Count It Higher: Great Music Videos from Sesame Street

Count It Higher: Great Music Videos from Sesame Street is a 30-minute direct-to-video compilation originally released on VHS in 1988, as part of the "My Sesame Street Home Video" series. Video releases beginning in 2005 simplify the title to Count It Higher, dropping the subtitle.

In the video, Count von Count hosts a countdown show on the fictional SMV (Sesame Music Video) television network, counting down the top Sesame Street music videos. Each song is presented with fake music video-style credits.

Segments

Picture	Segment	Description
	FRAME 1	The announcer introduces The Count's countdown show, which kicks off with the #7 video of the week. The Count's favorite part is counting backwards to a film leader countdown that precedes the video.
	Muppets	Song #7: "The Ten Commandments of Health" Dr. Thad and the Medications from the album Advice You Can Count On Medical Records (First: Episode 1139)
	FRAME 2	The Count introduces the next video, featuring "the world's hottest frog, Kermit, proudly hopping to the surging rhythms of..."
	Muppets	Song #6: "Doo Wop Hop" Kermit the Frog from the album I'm Green and I'm Proud Polywog Records (First: Episode 2071)
	FRAME 3‎	After the song, the Count mentions the number of jumps Kermit and the animals made.
	FRAME 3 cont'd	Big Bird makes a celebrity guest appearance and requests a rock and roll song for the next video. The Count then introduces...
	Muppets	Song #5: "ZZ Blues" Over the Top from the album On A Clear Day I Can Z Forever US Snooze Records (Ending edited) (First: Episode 2317)
	FRAME 4	The Count introduces a bonus video...‎
	Muppets	"Honk Around the Clock" The Honkers from the album Play Through The Nose Oogah Records (First: Episode 1631)
	FRAME 5	After the video, the Count is seen counting the bricks, but leaves off on his 453rd brick to resume his hosting duties. He introduces another celebrity promo...
	FRAME 5 cont'd	...with Oscar the Grouch, who wishes viewers a rotten day and requests that the Count play a moldy oldie.
	Muppets	Song #4: "Letter B" The Beetles from the album Sesame Road Lemon Records (Beginning cut) (First: Episode 1495)
	FRAME 6	The Count introduces the next video, starring a group who "milked" their talent for all it's worth: How Now Brown and the Moo Wave.
	Muppets	Song #3: "Wet Paint" How Now Brown Cow from the album Signs of the Times Mootown Records (Beginning and ending edited) (First: Episode 2033)
	FRAME 7	The Count introduces the next song, which splashed it's way up to the #2 spot.
	Muppets	Song #2: "Do De Rubber Duck" Ernie and Friends from the motion picture The Harder They Scrub. (First: Episode 2304)
	FRAME 8	After the video, the Count points out his own appearance in the song, and how many bubbles he counted in it. Finally, the Count introduces the #1 video. He informs regular viewers of the program that they can always count on the same song being #1 every week, because it's his favorite.
	Muppets	Song #1: "Count It Higher" Chris and the Alphabeats from the album Letters of Love Broken Records (First: Episode 0553)
	FRAME 9	The Count wraps up another edition of his countdown show, and tells viewers to tune in next week, when "Count it Higher" will be #1 once again.

Releases

VHS1988
Random House Home Video
89887
First edition cover

VHS1992
Random House Home Video
89887
Second edition cover

VHS1999
Sony Wonder
LV 55197

DVD2005
Sony Wonder
LVD 51240

DVD2009, 2010
Genius Entertainment
Warner Home Video

DVD2010
Warner Home Video
3 disc pack with The Great Numbers Game and Elmo's Sing-Along Guessing Game

DVD2019
Shout! Factory
Double feature with Being Green

Australia (VHS)1992
VDI

Japan (VHS)Sony

Singapore and Malaysia (VCD)Berjaya HVN
cat. no 148006

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Booklet

The original 1988 VHS release came with a songbook of lyrics for all the songs in the video.

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DVD Chapters

1. Ten Commandments of Health
2. Do-Op Hop
3. ZZ Blues
4. Honk Around the Clock
5. Letter B
6. Wet Paint
7. Do De Rubber Duck
8. Count It Higher

Notes

• The picture on top of the Count's television is of Joe Raposo.
• The name "Sesame Music Video" was previously used for an MTV VJ parody intro seen in specific airings of "Wet Paint." Also, the televised version of the segment originally had different music video credits that referred to "Splotchkat Records".
• David Rudman assisted in puppeteering the Count for the framing scenes.

Cast

• Starring Jim Henson's Sesame Street Muppets:
  • with Caroll Spinney as Big Bird and Oscar
  • Frank Oz, Jerry Nelson, Richard Hunt, Martin P. Robinson, Kevin Clash, Pam Arciero, Cheryl Blaylock, Camille Bonora, Fran Brill, Ed Christie, Michael Huston, Jim Kroupa, Noel MacNeal, Brian Muehl, David Rudman, and Jim Henson

Credits

• Executive Producer: Jon Stone
• Producer: Sonia Rosario
• Directed by Jon Stone
• Written by Christopher Cerf
  • Tony Geiss, Thad Mumford, Norman Stiles, Jon Stone (archive material)
• Songs by Christopher Cerf, Sarah Durkee, Tony Geiss, Thad Mumford, Norman Stiles, Jon Stone