The Electric Company - "Grease"

[wickedfeylady]

What a catchy song

[saints093]

Morgan Freeman was awesome as the bass singer when Rita done this song, totally cool video. :)

[texasghost]

There is an interview that Rita Moreno did for the Actors Guild a few years ago..she said doing The Electric Company was the most rewarding shows she had ever done and nothing but praise for Bill Cosby and Morgan Freeman. She said that her only regret was that she wished she stayed with the show.

[chaseman94]

I've only seen this once when I was 3 or 4 yrs. old and it's been stuck in the back of my brain ever since. At first I thought I would never see it again but now thanks to you I can watch this over and over again.

[yuukisama2001]

Man this was what growing up in the 70's meant. The EC was a great show.

[manicview]

The idea for this skit, Grease the play, Grease the film and Happy Days were inspired by Sha Na Na. The 50s revivalist act Sha Na Na was a big hit in the early 70s that started playing in 1969.

[landrykkb]

I would have automatically assumed if I was watching this at the age I did that the movie Grease was what inspired this because I didn't even know new shows weren't being produced after 1977(the year before the movie Grease premiered)until a few months ago.

[ContardoholicFan]

I Grew Up W/ This Show... Morgan Freeman Regretted Being On This Show Too Long/ He Was 'Easy Reader' & A Fine Actor He Still Is Today, He Was Good On this Show Too !!

[LNSmithee]

@ContardoholicFan When he was getting Oscar buzz for "Driving Miss Daisy," he was quoted in an interview as saying he liked doing TEC the first season and hated it every subsequent season, but kept doing it because it was steady work. One fateful day the funding was simply cut off for the show bring it to a sudden halt, much to Freeman's delight. He said then if the show was still on, he'd probably still be doing it.

Freeman was in the final TEC bit recorded, the simple song "That's all."

[jfpinell]

I figured this was a cheap take from John Travolta/Olivia Newton-john "Grease".

[johndalar4888]

@jfpinell Sorry this skit was way way way before the movie by about ten year earlier but its been a while so i can see how you where confused....

[jfpinell]

@johndalar4888 I was half kidding/half serious. (Quite often I don't put things entirely clear out here for people.) I was just saying it looked like a '50's thing and given that the movie was based in that same time....

:)

[Dollybirdvintage]

@johndalar4888

Actually, they aren't confused at all. This skit DID come out before the movie, but the movie wasn't the first 'Grease'. The ORIGINAL 'Grease' was a stage musical and the movie was based on that. The musical came out in 1971, a year BEFORE this skit, so in reality this '50s skit IS based on Grease. :)

[johndalar4888]

@jfpinell I can see why you are confused but this skit took place way way way before the movie like about ten years before.....

[lurch321]

The background singers' facial expressions at the beginning just crack me up!

[Crotchrot]

Wow. Never thought I would hear this again!

[happycat2010]

I remember this all too well 

[Optimalillusion]

Anybody else think this sounds like something from "Ruben and the Jets"?

[ClarkeMarek]

@Optimalillusion Dunno, but in his prime, Roy Estrada could probably hit the high notes in "Phantom of Love."

[Juan321C]

WOW! I almost let this one get away from the memory bank! This is classic!

[happycat2010]

I remember this particular part. It's amazing how seeing something from a long time ago can open so many great memories

[mhathcote]

MORGAN FREEMAN!!!!

[SecretTimeWarp]

You know, when the "Grease" stage show was written, a bunch of lame songs got canned, and were never heard past the first few performances. One of 'em was called "Grease" (not the Barry Gibb song)... it'd be funny if it was something like THIS. :-P

[ClarkSavageJr]

This is probably the sequence that made me fall in love with Rita Moreno at age four. Thanks for sharing!

[Listersmate2]

This song is kind of prophetic when you think about the oil spill don't ya think? Just sayin'!

[MissKandeeKane]

AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!

[cookycandy4]

gay

[dubs19842009]

A girl who played Anita in West Side Story (As Rita Moreno did) would probably play tough girl Rizzo in Grease.

[escrtist]

whats that they are singin in the background, 'Bom Bom Ba Doodie, Bom Bom Ba Doodie.

[coolsweetgroovy]

Too cool

[fukapple]

sexy rita, mind-blowing, grrrrrrrrr!

[robfergusonjr]

What do you mean is that Morgan Freeman ... of course its him ... everytime I see him in a movie I go "hey, it's that guy from Electric Company." :)

[mrsandyq]

@robfergusonjr Yup, as much as I absolutely LOVE Morgan Freeman, and respect him as one of the most amazing actors ever, I also think every time I see him in something, "HEY, he was on Electric Company!" :) Loved that show... :) Used to watch it after school every day when I was a kid...

[menatwork2010]

Hey, is that Morgan Freeman?

[blkwebman]

I know everyone's noticed Morgan Freeman to Rita's left.....;-)

[snuffereet]

This almost sounds like a parody of Sha Na Na, with Rita Moreno doing Pamela Myers-styled voice. What year did this song first air? I'm guessing 1974 or 5.

