| Written by | James Weldon Johnson and J. Rosamond Johnson |
| Date | 1928 |
"Dry Bones", also known as "Dem Bones" or "Dem Dry Bones," is a traditional spiritual performed by Susan in the fifth test show of Sesame Street.
Inspired by a passage from Ezekiel 37:1–14, the song is best known for its lyrics describing how different bones connect to each other. In addition to recordings by the likes of Fred Waring and his Pennsylvanians and the Delta Rhythm Boys, the song gained particular usage in several British productions of a semi-surreal or avant garde nature. It featured prominently in the final episode of The Prisoner (1968), the dark comedy The Rulin Class (1972, performed by Peter O'Toole and others), and the first episode of The Singing Detective (1986, lip-synced by an array of hospital staff including Imelda Staunton).
References[]
- When Dr. Sing questions Telly on how the bones of his x-rays look in Episode 3096, he asks it in a singsong manner to the tune of the song's melody.
- The song "The Automatic Lemonade Pouring Machine" in Sesame Street Episode 4123 uses a vaguely similar melody and borrows the "connected to" lyrical structure.