In Een Uur de Wereld Rond

Songs from	Sesamstraat
Released	1984
Format	cassette
Label	WSP
Cat no.	WSPC 16029

In Een Uur de Wereld Rond (Around the World in One Hour) is a Dutch Bert and Ernie album. Its title suggests that it features them travelling all around the world, but it primarily focuses on Bert and Ernie visiting Uncle Rudolf, and their trip back home instead.

As the album opens, Bert and Ernie are on their way to Uncle Rudolf by train. Bert wants to finish his Zipje and Zopje book, because he hopes Uncle Rudolf will give him the latest issue; but he is disturbed by Ernie singing. Two other passengers named Mr. and Mrs. Van der Gijp enjoy their arguing. They want to sing along, and Ernie finally convinces Bert to sing with them.

Uncle Rudolf lives on 5, Brestunnel Road, but Bert and Ernie can't find the right address. They ask one of his neighbors, Mrs. Karperzooi, who knows exactly whom they're talking about: "There's a man on the 4th floor who's always playing Sesamstraat records; enough to drive a person crazy!" Uncle Rudolf arrives a little later: he had to wait for an open bridge. While they're enjoying a cup of tea, Bert asks Uncle Rudolf why he lives by himself. Rudolf walks over to the grand piano and explains that sometimes, you need music to get your emotions across. He sings a sentimental song about how his wife left him, and how he learned to enjoy life on his own. When Uncle Rudolf makes some suggestions to spend the day, his girlfriend calls: he totally forgot about their date tonight. Bert and Ernie are very disappointed to hear that their day out is cancelled.

On the way back home, Bert and Ernie are swinging to the "Wheel Boogie" when Uncle Rudolf's car breaks down. Bert and Ernie finally get to see the AA patrol at work.

Back home, Bert and Ernie imagine they're traveling all over the world: flying to New Zealand, skiing down a hill, running away from tigers in the jungle, and being on a ship during a storm. They even imagine they go back to Uncle Rudolf, who seems to be happy with his girlfriend.

Track listing

Side One

1. Sketch: Op Weg (On the Way)
2. Song: Fijn in de trein (Fun on the Train)
3. Sketch: Brestunnelweg 5 (5 Brestunnel Road)
4. Sketch: Oom Rudolf (Uncle Rudolf)
5. Song: Eens was ik niet alleen (Once I Was Not Alone)
6. Sketch: Wie Belt Daar? (Who's Calling?)

Side Two

1. Sketch: Lekker In De Auto (Nicely in the Car)
2. Song: De wielen-Boogie (The Wheel Boogie)
3. Sketch: De Wegenwacht (The AA Patrol)
4. Sketch: Is Vliegen Leuk? (Is Flying Fun?)
5. Song: De wereld rond (Around the World)
6. Sketch: Avonturen In Huis (Adventures Around the House)
7. Song: Hela hieperdepieperdebibabobu ho!

Cast

• Dree Andrea as Mrs. Karperzooi
• Paul Haenen as Bert, Mr. Van der Gijp, and the AA-man
• J.P. Clous van Mechelen as Uncle Rudolf and the Conductor
• Wim T. Schippers as Ernie and Mrs. Van der Gijp

Music

• Guimbarde-ensemble directed by J.P. van Mechelen

Production credits

• Direction and written by Paul Haenen, J. Plafond, and J.P. van Mechelen
• Musical Direction by J.P. van Mechelen
• Produced for Vrido by Ellen Jens
• Final Editing by Anneliese de Vries

Trivia

• This is the sixth Dutch Bert and Ernie album, and the fifth album for which Wim T. Schippers and Paul Haenen wrote their own material. It's also the only album with several new characters, such as Mr. and Mrs. Van der Gijp and Mrs. Karperzooi. The album was only released on cassette, and never issued on LP or CD.

• This is one of the few Bert and Ernie albums that never made it to CD, except for the song "De Wereld Rond".

• J.P. Clous Van Mechelen, who plays Uncle Rudolf on this album and a few others, is also responsible for the music. He leads the Guimbarde Ensemble. This is Uncle Rudolf's first appearance, although his name was mentioned on previous albums. Bert gets all his books about Zipje and Zopje from Uncle Rudolf. It's not certain whether he is Ernie's uncle too.

• In the 1984 Dutch TV series Opzoek Naar Yolanda, J.P. Clous van Mechelen played the character Jan Vos, who is a piano teacher and composer. This series was written and directed by Wim T. Schippers. In the fifth episode of this series, "Smoke, Gammon & Spinach", Jan Vos sings the song "Eens was ik niet alleen", just like Uncle Rudolf does on "In Een Uur de Wereld Rond". After he finishes the song, Jan Vos says that he composed the song for Bert and Ernie from Sesamstraat and that he was asked to play Uncle Rudolf for their newest record. He also says that the lyrics were written by Jacques Plafond. Jacques Plafond is the character in Opzoek Naar Yolanda that is played by Wim T. Schippers.

• Rudolf's wife is named Aunt Coleta. She comes back to Rudolf on a future album. Dree Andrea performs her voice.

• Bert and Ernie previously mentioned the AA patrol on Een Uur Niet Zeuren.

See also

• Sesamstraat discography