Jeff Moss



Jeff Moss (1942-1998) was the founding head writer and composer-lyricist on Sesame Street. Some of his best known songs from the show include "Rubber Duckie," "I Love Trash," "The People in Your Neighborhood", "I Don't Want to Live on the Moon," and "Nasty Dan." In addition to songwriting, Moss helped create Cookie Monster, Oscar the Grouch and Guy Smiley.

Moss won 15 Emmys for his work and wrote the songs for four Grammy Award-winning records. When released as a single in 1970, "Rubber Duckie" sold more than a million copies. Moss' songs were known internationally as well; Claude François' recording of "Nasty Dan" went to #1 on the pop chart in France.

He also composed the songs and score for The Muppets Take Manhattan, for which he received an Academy Award nomination for Best Music, Original Song Score.

Moss wrote over a dozen best-selling books under the Sesame Street label, including The Sesame Street Book of Poetry. Several of his songs have been illustrated and published as well. He also wrote three collections of children's poetry and several short stories.

Moss died of cancer on September 24, 1998.

1969

 * "Five People in My Family" performed by an Anything Muppet family
 * "The People in Your Neighborhood" performed by Bob and Anything Muppets
 * "Goin' for a Ride" performed by Anything Muppets

1970

 * "Rubber Duckie" performed by Ernie
 * "I Love Trash" performed by Oscar the Grouch
 * "I've Got Two" performed by the cast
 * "Everyone Makes Mistakes" performed by Big Bird
 * "Circles" performed by Cookie Monster and Herry Monster
 * "Tu Me Gustas" (music by Joe Raposo performed by Maria)

1971

 * "The Sound of the Letter A" performed by Big Bird
 * "Dee, Dee, Dee" performed by Ernie and Cookie Monster
 * "Two G Sounds" performed by Grover and George
 * "J Friends" performed by Anything Muppets
 * "MMM Monster Meal" performed by Cookie Monster and Herry Monster
 * "The Question Song" performed by Grover and a little girl
 * "Very, Very Special Letter" performed by Big Bird
 * "What Do I Do When I'm Alone?" performed by Grover
 * "My Favorite Letter" performed by Anything Muppets
 * "My Name" performed by David and Susan
 * "High, Middle, Low" (lyrics by Emily Kingsley)

1972

 * 'No Matter What Your Language" performed by Luis and Big Bird

1977

 * "Breakfast Time" performed by Ernie and Cookie Monster
 * "Naptime" performed by Ernie and Bert
 * "A Cat Had a Birthday" performed by David
 * "Big Round Nose" performed by an Anything Muppet

1978

 * "I Don't Want to Live on the Moon" performed by Ernie
 * "Bones" performed by the Count
 * "I Have Feet" performed by Grover
 * "With Every Beat of My Heart" performed by Little Jerry and the Monotones
 * "Everybody's Song"
 * "Take a Rest"

1979

 * "Up Goes the Castle"

1982

 * "Captain Vegetable" performed by Captain Vegetable with Eddie and Andy
 * "Lonesome Joan" performed by Bert and Ernie
 * "All Dressed Up" performed by Bert and Anything Muppets

1983

 * "But I Like You" performed by Bert and Ernie

1985

 * "Octopus Blues" performed by an octopus

1986

 * "One Fine Face" performed by Ernie and Elmo

1987

 * "Tadpole" performed by Kermit the Frog

1989

 * "One Small Voice" performed by Hoots, Elmo and the Kids

1990

 * "We Are All Earthlings" (lyrics by Sara Compton) performed by Elmo and friends

1991

 * "Music"

1992

 * "I Can Sing"

1996

 * "From Your Head"

1997

 * "Happy to Meet You" performed by Celine Dion with Herry Monster, Elmo and Big Bird
 * "Things That I Remember" performed by Ernie and Bert

The Muppets Take Manhattan (1984)
See also: The Muppets Take Manhattan soundtrack
 * "Together Again" performed by Kermit and the Muppets
 * "You Can't Take No For An Answer" performed by Dr. Teeth
 * "Saying Goodbye" performed by the Muppets
 * "I'm Gonna Always Love You" performed by the Muppet Babies
 * "Right Where I Belong" performed by Kermit and the Muppets
 * "Somebody's Getting Married" performed by the Muppets
 * "He'll Make Me Happy" performed by Miss Piggy and Kermit

Follow That Bird (1985)

 * "One Little Star" performed by Big Bird, Olivia and Mr. Snuffleupagus
 * "Upside Down World" performed by Bert and Ernie

Performer Credits
Sesame Street Characters: Big Jeffy

Author Credits

 * Sesame Street Books
 * People in My Family (1971)
 * People in Your Neighborhood (1971)
 * The Sesame Street Storybook (1971)
 * Cookie Monster's Circle Book (1972)
 * The Sesame Street 1, 2, 3 Storybook (1973)
 * The Sesame Street ABC Storybook (1974)
 * Oscar's Book (1975)
 * The Sesame Street Book of Fairy Tales (1975)
 * The Sesame Street Bedtime Storybook (1978)
 * The Sesame Street Library (1978-1979)
 * People in My Family (1983)
 * The Sesame Street Treasury (1983)
 * The Songs of Sesame Street in Poems and Pictures (1983)
 * The Sesame Street Book of Poetry (1992)


 * Other Poetry Collections
 * The Butterfly Jar
 * The Other Side of the Door
 * Bone Poems


 * Other Short Stories
 * Bob and Jack: A Boy and His Yak
 * Hieronymus White
 * Dad of the Dad of the Dad of Your Dad