were few little girl muppets on the show, in 1971.

[TheCoolProfessor]

This song is addictive! No wonder we kept watching this show as kids!

[redckittie]

This is a classic my son loves it!

[JainaMac]

Man, that green kid can dance!

[Blondiegreeneyes72]

lmao

[SeasideDetective2]

This song reminds me a lot of Diana Ross's "The Happening."

[akoripahs]

Now that I think about it, I'm surprised they didn't have one for Jerry Nelson (J - Jerry).

[asaweryold]

His name has two syllables, so it wouldn't fit the song.

[Smartboy8877]

@asaweryold

I was just about to point out this reality! I guess you beat me to the punch!

[mezzoly]

J, Joe, Jeans is Joe Raposo, who wrote Being Green , and the Sesame Street theme, to name just two. He was a music student of Nadia Boulanger, which is like having Michaelangelo for your art teacher.

J Jim, tall and slim, fits Jim Henson.

Jumping Jane fits Jane Henson, but I don't know whether that was on purpose.

[asaweryold]

And of course "J-Joan jawing on the phone" is Joan Ganz Cooney, one of the driving forces behind the creation of Sesame Street.

[mezzoly]

Oh yeah! thanks!

[SassySoulja4]

@asaweryold @mezzoly Wow! That's interesting :)

[pwnerXD]

omfg dude i see it is his head haha i see a head thats cool lolz he needs to keep his head down

[mastermalone]

They must have continued to resuse these skits for years after they originally aired. I was born in 1979 but I remember this one.

[boring55ca]

At 1:35 someone's head gets in the shot when the puppets jump!

[boring55ca]

Ah..I see its Frank Oz...nevermind...makes sense because his voice is the green puppet. He needs to keep his head down..lol

[TelephoneRock4ever]

I thought it was Fran Brill.

[ForbiddenRiot]

god its times like these i wish we still had this kind of stuff even tho im 13 and into computers :p

[CelticThunder2133]

Haha Same here except I'm 14 but its the same thing, essencially.

[CappyCorning]

Man, so glad to finally find this bit. I've tried looking for it in the past and just stumbled across it. Back in Sims 1, I used this song as a basis for my reality show family. I called them the Beans and had Jay, Jo, Jean and Jim. I ended up making the other four characters up because I couldn't remember Jane and Joan from not having heard the full song in ages. But you better believe the next time I play with the Beans they will be.

[Skyyedink]

I think that was Jim Hensons' head at 1:35!!!

[zhelder]

It was Frank Oz's head.

[Skyyedink]

Ha ha ha!! But the funny thing is that I remember this song and could almost sing ALL the words like I saw it yesterday!!

I LOVE SESAME STREET!!!

[chubbychilli]

How old were you when you first saw it? I think it's amazing how people remember things at such a young age. One lady said she saw the Opera Orange on Sesame Street (clip's on youtube) when she was 3 and that was it - her fate was sealed and became an Opera singer!

[Skyyedink]

This came out in 1971, and I was born in 1975, but I watched Sesame Street everyday! I think I was 5 when I saw this, but to this day I still watch it when I catch it. This show is wonderful!

[d72jjpilc]

Like 'P is my Favorite Letter,' a group of Anything Muppets get together and sing about their favorite words that begin with a certain letter. Great lyrics, music, everything! Moreover, this makes me cry tears of JOY!

[DRUMMERMAN77]

joe- joe raposo, jim- jim henson, jane- jane henson, joan- joan cooney

[Lordofjunggle]

J joe jumping up and down in the early 70's sun.Having an incredibly good sycadelic fun.Reliving the precious age of Aquarius.

[sunnyblonde2118]

I was born in 1971 when this video was first broadcasted, and one thing that attracted me to Sesame Street was the muppet characters and when I saw this video for the first time a couple of years later, I absolutely loved it and got into the song.  Very energizing!

[nelosnmuntz]

Best tune ever. Get ahold of Sesame Street Alphabet Tape disc album, whatever. I am in my 40's and this is the only tape in my car! Best Song Ever!!

