ABC-DEF-GHI



"ABC-DEF-GHI" is a Sesame Street song from the show's first season. When Big Bird sees a long word that he doesn't understand, he sings it aloud as he tries to figure out what it means, pronouncing it "ab-ca-def-gi-jeckle-mi-nop-kwer-stoov-wix-iz". He is eventually reassured by the adults that ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ is not a word but the alphabet.

In 1972, the sketch was retaped, using the soundtrack from The Sesame Street Book & Record, and in the 1980s, the original song was shown as a flashback in a sketch where Big Bird and some kids found a scroll of the alphabet in a trunk. He last performed "ABC-DEF-GHI" on Sesame Street on the Season 34 premiere, at a karaoke night that Alan hosted at Hooper's Store.

Outside of Sesame Street, Big Bird has performed "ABC-DEF-GHI" on several occasions, including with Flip Wilson on the premiere episode of The Flip Wilson Show, in Big Bird & the ABCs (a Sesame Street Live stage show), and on Evening at Pops: 2001. He also sang a verse of the song during the ending medley in Elmopalooza.

Elmo recorded his own version of "ABC-DEF-GHI" for the album Sing the Alphabet.

Big Bird

 * 1970 single
 * 1976 single
 * The Sesame Street Book & Record
 * Big Bird Sings!
 * Sing the Hit Songs of Sesame Street
 * The Best of Big Bird
 * Favorite Songs From Jim Henson's Muppets
 * The Best of Sesame Street
 * Sing: Songs of Joe Raposo
 * The Bird is the Word!
 * Platinum All-Time Favorites
 * Elmopalooza! (as part of "Songs" medley)
 * Songs from the Street: 35 Years of Music

Elmo

 * Sing the Alphabet

Miscellaneous

 * Wish Upon a Star: All-Time Children's Favorites (instrumental)

Original Version

 * Old School: Volume 1

1980s Version

 * Big Bird Sings!
 * What's the Name of That Song?
 * Getting Ready for School

Publications

 * The Sesame Street Song Book