One of These Things

"One of These Things" was a song written by Joe Raposo and Jon Stone, and regularly used on Sesame Street for sketches where viewers would have to identify the odd one out in a group of four items. Lyrics and pictures from this song were included in Sesame Street Unpaved. In Episode 3824, in which the Dingers plan on having a ding-a-long, the cast sang a variation called "One of These Dings".

In later seasons, a similar game was played to a different song written by Joe Raposo and Jeff Moss and called "Three of These Things", with variations such as "Two of These Things", "Here Are Some Things That Belong Together", and "Three of These Kids Belong Together". (The last version involved a four-way split screen with three children performing one activity, plus a fourth child "doing his own thing".) In some instances of the game, kids were encouraged to find more than one different answer, depending on how the things could be categorized.

This game has been used in segments starring William Wegman's dogs, and in animated form, melody only, with footprints. It was the basis for a specific game of Journey to Ernie.

1969-1970

 * Susan Robinson (dealing with a W and three 2's
 * Susan (dealing with the size of shoes)
 * Susan (dealing with shapes)
 * Susan (dealing with silverware and a clock)

1970-1971

 * Susan, Bob Johnson, and Grover
 * Bob (dealing with fruit)
 * Bob (dealing with knick-knacks)

1971-1972

 * Susan and Kermit the Frog (dealing with three birds and a frog)
 * Big Bird and Aloysius Snuffleupagus (dealing with three cut-out drawings of Snuffleupaguses and a cup)

1972-1973

 * Susan and Grover (dealing with a car and three animals)

1973-1974

 * Bob and Maria (dressed as spies)

1977-1978

 * Gladys the Cow

1993-1994

 * Ruthie, Telly Monster, Merry Monster, and The Kids

1998-1999

 * "One of These Dings" (Episode 3824)

Unknown Seasons

 * Cookie Monster (dealing with the number of cookies on each plate)
 * David (dealing with starfish and a crab)
 * The Big Bad Wolf, The Three Little Pigs, and Kermit as part of a Sesame Street News Flash
 * Big Bird in Journey to Ernie

Album Releases

 * The Sesame Street Book & Record (1970)
 * Susan Sings Songs from Sesame Street (1971)
 * Somebody Come and Play (1974)
 * 10th Anniversary Album (1978)
 * Platinum Too (1997)

Video Releases

 * Play-Along Games and Songs (Cookie Monster version)
 * Sesame Street: Old School, Volume 1 (in episodes 0001, 0131, 0276, 0406, and 0536)

Mentions
This song was included in a 2004 Subway commercial, where it was called "One of These Subs".