[flowertrue]

This is so catchy! J Joe Jeans and his Jelly Beans... OMG that will be in my head all day, and speaking of heads, I dont see anybodys head at 1:35. Where is it?

[lishun]

freeze it and you'll see it. it's a guy's head. =)

[newyorkhatco]

great tune! Raposo is amazing.

[TelephoneRock4ever]

Actually, if you look on Muppet Wiki, Jeff Moss wrote the song.

[bubba90]

CLASSIC! I still have it on tape at home

[crazylogic]

This sounds more Galt MacDermot than Joe Raposo

[drowner1]

It's Raposo on the song credit.

[tresdivine]

JO is ME!! i love this show :D

[HartnellTroughton108]

I posted my last comment to the wrong one. Best clip from the whole show. I used to like this when I was a weeeeeeeeee midget.

[pepelepew2006]

Is that a guys head at 1:35?

[donburt]

It is some guy's head!!!

[ladydejour1]

CLASSIC!!! THANK YOU!!

[Emilyllskittles]

i love this song i first heard it when i was little on my sesame street movie

[CherJovi]

VERY cool to see this agin....TYVM

[TheTucker]

This is probably one of my favorite childhood songs. When something is good it just lasts, and the fact that it has been posted here just proves that you don't have to play down to kids they are smart enough to know when something is good.

Did you hear that The Wiggles, let's see if anyone cares enough to share your crap 30 years from now?

[pjeank]

LOL.......no kidding....ugh...The Wiggles

[hollywoodliberal]

this is sooo catchy. I miss this stuff.

[JGCooney]

What high-pitched instrument is added for Fran Brill's part? (J Jim he's tall and slim...) third in lineup.

[lovehoshiko123]

jacob ,jason jessica johanne

[mrkingofkings]

My first name starts with "J", My dad's name starts with "J" (the same first name as Raposo), and my dad's brothers and his sister starts with "J" so we are family members start with J in our first name.

[JGCooney]

Who are the voices and what instruments are in this song? Whose head pops up near the end? (Which muppeteer?)

[tieayellowribbonuk]

That would be Frank Oz buddy, voice of Miss Piggy, Yoda, Grover, Cookie Monster...the list goes on. A genius.

[tdavidray]

I'm SOOO glad I found this! I had an old LP (record album) and I loved ALL the songs, but it was lost in Hurricane Katrina! Glad I've got at least one song back!

[freshinit]

I got a brother with a J! I will love him ti the day I die! and even then he would say 'well that was a stupid thing to do!' Man you got to love my brother J!

[dubs19842008]

I got several J Friends. Jess, John, Jordan, Josh, Julie, Justin, among others.

[deniadav]

I look a mistake in my ancient mail. i want to say the song was, not the song war. i was thinking in Deutsch.

[deniadav]

I´m beloved with this song. In Spain the song war "juan y juanita juegan con judias, la j es mi preferida.

[tvercetti1970]

.......my first name begins with "J",it's

JAMES.

[nikima99]

CLASSIC..love to sing along with this. The background muppet are doing the "Lean wit it, Rock wit it"...they were before their time.

[boobdinger]

LMAO! i didnt even notice that until i read ur comment after that i couldnt stop laughing

[Orenotter]

I love these fun, cheery songs.

[rganalphabro06]

Damn! I remember this song. Sesame Street was the bomb!

[lifeboatB]

you can totally see a puppeteer's head at 1:34! :-O ha ha! great song!!

[HottieKarinaooh]

oh yeah... you can... haha

[Blondiegreeneyes72]

lol at the blond muppet bobbing his head :D

[daveyboygee]

This came out the year I was born. I remember jammin' to it. It's definitely one of my favorites and a Sesame Street classic for all Gen X.

And I named my son Josh so it's gotta be cool.

[Pimp479]

This is typical late 60's early 70's (1968-1974) slangs and musical beats.

[kkaasse4life]

omgg i love this show!! i havent seen it in forever.. and even though im way tooo old for it i still think its the best!!

[janmarpi]

Sigh, memories...and good ones at that.:)

[ELMinthebreeze]

This song is the jam! I'm so glad I saw this. I'm going to be humming it for months!

