On My Pond

Music by	Christopher Cerf
Lyrics by	Sarah Durkee
Date	1986
Publisher	Durkee/Jacobs Inc. (King Dog Music/Jive Durkee Music)
First	Episode 2328

Illustration by Tom Cooke for Free to Be... a Family.

Behind the scenes with Kevin Clash

"On My Pond" is an environmental Sesame Street song sung by Kermit the Frog, about not throwing trash into ponds. He is backed by a group of fish. The pond is constantly polluted by various Anything Muppets (a picnicking family, a garbage man, and a boater) who fill it with trash, smoke, and noise (from a loud radio). Eventually, they realize their mistakes and clean up their trash.

Notes

• Performers include Jim Henson (Kermit), Richard Hunt (fish), Kevin Clash (fish), Martin P. Robinson (boater and garbage man), Michael Elizabeth Huston (Kermit's legs), Camille Bonora, Bryant Young, David Rudman, and Fran Brill (the picknickers). Additional fish vocals are supplied by Christopher Cerf and Ivy Austin.

• This segment was taped on December 17, 1986, and was directed by Jon Stone.

• Sesame Street album releases use a version of the song recorded for the 1988 album Free to Be... a Family. In this version, "the Gurgling Fish" are voiced by Christopher Cerf, Sarah Durkee, and Paul Jacobs. Additional voices are by Jerry Nelson, Camille Bonora, and Doug Epstein.

• In the German version, "Put Down the Duckie" is played on the picnicking family's radio.

Releases

Audio

• Free to Be... a Family (1988)
• We Are All Earthlings (1993)
• Sesame Street Best (1997)

Video

• Sing-Along Earth Songs (1993, ending cut)

Publications

• Free to Be... a Family (1988)
• The Sesame Street Songbook (1992 edition only)

Online

• SesameStreet's YouTube Channel

See also

• Kermit's Sesame Street songs