I discovered lots from Sesame Avenue. That features the sound of the letter “B,” the idea of cooperation, and the proper process for placing down the duckie with a view to play the saxophone. Because of the intensive analysis and testing the producers do, the present has at all times been remarkably profitable at conveying academic info to kids.
Aside from this one time.
My peak period of preschool-age Sesame Avenue viewing was the early-to-mid-’80s, when Northern Calloway’s David was all around the present. Like the opposite human solid members, he was primarily seen in road tales, however typically he would seem in an insert section, together with the one I wish to discuss at present: A music referred to as “Tying Your Shoelace.” As you’ve little question deduced, it was supposed to show children the right way to tie their shoelaces, nevertheless it simply didn’t work on me.
Muppet Wiki tells me that the music was written by Lee Pockriss. Earlier than I proceed, I wish to say that I’m actually comfortable to have discovered about Pockriss, as a result of he wrote a bunch of fantastic songs. His compositions for Sesame Avenue embrace “My Polliwog Methods,” “Fairly Little Tune,” “The Spanish Counting Tune,” and “Bert’s Love Tune” (as heard on the Love album AND in an episode I’ve written about earlier than!).
And get this: He additionally wrote “Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka-Dot Bikini” and “Catch a Falling Star!” Now that’s a flexible songwriter! Clearly his musical and lyrical abilities are above reproach. If reproach is down right here (gestures), his abilities are up right here (gestures larger). So I don’t begrudge him for the truth that I didn’t study the supposed lesson from his work on this one explicit composition.
Now, courtesy of YouTube person TheOriginalTellyMonster, check out “Tying Your Shoelace,” a section that was typically repeated once I was a lad:
I’m fairly certain it’s meant to sound just like the outdated music “Ballin’ the Jack,” which dates again to 1913 and has been recorded by many, many artists, together with Judy Garland and Gene Kelly within the 1942 film For Me and My Gal and Danny Kaye in 1951’s On the Riviera. It’s a kind of songs that offers you step-by-step directions on the right way to do a dance that goes with the music, and the dance and the music have the identical identify. You realize… like “The Twist,” and “The Loco-motion,” and “The Lurch.”
It feels like David introduces himself as “Mr. Dandy David,” and he’s dressed like a flashy old-timey vaudeville entertainer, which is all very promising. After which he sings. “First you’re taking your laces…”
That’s a great begin. Once I was a child, I had no downside with that half. I may find the laces on my sneakers with comparatively little hassle.
“And you then tie ‘em like so.” Okay, this half required extra effort. “Tie ‘em like so?” Like what? How do you tie ‘em? He’s instructing me the right way to tie my shoelaces, and it sounds an terrible lot like the first step is “Tie your shoelaces.” If I requested David the right way to make pancakes, would he say “First you make some pancakes?” However after a lot trial and error, my younger self was capable of tie a easy knot in his laces.
“And you then take a maintain of 1 aspect, and also you make just a little bow! And you then collect up the opposite aspect, and right here’s what you do…” David. I’m three and a half years outdated! Do you assume my tremendous motor expertise have developed to the purpose the place I can merely make just a little bow and keep it whereas I exploit my different hand to assemble up the opposite aspect, after which WAIT for additional directions?! By the way in which… What’s a bow?
“Now you swing it across the bow! Sure, you swing it across the bow…” Nearly each time I tried this step, the bow would collapse, together with my spirits.
“And you then pull it proper via!” What?! I don’t actually have a bow anymore! How am I supposed to drag it proper via? And even when I did, WHERE do you count on me to drag it? Are you able to decelerate just a little, please? I do know there’s a extremely neat movie about elephants developing later within the present, however can it wait?
“And you then tie it actual tight, and when you’ve obtained it into place/Properly, it’s actually sort of enjoyable, and whenever you’re executed/That’s what we name tying your shoelace!” I heard David telling me that tying my shoelace was enjoyable, however regardless of his peppy supply, I by no means knew for certain if it was true, as a result of I may by no means recreate his course of.
After David sings the music as soon as, Herry Monster enters and asks him to repeat the tune, so he does, with Herry singing backup. This was a good suggestion — listening to the music twice in a row in all probability helped loads of youngsters take in the lesson and study the method.
However not me. I’m fairly certain I didn’t discover ways to tie my very own sneakers till I used to be round 9 years outdated… In the future my dad and mom purchased me a brand new pair of sneakers, and I used to be messing round with the laces whereas sitting there in JC Penney, and one thing simply clicked, and all of the sudden I had achieved one thing I beforehand thought was unimaginable.
However again once I was in Sesame Avenue’s goal age group? Nope. It simply didn’t take. Happily, the section concludes with a foolish joke — Herry needs David to tie his laces regardless that he doesn’t put on sneakers however as a result of he has a set of sneakers — so I used to be distracted from my burning sense of frustration.
And much more happily, the ultimate seconds of the section characteristic David doing a traditional “exasperated Sesame Avenue human” take to the digital camera.
And maybe most happily of all for me? Velcro sneakers existed. No music required for that footwear! In truth, it could be fairly silly to write down an entire music about the right way to placed on Velcro sneakers.
Lastly, I simply wish to draw your consideration to the little lady whose sneakers David is utilizing to display. She mainly by no means strikes or reacts to something! Even when Herry is available in, she doesn’t actually acknowledge his presence.
I’ve three theories as to why she’s so stoic:
- She’s concentrating on the phrases and David’s arms so she will tie her sneakers by herself subsequent time.
- She was informed by the director to not transfer, so her ft stay nonetheless within the closeups and so she doesn’t fall off the wall.
- They’ve executed a bunch of takes and she or he’s bored out of her thoughts.
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by Ryan Roe – [email protected]