[eurasian73]

i love this video. used to watch it as a kid in the late 70s. :)

[kittystar6]

oMG Im 16 and like this IM A DORK BUT IM AWSOME ^^

[ProfessorIgor]

your cast in order... Jerry Nelson, Jim Henson, Fran Brill & Frank Oz... this is an infectious groove !!! Considering I hadn't heard it in 30yrs and still remembered it !!!

[tyrese3745]

The first singer sounds like Neil Diamond.

[aet0901]

one of the best sesame street songs...

by the way watch closely when they sing about jane at the end. when the characters jump you can see a puppeteer's head (my guess is that it's frank oz)

[jaimeloves]

this is my most favorite song ever!!! THANK YOU!!!!

[Maskedmutant]

This is in fact a visual provision - the song itself originally appeared in the Muppets' ABC album in 1971, in which the Muppets discuss the alphabet through song and sketch; this song covered "J" - later that year, many of the songs & sketches made it to the show; others didn't - this one did - the most famous one of that album, of course, is "C Is For Cookie" (covering "C")

[Pimp479]

The muppet girl looks so hot.I am thinking about doing things you should not do on sesame street.

[rmumusicalrob]

Bad Idea. She's probably in a relationship with the orange muppet.

[Garrettk41]

The funny thing is, when she sang about Jim, you might jokingly suggest that she's referring to the blue guy, who's voiced by Jim Henson. The only thing is he isn't tall and slim like the orange guy, who's voiced by Jerry Nelson. And as "Jerry" is another J name, they could have written a verse for him, too.

[TelephoneRock4ever]

Sorry, buddy, that was two years ago. I've had my eyes on the Pumpkin guy for two months now. :-P

[DRUMMERMAN77]

sorry she might make you feel JILTED

[whataburgerfan1]

You can do better, go for a girl with a nose

[jsboogie71]

Hey, I got a J friend too! lmao!

[beautifuldayboy]

J is a super-letter

[southernstorm7]

I agree

[dunskie]

Does it get any cooler for kids?

[lion371]

i start with j I am the jaguar

[raposofan]

Joe wearing jeans = Joe Raposo

Jumping Jane = Jane Henson

Jim, tall and slim = Jim Henson

Joan, jawin on the phone = Joan Ganz Cooney

Written as an affectionate gift by Jeffrey Moss.

[alanwbishop]

What was Joan Ganz's middle name or is she Miss Cooney, not Mrs., or is it Dr. ?

[HeyButtahfly]

Great song! The muppet dancing is so funny!

[gooberbug81]

omg memories....i still remember the words

[lumpsums]

this song is CRAZY COOL!

[VideoJunkei]

I have always wondered how many 'takes' are done to get the finished product...note that almost all sesame street skits are done 'all the way through' with no edits...

[bboytramp]

That lavender girl sounds like Zoe.

[Queenc12]

You are right.

[rmumusicalrob]

It is Zoe.

[Ziffel67]

This one is so much fun to hear. They did a great job with the muppets too.

There is one error I detected at 1:19. After Frank Oz makes the green muppet say, "Okay, here goes" we hear Jim Henson say, "Yes sir". But he forgot to make the blue muppet's mouth move when he said that.

My favorite part is when the blue muppet sings about his friend Jane and then the Henson and Nelson muppets both say, "J Jane jumpin' Jane". Just sounds so cool!

[TheWall812]

I think he says 'Let's hear it', not 'yes sir'.  But as he sort of mumbles it out, I think it's forgivable that the mouth doesn't move...maybe this particular muppet has some ventroliquist talent, too, you never know.

[shortyblackwell]

but wouldn't the jellybeans get all sticky?

[halfordt]

i haven't heard this in nearly 30 years! this made my day!!!

[pdak04]

i might be 18 right now but i kno this song and its still tha shit 2 me

[thoughtfoxe]

I'm 34 and this song IS STILL THE SHIT for me too! ;o)

[StaceSesame]

i am 34 too and i still love this too! :)

[tod4533]

i love it too!!!!!!!

[Brinah]

this song will be a hit at the party!