[murielsartre]

"Grease" was premiering on Broadway when this song was on EC. Just to give you that cultural connection.

[denzelsnipes69]

Looking fine in those tight pants, girl!

[sageofsuccess]

Hey, it's Rita Moreno and the Pips. I do remember this one.

[teecayb]

I remember this one; thanx 4 posting it!

[attaalib]

OMG!!! Who wrote THIS SKIT! ROFL I couldnt stop laughing, Rita Moreno was Buggin out!! lol

[theincredibleiannune]

Have you seen the new electric company show? don't bother it's a terrible slap in the face insult to the Original

[colleen4ever]

@theincredibleiannune Don;t get me STARTED, they completely RUINED all we love about this show!! The new show sucks eggs, they even ruined the softshoe silluettes!

The new show is 100% wrong on so many levels! Our children are gonna remember that load of crap when you say Electric Company instead of this!

[BlueKyne]

Wow! I had no idea what total babe Rita Moreno was, especially in those shiny hot pants!! Yowza!

[bauble24]

She's even hotter in the movie Westside Story ;)

[BlueKyne]

I'll be sure to do that, bauble24.

Aww, someone gave me a thumbs down! Must be some sexless dullard. I can't help it if I find a beautiful Latin woman in shiny hot pants sexy!

[kuryakin4life]

I loved the electric company. this, 3-2-1 contact and zoom were my shows!

[VideoFanatic02]

@kuryakin4life I agree, I loved all of those shows. Also Romper Room and Schoolhouse Rock.

[CaptNemo100]

Seasons one through four were awsome!

[snoops71]

I remember watching this! I was around 7.

Thanks for posting!!!

[Immortal1000]

I was born in late 72 and I don't remember this.

I'm 36. But I used to watch TEC all the time when

I was a little kid.

[maziebunny]

I was born in late '75 and I remebered this one. I watched TEC every night until they stopped airing it around '84. always liked these guys.

[DORINDA67]

Thanks! I have not seen this in WOW, 38 years, Where did my life go???????

[UdoShan]

Morgan Freeman with a perm?

BWAH HA HA HA HA!

[Khultan]

Childhood memories coming back to me. ha ha ha I love the Electric Company!

[Ctmagnus]

Rita = Goddess

[slave2moonlight]

Ha, this is such good stuff. Of course, I was born in '75, so I have an excuse, but the only thing I ever remembered of The Electric Company was the opening and Spider-Man! Now I want the DVDs!

[Leecogic]

My wife was born in 77 and claims not 2 remember it so i feel old (i'm 37 btw)

[landrykkb]

@Leecogic Well,Electric Company ceased production in 1977,but PBS still aired reruns up until 1985.That's about all I caught of it while I was still old enough but still young to appreciate it.

[MALILLY1490]

Cute, but I can't figure out what is supposed to teach a kid. Maybe the uses for grease?

[Tamaslammer]

Rita Moreno could grease me....

[kaitiscarlett]

LOL, Tamaslammer!!!

[Sweetbabyvixen]

LOL, stupid!

[66Robert]

Rita Moreno at her sexiest.

[AllRequired]

Can we all say this one was just "grand"?

[ihatestalkers]

LOL - I used to think they were singing "We're gonna grease his tongue." At the time I never questioned what greasing a tongue was. Maybe I should have.

[riceboy1701e]

Grease is the...err, a word! Very catchy song!

[BigLudie1964]

This was great!! Are they ever going to release the old episodes on DVD? It would be great to pass on to the younger kids. TV for kids today is so f'n corporate and repetitive. This was original and fun stuff.

[NyeTunes]

@BigLudie1964 Already did. There's two boxed sets worth.

[landrykkb]

@BigLudie1964 And we also found more to watch and entertained ourselves on just a handful of cable channels,as opposed to the 200+ of cable TV's modern digital era.

[acol55555]

That was one of the best songs for EC.

[digitvideo]

my god , those hips.

[MeAndLenaZ]

Is there anything Rita CAN'T do?

[zacandtaylorrule]

Oh my god I remmeber this! Rita was so great in this and Phantom Of Love. Hey You Guys!!!

[schroeder8911]

I was just about to type exactly what zac did. So, ditto!

[galaxyhigh73]

What I wouldn't give to hear Cyndi Lauper cover this...

[soulbrotha63]

This would make a great song for a Dawn liquid soap commercial

[ultragor]

HA! Funny!

[jfpinell]

@soulbrotha63 Cute! E-mail them and tell them.....they might give you a % of the income from sales as long as the commercial is on!

[nickfury1]

Rita was a freakin nut back in the day....cute though!

[nerdelicious5]

she's cute

[witchman67]

Another classic clip.

Fans of this should also look at Sesame Street, circa 1969-74, when they great live music like Stevie Wonder, and lots of hippie references (ex. "That's not my missing letter C, that's a Rolling Stones record!)

