Crooned from a seemingly insignificant log in an otherwise normal swamp at the beginning of The Muppet Movie, one of the most enduring questions in Muppet history is asked, "Why are there so many songs about rainbows...?" The opening lines of "Rainbow Connection", as sung by Kermit the Frog, take on an allegorical meaning left open to interpretation, but the question has sometimes been asked literally.
In The Muppet Show episode 509, Kermit and guest star Debbie Harry entertain a small number of examples before partnering up on their rendition of "The Rainbow Connection". The following is a list of songs about rainbows as performed by or connected to the Muppets.
Muppet songs[]
The Muppets[]
- "Rainbow Connection" β Sung by Kermit the Frog with multiple encore performances.
Sesame Street[]
- "Nearly Missed" β Susan, Barbara Eden, Rosie O'Donnell, and Elmo are amongst those who "nearly missed the rainbow."
- "There's a Big Heap of Trash at the End of the Rainbow" β Oscar the Grouch sings about his treasure.
- "Nature's Family" β Rainbows are amongst those things Big Bird identifies as what connects us to nature.
- "Just Three Colors" β Big Bird and Oscar sing about how the three primary colors make up all the hues of the rainbow.
- "I Finally Saw a Rainbow" β Rosita and Elmo sing about the first rainbow Rosita's ever seen.
- Big Bird sings "Without Colors" on the book at tape set The Colors of Spring.
- "The Paperclip" β Bert sings, "Anyone can look at a rainbow..."
- "I'm So Blue" β "I'm a blue bird, that's been dreaming, of a rainbow I can follow..."
- "Fabulous Rainbow" β Lillian compares the many colors of Sesame Street to that of a rainbow.
- "Somehow You'll Make a Rainbow" β The Super Foods sing about the rainbow of healthy foods.
- "All the Colors in the Rainbow" β Sung by Ed Lipton, Big Bird and The Kids.
- "Rainbow Round My Shoulder" β by Leon Bibb
- "I Eat the Colors of the Rainbow" β a boy sings about healthy foods.
- "Three Primary Colors" β Sung and illustrated by OK Go.
- "Day of Rainbow" β by Gordon
- "I Wonder How It Feels" β Big Bird wonders in song what it feels like to be a rainbow.
- "It's Easy If You Pretend" β Bob sings, "Make your toys a treasure at the rainbow's end..."
International Sesame Street[]
- Abelardo, Pancho, and Lola sing about colors of the rainbow in Episodio 797.
- Tingo sings "Rainbow Song" on Tingo 2 Songs and Chants.
Other[]
- "Good-bye, Good-bye (Just a Rainbow in the Sky)" β sung by Gobo and Wembley in preparation for going to exotic destinations.
- "Art Is in Your Heartβ" β Baby Kermit sings "You might like rainbow colors on the canvas..."
- Bear sings about "Some of the Colors I See"
Songs covered by the Muppets[]
- "Over the Rainbow" β The other famous rainbow song from The Wizard of Oz performed by Robin the Frog, and by Miss Piggy as part of a medley.
- "Windy" β "Who's bending down to give me a rainbow..."
Non-Muppet songs[]
Before 1979[]
- (1917) "I'm Always Chasing Rainbows" by Judy Garland β mentioned by Kermit and Debbie Harry in The Muppet Show episode 509.
- (1928) "There's a Rainbow 'Round My Shoulder" β by Al Jolson
- (1947) "Look to the Rainbow" from Finian's Rainbow.
- (1960) "Pocketful of Rainbows" β from G.I. Blues by Elvis Presley.
- (1962) "Rainbow at Midnight" β by Jimmie Rodgers.
- (1962) "Rainbow `65" β written by Curtis Mayfield, recorded by Gene Chandler.
- (1963) "Sunshine, Lollipops, and Rainbows" β by Lesley Gore.
- (1967) "Make Me Rainbows" from the Dick Van Dyke movie Fitzwilly by John Williams and Alan and Marilyn Bergman.
- (1967) "She's a Rainbow" β by The Rolling Stones.
- (1967) "Neon Rainbow" β by The Box Tops.
- (1967) "SWLABR" β by Cream, "You've got that rainbow feel, but the rainbow has a beard... Many fantastic colors, makes me feel so good."
- (1968) "Golden Rainbow" β title song from the eponymous musical (Sesame Street spoofed "I've Gotta Be Me", and The Muppet Show performed a cover of "We Got Us").
- (1968) "I've Been Over the Rainbow" β by Mort Garson.
- (1968) "Rainbow Chaser" β by Nirvana
- (1969) "Rainbow" β by The Marmalade.
- (1969) "I Can Sing a Rainbow" β by The Dells.
- (1970) "Rainbows All Over Your Blues" β by John B Sebastian.
- (1971) "Rainbow Road" β by Arthur Alexander.
- (1971) "Who Says I Can't Ride a Rainbow!" β by Bobby Vinton from the film of the same name starring Morgan Freeman and Reuben Figueroa.
- (1974) "The End of the Rainbow" β by Richard & Linda Thompson.
- (1975) "Golden Rainbow" β a song by Seals and Crofts from the album I'll Play for You.
- (1976) "Rainbow in Your Eyes" β by Leon & Mary Russell.
- (1978) "Somewhere at the End of the Rainbow" β by Carol of Harvest.
After 1979[]
- (1981) "Rainbow Stew" β by Merle Haggard.
- (1983) "Reading Rainbow Theme" β Kermit appears on the PBS series whose theme played before all 155 episodes.
- (1983) "Rainbow in the Dark" β by Ronnie James Dio of Black Sabbath (who also fronted a band called Rainbow).
- (1984) "Rainbow's End" β by Modern English.
- (1986) "She Brakes for Rainbows" β by The B-52's.
- (1991) "Quick as Rainbows" β by Kitchens of Distinction.
- (1993) "Mr. Rainbow" β by Slapp Happy.
- (1993) "Rainbow Rider" β by The Pooh Sticks.
- (1995) "She Talks to Rainbows" β by The Ramones.
- (1998) "The Rainbow" β by Ween for Chef Aid: The South Park Album.
- (1999) "Rainbow" β from the album of the same name by Mariah Carey.
- (2003) "A Kiss at the End of the Rainbow" β written by Michael McKean and Annette O'Toole for the mockumentary A Mighty Wind.
- (2004) "Roy G. Biv" β by They Might Be Giants.
- (2014) "Rainbow Connection" β from Garfunkel and Oates.
- (2017) "Rainbow" β from My Little Pony: The Movie by Sia.
- (2017) "Rainbowland" β by Miley Cyrus.
- (2017) "Rainbow" β by Kesha.
- (2019) "Rainbow" β by Kacey Musgraves.