Ladybugs' Picnic

Music by	Bud Luckey
Lyrics by	Donald Hadley
Date	1971
First	Episode 0416

Sesame Street Ladybugs' Picnic

The 2010 remake of "Ladybugs' Picnic."

Sesame Street Ladybug Picnic 12

"Ladybugs’ Picnic" is an animated Sesame Street song highlighting the joys and sorrows of twelve ladybugs, gathered for a picnic. Folk singer Jim Kweskin performed the vocals on the original version. A remake of the song, from the 1975 LP The Count Counts, featured vocals by Richard Hunt and Jerry Nelson.

"Ladybugs' Picnic" has the distinction of being the most repeated Sesame Street segment, appearing in 100 episodes from 1972 to 2001.

In 2010, a stop-motion animated remake was made by Misseri Studio. This features a rerecorded version of the song performed by folk artist Langhorne Slim. (First: Episode 4237)

Sherman Irby arranged a jazz version of the song in 2019 performed by The Count, Abby Cadabby, and Rosita at A Swingin' Sesame Street Celebration.

References

Several references to the segment have been made on the show in the years since its debut.

• In the Elmo's World episode "Bugs," a ladybug claims he was going to be late for a picnic.

• In a Jane Tuesday segment, "The Case of the Letter L," the song is briefly played on a toy radio.

• In Episode 4031, Gina, Elmo and Alan perform the song during karaoke night at Hooper's Store.

• Episode 4175 features the Bug-A-Wee Bug Shelter, where three ladybugs are seen having a picnic and singing the song to themselves.

• In Episode 4191, Hooper's Store is seen advertising their "Ladybugs Picnic Special," which consists of six s'mores and a glass of milk (all for $1.20).

• A short instrumental version of the song accompanies the title card of Firefly Fun and Buggy Buddies.

• A painting of the ladybugs from the cartoon is seen in The Cookie Thief, and again in the "Smart Cookies" segment "Making Whoopie in the Library."

• The Ladybugs, joined by the Twiddlebug family, appear during the end credits of Sesame Street's 50th Anniversary Celebration.

Releases

Audio

• The Count Counts (1975)
• The Count Presents Numbers (1981)
• Songs from the Street (2003)
• Sesame Street Music: Amazon Sampler (2011)

Video

• Sing Yourself Silly! (1990)
• Shalom Sesame: Show 5: Jerusalem (1986, dubbed in Hebrew)
• Sesame Sings Karaoke (2003)
• Old School: Volume 1 (2006)
• 40 Years of Sunny Days (2009)
• Firefly Fun and Buggy Buddies (2010)
• 50 Years and Counting (2019)

Online

• Sesamestreet.org remake: (sesamestreet.org)
• SesameStreet's YouTube Channel original: (YouTube) remake: (YouTube)

Publications

• The Sesame Street Songbook (1992 edition only)
• Sesame Street Unpaved (1998)

Notes

• In 2007, the song was used in a TV advertisement in the United Kingdom for Heinz Salad Cream.