[XxSinnanxX]

Well, Morgan freeman is to the right as you are watching it...but to the left if you look at it from their perspective.

[XxSinnanxX]

Did any of you guys recognize Morgan Freeman to the right of Rita in this clip? Wow, I am very old....LOL!

[Juan321C]

Man keep this up. Looks like the beginning of the makings of GREASE. It's pre Sha NA Na and the wording looks like the title. Love my PBS from way in the back days.......sigh.

[mexiheeb]

i used to get in front of the tv and be able to do Rita's choreography when I was a kid. LOVE IT!

[PCMahern]

Grease form the barrel grease from the pan grease from a spoon to grease the Monkey Man.

[retrofreak]

Rita Moreno was such a hottie back in the day:)

[zdorama]

I have to agree! I remember the first time I watched Rita performing the song "Go Wild" as an adult, I couldn't believe how sexy she was!

You just don't notice thee things a kids!

[Emanistan]

I think Jim Boyd is wearing the same wig here as he did while playing the hapless actor Lazlo in the director sketch "Don't bug me, please stop".

[hilarioph]

when the girl sing the grease she sounds like a duck hahahha. :)

[waddleduckie1]

She sings beautifully. The reason she sings like this, is because The Electric Company is a combined educational and comedy show, so there is a lot of humor involved and Rita Moreno fits the bill. I missed seeing The Electric Company after viewing it so many years ago, so to me The Electric Company is a combined classic and incredible sensation.

[raposofan]

What's the lyric Rita sings after "grease on a spoon"? That mystery's been torturing me for years.

[RSG2006]

"Grease on a spoon, like Reese Witherspoon?" :>

Nah, sounds like something ending with "My good man, we're gonna grease..."

[Qermaq]

And grease a lucky man. Damn, I hope.

[raposofan]

Actually, I think you're right. Joe Raposo had an extremely naughty sense of humor - some might say "off color", lol - so I am betting your answer is correct. As a woman I never would have thought of that lyric - you're a guy and figured it out and it makes perfect sense. Thanks for solving that one for me! :D

[ultragor]

Sorry, guys, but it's "grease the monkey man", in reference to an auto mechanic who is often nicknamed a "grease monkey".

[AlbieGray]

WOnderful! Good to see this again!

[Xear]

wierd but good song :-D I miss how they use to make kids shows..

[MrBoofoo]

I like this skit but why would you want to teach kids about the word "grease"?

[ultragor]

The skit was to teach kids the

"gr" sound in words.

[DealCTV]

Because none of the letters in the word "grease" were highlighted (as was the "ll" was in the "Lick a Lolly" song), this bit could be used both to teach the "gr" sound and the "ea" sound.

[LNSmithee]

@ultragor Actually, this was a flexible bit because it could be used if the sound of that day's show was either the "gr" sound OR the "ea" sound, which would always be accompanied by the "ee" sound to show they were identical. If it had been intended for the purpose of only one of the sounds, either the "gr" letters or the "ea" letters would have been highlighted, probably in white, as we saw the white "ph" in the "Phantom of Love" song or the white "ll" in the Lick-a-Lolly song.

[chicago913]

@MrBoofoo - Our teacher used this song to teach us that "ea" make the "e" sound. I still remember this song and never forgot the lesson I learned. :)

[Dnrothx]

Always thought that her outfit looked uncomfortable since seeing this back in my much younger days.

[zhelder]

What a great song showcasing the vocal talents of an incredible cast. This song makes me realize how all of the voices came together to make a mindblowing piece of music. Rita singing lead, and in the background, Morgan singing bass, Jim singing baritone, and Skip singing tenor (and Luis for a bit of extra support for everyone). I wonder if the vocal ranges of the guys played a factor in their getting hired for the EC gig.

[YodaBannon]

Rita Moreno....sexaaaayyy!

[Ermaco74]

They also did a slow song called "Is it Love?" I'd love to see that again too.

[cscentrlvideos]

Is SKip Hinnant really that near-sighted? He seems to be squinting a lot here. But seriously, this video is so funky!

[rodstorfer]

Fantastic! This song has been running thru my head for the past 30 years...and that's probably how long it's been since I've seen it. Amazing that they capitalized on the success of the musical "Grease," running on Broadway at the time. The movie wouldn't be made for several years after. I knew nothing about the musical when this aired, so when the movie was released, this EC song was the first thing I thought of. Thanks.

[bennyraven]

Thanks for putting it up! (Might want to black out the logo, though.)

[Tubescaper]

Again, THANK YOU(!) for uploading this clip - my all-time second favorite on YouTube. With this and the lick-a-lolly song, I can now live happily ever after!

[dh1173]

I remember GREASE but forgot PHANTOM OF LOVE after all this time! Rita definitely is the hardest working woman in showbiz! Skip and Morgan do a good job on back-up vocals though!