Sesame Street - 'Earth Child' - Banned Song

In the late 1960's my Grandfather was commissioned to create a number of skits for CTW's 'Sesame Street'. Although a number of them were used ('Hat-eating man', 'Leg Circus' and 'Who'd be four snakes?' amongst others), many more were rejected and, until now, lay dormant in his attic.

This one holds particularly fond memories for me, curled up in a bed of leaves in the garden, my Grandfather (originally from the same place the Anthill mob came from) would adopt a mocking english accent and sing this ballad to 'no-ones in particulars'.

Yes :)

Le Lyrical gangster words:
--------------------------

Earth child, Earth child, Look how you play now
One love in one world, The glory of Children

Look how you play, children together,
Skipping along, not a care in the world

But when you're old, no-one wants to know you,
You've got too many cats to be healthy
and after the death of your spouse, you stay in your house
never leaving, never seeing the sun

Earth child, Earth child, enjoy how you play now
The innocence astounds me
Let the world cradle you in sunshine
For the love it spreads is yours alone

When you're old, no-one seems to care
There's no point in going on, there's nowhere to be
The money the government gives you doesn't stretch for a month
It only lasts two days and then you starve

Your husband's dead and your father, he died
so many years ago now, you can't remember his smile

Earth child, Earth child, enjoy how you play now
Run wild and free, like wolves in clothes
Earth child, Earth child, read a book now,
but read it outside in the sun

For when you're old, the weight of the world
will crush your shoulders
And every friend you have that exists now
will not exist because they'll no doubt die before you (Earth child)

Earth child, Earth child, enjoy your friends and loved ones
Let not the weight of the world crush you now
Let the wind run through your hair
Let the braces straighten your teeth (not a care)

For when you're old the world will break you
Like Ivan Drago (Happy birthday, Paulie, Happy birthday, Paulie)

Never get old, Earth Child
Find a way to stay young
You can stay young, do not die, please stay young
Do not die, stay young
Build a machine, build a machine
I wish I could tell you, but I don't know how to build a machine

Stay young, Earth child

Category:

Comedy

Tags:

• muppet
• sesame
• jim
• henson
• rare
• blooper

[JainaMac]

This video clip is from Sesame Street for sure. The children are singing the song "We All Sing With The Same Voice (My Name Is You)" which you can find easily on YouTube. The lyrics of the song reference pop-culture of the 80s, so--my guess is it wasn't written in the late 60s. What gives?

[jimjeroo]

That's Grampy, The time-travelling genius.

[sje46]

umm. Ivan Drago. From Rocky IV, made in 1985.

Long after the late 1960s.

[eraserman725]

I've heard worse children's songs. That one was really inspiring. If only you was be'er at recording the sounds.

[halfsilver]

and what's with the extensive slaughterhouse scene? seems a bit out of place...XD

[jedbeetle]

heh, sounds like Ween

[stegaflaps]

Whats so bad about this? This was easier to understand than "Daddy D".

[MrMatthewsullivan]

Good song.  I understand the "political incorrectness" though- even 30 years ago!

[RestLessIP]

Why is it bannd ?

[ApacoNow]

funny in an snl way but kinda true nevertheless, i liked it.

[bribabytt]

I was actually buying this until the starving elderly bit. Well-played, my friend.

[KevL75]

The voice is scary as hell.

[JonasClark]

This has been proven to be a fake, just so everyone knows. It is kind of sad, and kind of interesting, but it was never put forward for Sesame Street.