Music by | Bud Luckey |
Lyrics by | Donald Hadley |
Date | 1971 |
First | Episode 0416 |
"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.[1] A remake of the song, from the 1975 LP The Count Counts, featured vocals by Richard Hunt and Jerry Nelson.
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.[2] (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.
- 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."
Releases
- Audio
- The Count Counts (1975)
- Songs from the Street (2003)
- A cover version is featured on The Sesame Street Covers EP (2010)
- Sesame Street Music: Amazon Sampler (2011)
- Video
- Sing Yourself Silly! (1990)
- Shalom Sesame: Show 5: Jerusalem (1986, dubbed in Hebrew)
- 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)
Trivia
- In 2007, the song was used in a TV advertisement in the United Kingdom for Heinz Salad Cream.