The Muppet Alphabet Album

The Muppet Alphabet Album was the first Sesame Street LP that was hosted solely by the Muppets without assistance from the human cast.

Released in 1971 on Columbia Records, The Muppet Alphabet Album was originally packaged in a gatefold sleeve, featuring visualizations of each letter of the alphabet by Smollin Associates. The original package contained 26 small punch-out letter-shaped books illustrating the songs, plus a letter-shaping pipe cleaner, a blackboard and chalk. It was released simultaneously in a "Carry About" boxed set of 45s.

The 1976 reissue by Children's Records of America (CRA) dropped the inserts, and the gatefold contained new "Learn Your Letters" artwork which did not directly correspond to the content of the songs. CTW later released the album on cassette, with the title The Muppet Alphabet Cassette.

The album was re-released on CD in 1996 under the title Sing the Alphabet. The opening and closing tracks were merged with "The Sound of the Letter A" and "The Zizzy Zoomers," respectively, and a new version of "ABC-DEF-GHI" sung by Elmo was added.

Track listing
by Joe Raposo © 1971 Lyrics by Jerry Juhl, Music by Joe Raposo © 1971 by Joe Raposo © 1971 by Jeff Moss © 1971 by Jerry Juhl © © 1971 by Joe Raposo © 1971 by Jeff Moss © 1971 Lyrics by Jerry Juhl, Music by Joe Raposo © 1971 by Joe Raposo © 1971 by Jeff Moss © 1971 by Jerry Juhl © 1971 by Joe Raposo © 1971 by Jeff Moss © 1971 by Jerry Juhl © 1971
 * SIDE ONE
 * The Opening - Cast
 * The Sound of the Letter A * - Big Bird
 * Oscar's B Sandwich - Oscar
 * C Is for Cookie * - Cookie Monster
 * Dee, Dee, Dee * - Ernie
 * E What's My Letter * - Guy Smiley and Prarie Dawn
 * Four Furry Friends - Grover, Herry Monster, Oscar and Cookie Monster
 * Two G Sounds * - Grover and George
 * Ha Ha - Harvey Kneeslapper, Herry Monster and Big Bird
 * I Stand Up Straight and Tall * - Grover
 * J Friends * - The Anything Muppets
 * K Herbert's Silly Poem - Herbert Birdsfoot
 * La, La, La * - Bert and Ernie
 * M-M-M Monster Meal * - Herry Monster and Cookie Monster
 * The Noodle Story - Big Bird and Oscar

by Joe Raposo © 1971 by Jeff Moss © 1971 Lyrics by Jerry Juhl, Music by Jeff Moss © 1971 by Jim Henson © 1971 by Jeff Moss © 1971 by Jerry Juhl © 1971 by Joe Raposo © 1971 by Jeff Moss © 1971 Lyrics by Jerry Juhl, Music by Joe Raposo © 1971 by Joe Raposo © 1971 by Jim Henson and Jerry Juhl © 1971 by Joe Raposo © 1971
 * SIDE TWO
 * Would You Like to Buy an O? * - Lefty the Salesman and Ernie
 * P My Favorite Letter * - The Anything Muppets
 * The Question Song * - Grover and a Little Girl
 * The R Machine - Ernie and Bert
 * Sammy the Snake * - Sammy
 * The Tale of Tom Tattertall Tuttletut - Herbert Birdsfoot and the Anything Muppets
 * U Lecture - Professor Hastings
 * Very, Very Special Letter - Big Bird
 * The National Association of W Lovers * - Bert
 * X Marks the Spot! * - Sherlock Hemlock
 * Y Just Because* - Grover and a Little Girl
 * The Zizzy Zoomers * - the Anything Muppets
 * The Closing - Cast


 * * this track is known to have been performed on the show

A Note from Jim Henson:

 * I love the concept of this album, and I think it may prove to be of real value to all of our children.


 * The idea is very simple - a little song or skit about each of the twenty-six letters of the alphabet. A child listening to the record, and maybe smiling or singing along with it, can, at the same time, get acquainted with each letter.  I thought it would be great if we could just give a child something to remember-a handle, or a few clues that would make learning to read just a little easier and a bit more fun.


 * So I called Joe Raposo, Jeff Moss, and Jerry Juhl together, and we divided up the letters of the alphabet. These are three extremely talented friends, who have proven themselves brilliant at creating material for children and Muppets and are all part of the Sesame Street team.


 * After a great deal of writing and planning, we recorded with the vocal talents of Frank Oz, Caroll Spinney, Jerry Nelson and Fran Brill - our Sesame Street performers - one of the most talented group of puppeteers in the country. Many long hours were spent in the studio, and this is what we have to show for our efforts.


 * I do hope you and your children enjoy it...but beyond that, I hope it does some of the things we want it to do for our kids.

Original Release, additional notes:

 * Inside this album you will find not only a very fine Columbia phonograph record, but an entire set of cardboard letters for diddling and fiddling with, a tote bag to hold all the letters, a blackboard and chalk for doodling with, and a genuine, official make-a-letter bender!

Production Credits

 * Produced by:
 * Jim Henson
 * Associate Producer for the Muppets:
 * Diana Birkenfield
 * Written by:
 * Joe Raposo, Jeff Moss and Jerry Juhl
 * with the talents of:
 * Frank Oz, Caroll Spinney, Jerry Nelson, Fran Brill and Jim Henson
 * Musical Director:
 * Joe Raposo
 * Original Concept and Design by:
 * Arthur Shimkin
 * Studio Control and Editing by:
 * Jim Timmens
 * Engineered by:
 * Frank Laico, Arthur Kennedy & Don Young [credited removed on 1976 reissue]
 * Visuals by:
 * Smollin Associates

Creators and Cast

 * Jim Henson, creator of the Muppets, has produced and directed a number of television specials. The Muppets have been innovators in puppetry and television for many years.  On "Sesame Street," Jim plays the parts of Ernie and Kermit.


 * Joe Raposo, is musical director of "Sesame Street' and "The Electric Company." His delightful music for Muppets includes the TV specials of "The Frog Prince, "Hey Cinderella!," and "The Great Santa Claus Switch."


 * Jeff Moss, is the Head Writer of "Sesame Street," composer of the hit, "Rubber Duckie" and together with Joe Raposo, writes musical material for that program.


 * Jerry Juhl, has written most of the television material that The Muppets have done for the past several years, including book and lyrics for The Frog Prince, and The Great Santa Claus Switch. He is currently writing for "Sesame Street."


 * Frank Oz, is a brilliant puppeteer who has been a lead performer with The Muppets for many years. He is currently "Sesame Street's" Cookie Monster, Bert, Grover, The Salesman (aka Lefty), Harvey Kneeslapper, Professor Hastings, and many of the Anything Muppets.


 * Caroll Spinney, star puppeteer and artist-cartoonist, has been a performer in the Boston area, but is best known as Big Bird, and Oscar the Grouch.


 * Jerry Nelson, actor-puppeteer and featured member of the Muppet group for the last several years, is known on "Sesame Street" as Herbert Birdsfoot, Sherlock Hemlock, Farley, Herry Monster, and various Anything Muppets.


 * Fran Brill, actress, is a new addition to The Muppets, and has appeared on "Sesame Street" as Little Bird, various Little Girls, Queens, and Anything Muppets.

Special thanks to Donald Sahlin and the puppet makers...for the Muppets.

CC 25503 by Children's Records of America