Pinball Number Count
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Pinball Number Count is a collective title referring to 11 one-minute animated segments on the popular PBS children's series Sesame Street that teach children to count to 12 by following the journey of a pinball through a rather fanciful pinball machine. These segments are notable for the colorful, imaginative animation as well as the funky "one, two, three, FOUR, five...." soundtrack provided by The Pointer Sisters. Pinball Number Count was originally produced in 1972 by Imagination, Inc. in San Francisco, California for the Children's Television Workshop. It made its debut on Sesame Street in 1976.
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[edit] Overview
The Pinball Number Count segments contain common beginning and ending sequences showing the launch of the pinball into the machine and the exit of the pinball from play, respectively. Between these two sequences is a number-specific animated narrative showing the pinball in play. This middle segment features a scene in which a number of contraptions moved the pinball about the interior of the machine. These scenes are typically tied to a theme, such as an amusement park, a jungle, a forest, a medieval area, open roads, United States landmarks, European landmarks, a golf course, a circus or a farm. The pinball then exits this area and into the end sequence where it leaves play.
[edit] Music
Music for Pinball Number Count was composed by Walt Kraemer and arranged by Ed Bogas. The vocals were provided by the Pointer Sisters. The arrangements in the eleven films reflect musical idioms commonly found in 1970s urban culture, predominantly funk and jazz, though other styles including Caribbean steel drum music are also represented. The number-specific middle sections contain one of three different (presumably) improvised instrumental solos over a basic progression, respectively featuring soprano saxophone, electric guitar, and steel drum. Consistent with an abbreviated jazz structure, a prearranged head and turnaround / coda are played during the common starting and ending animation sequences. The vocals work in similar fashion with improvised shouts of the numbers 2-12 during the middle section and a return to the arranged counting at the end.
[edit] Visuals
Animation for the segments was directed by Jeff Hale and recalls contemporary psychedelic and pop art styles, typified by the ornate pinball bumpers, colorful geometrical motifs and whimsical themes and devices inside the machine. While great liberty is sometimes taken with respect to physics (the pinball moves smoothly over curved ramps lacking guide rails), subtle yet striking efforts toward realism are made by the animators to express the mechanical nature of the objects within. In particular, note that most of the contraptions in the pinball machine have discreet hinges and joints held together by screws and moved by rods or slots in the floor of the playing field.
[edit] List of segments
Despite the lyrics' counting from one to twelve, Pinball Number Count does not feature a segment for the number 1.
- #2: A Day at the Carnival (amusement park)
- #3: Circus Capers
- #4: FORE! (golf course)
- #5: The Only Way To Travel (modes of transportation)
- #6: Down on the Farm
- #7: World Tour (famous world landmarks)
- #8: Forest Follies
- #9: Play Ball! (baseball)
- #10: Medieval Times (fantasy Middle Ages)
- #11: Wild Things (jungle)
- #12: Sightseeing, USA
[edit] In popular culture
- Pinball Number Count was parodied in Family Guy episode 68, "The Father, the Son, and the Holy Fonz", when a plastic bubble-encased Stewie becomes the pinball.
- A remix of Pinball Number Count was released by Ninja Tune Records, with the cooperation of Sesame Workshop, on a 12" EP and on the "Zen TV" DVD.
- A remix titled Twelve appears on Venetian Snares' Infolepsy EP.
- Near the start of Half Nelson, Dan Dunne (Ryan Gosling) mumbles "1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12" in the same style.
- A cover of Pinball Number Count was released by Wicked Hemlocks on their debut album "Quill Of The Mad", Stick In Your Spokes Records 2007.
- The jazz-funk-rock trio Big Organ Trio recorded an instrumental cover of Pinball Number Count.
- A cover of Pinball Number Count was released as "Counting Song" by Kai Kln on their album "Rythym of Stranger", Insert This Way Records 1990
