The Skin I'm In - Vintage Sesame Street

Roosevelt Franklin's little brother Baby Ray Franklin sings 'The Skin I'm In' (1971), a song that talks about how proud he is to look the way he does: "Mostly Roosevelt, you taught me to love three things: Who I am, what I am, and where I am."

Roosevelt Franklin appeared on Sesame Street from 1970 to 1975. He was a popular character who addressed concepts such as family, pride, respect, black history, geography and not drinking poison! He attended the Roosevelt Franklin Elementary School and liked to "scat, rhyme and sing the blues".

Matt Robinson, who played the original Gordon character, also created, scripted and performed the voices and songs for Roosevelt Franklin, Baby Ray Franklin and Mobity Mosely among others. Roosevelt's brother Baby Ray Franklin was never actually on the show. He only featured in this single.

The Skin I'm In was released as a single in 1971 and also featured on the 1971 Sesame Street album 'The Year of Roosevelt Franklin', later released as 'My Name is Roosevelt Franklin' in 1974. The album was co-written by Matt Robinson and Joe Raposo.

"Somewhere around four or five," Matt Robinson stated in the book All About Sesame Street, "a black kid is going to learn he's black. He's going to learn that's positive or negative. What I want to project is a positive image."

Sesame Street was first aired in 1969. It was a ground-breaking children's tv programme as it was the first to be created for a multicultural, bilingual, inner-city audience.

Images on the video are from Sesame Street episodes circa 1969 to 1975.

Sesame Street info:
http://muppet.wikia.com/wiki/Sesame_Street
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Category:

Music

Tags:

• Roosevelt
• Franklin
• Sesame
• Street
• Gordon
• Matt
• Robinson
• Skin
• I'm
• In
• Joe
• Raposo
• Vintage
• Classic
• 1970s

[denise6711]

hate it

[oclandestin]

@denise6711 ... Why? "hate" is a strong word...!

[potaluca]

could you please post mobity mosely singing about the months of the year?

[oclandestin]

Sorry, I don't have that track. Maybe you'll find it on youtube.

[ahlin1812]

oclandestin, if you look at me funny, i'll look at funny too lol

loooove it , thanks

[oclandestin]

lol, it's a cute song isn't it? Glad you enjoyed it : )

[janetinkley]

I have the puppet of roosevelt franklin. He's the coolest ever!

[dancebabydance007]

awesome...

[rhmazyck812]

I love it! +

[noirnoticvibe]

Roosevelt Franklin was set up by the man... last seen in 73' he was racially profiled and lost his job on Sesame street... now he's been seen disrupting White Women receiving music awards and even stating the President hates muppets....

[johnboy779]

@denise6711 Why on earth would you "hate" this?

[Themaddprof]

Roosevelt Franklin, you rock. There needs to be a DVD of these skits with this song as a special feature.

[gughoful]

wtf o.O

LOL

[Stars12291]

LOLZ!

[ERIELACKU34CH]

this song is super hot

[MsHoly777]

aw.......bellbottoms.......eee­ewww yuckie

[Pocockable]

@parkercadie1

Roosevelt was taken off the show because there was rumour that he was being stereotypical to the African-American population.

[ppossom]

I'm so glad you posted it. I had the 45 record to but I remember it being a more faster tempo. I have a lot of Roosevelt Franklin toys. Love him!