The Blue Danube



The Blue Danube is the popular name for "By the Beautiful Blue Danube," also known as The Blue Danube Waltz. Although it was written by Johann Strauss, Jr., as what would become categorized as his opus #314, it was originally meant to have gone with text, but the composer favored the orchestral version. It stands in this form as one of the most popular pieces of classical music today.

The Balloon-Head Conductor conducts an orchestra of popping balloons to the tune of "The Blue Danube" in episode 112 of The Muppet Show. He finishes the song by popping his own head.

The song is used in another sketch, when Zelda Rose leads a group of noisy library patrons, inlcuding Fozzie, Miss Piggy, Hilda, Nigel, and Wayne and Wanda, to the tune in episode 124. The Muppets cough, rustle paper, chew gum, etc...to make the "musical" noises involved in performing the song. This sketch was later marketed on its own as a Muppet Meeting Film "Teamwork in Action".

The song is also featured on the Sesame Street album Elmo and the Orchestra.