Sing (The Carpenters song)
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| “Sing” | |||||
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Cover to the single, "Sing"
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| Single by The Carpenters from the album Now & Then |
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| A-side | "Sing" | ||||
| B-side | "Druscilla Penny" | ||||
| Released | January 13, 1973 | ||||
| Format | 7" single | ||||
| Recorded | 1972 | ||||
| Genre | Pop | ||||
| Length | 03:18 | ||||
| Label | A&M Records 1413 |
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| Writer(s) | Joe Raposo | ||||
| Producer | Jack Daugherty | ||||
| The Carpenters singles chronology | |||||
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| Now & Then track listing | |||||
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"Sing" is a popular song created for Sesame Street that gained popularity when performed by The Carpenters. It has become one of the most performed songs on Sesame Street, sung in English, Spanish, and sign language.
"Sing" was written by Joe Raposo, the staff songwriter for the children's television series Sesame Street. In its initial appearance, the song was sung by adult human cast members of the show, and Muppet puppets, including Big Bird. "The Kids" sang "Sing" for The Sesame Street Book & Record, a recording re-released on the 2003 Songs from the Street CD set.
In early 1973, Karen and Richard Carpenter were guests on ABC television special Robert Young with the Young. The Carpenters loved the song and said in retrospect that they knew it would "be a hit". Their associates thought they were "nuts". The song acted as their debut single from the LP album Now and Then, released in 1973. "Sing" reached #3 on the Billboard charts, and became the group's seventh gold single.
Their recording of the song was produced and arranged by Richard Carpenter, and engineered by Ray Gerhardt. The lead vocal was sung by Karen Carpenter, with backing vocals by Karen and Richard Carpenter and the Jimmy Joyce Children's Choir. Keyboards were by Richard Carpenter, bass by Joe Osborn, drums by Karen Carpenter, and recorders by Tom Scott.
In 1974 while touring Japan, The Carpenters recorded their first live album in Osaka. The album contained a new version of "Sing" with the children's chorus sung by the Kyoto Children's Choir. The song is featured on the album Live In Japan which was recorded in June 1974 and released in Japan only on March 7, 1975. This album has since been released on CD and is available as an import.
In 1975, Lily Tomlin sang and signed this song to a group of deaf children on Sesame Street.
On the eleventh episode of The Muppet Show, in 1976, guest Lena Horne sang this song.
Later, Olivia sang this song, while Linda signed the lyrics. After the hurricane struck Sesame Street in 2001, Big Bird sang "Sing" in celebration of his nest being rebuilt.
As an iconic Sesame song, "Sing" has closed many of the show's anniversary specials, including Sesame Street: 20 and Still Counting, Sesame Street's All-Star 25th Birthday: Stars and Street Forever and Sesame Street's 25th Birthday: A Musical Celebration. It was used for the title of the 1990 documentary that eulogized Raposo, Sing! Sesame Street Remembers Joe Raposo and His Music.
The original and subsequent Sesame Street recordings were released on Sesame Street Concert/On Stage - Live! (1973), Sing the Hit Songs of Sesame Street (1974), Bert & Ernie Sing-Along (1975), Sesame Street Silver - 10th Anniversary Album (1978), Sesame Street Disco (1979), Sing: Songs of Joe Raposo (1992), Sesame Street Platinum: All Time Favorites (1995), The Bird Is the Word - Big Bird's Favorite Songs, Songs from the Street: 35 Years of Music (2003), and The Best of Elmo. A Spanish version was included in Fiesta Songs! (1998).
The Carpenters did an additional recording and remix in 1994, that time with sound engineer Roger Young.
In 1996, Dutch group Nakatomi produced a happy hardcore version of this song.
The Dixie Chicks once recorded a version of this song, and there was also an all-celebrity version, featuring such celebrities as R.E.M., Conan O'Brien, Ben Stiller, and, again, The Dixie Chicks.
Placement on the Charts: Carpenters' Version
| Chart | Peak position |
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| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 3 |
| U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary | 1 |
| Record World | 4 |
| Canadian Singles Chart | 4 |
| Oricon (Japanese) Singles Chart | 18 |
| UK Singles Chart | - |
[edit] Trivia
- The original versions of Sing had only one verse. Joe Raposo added a second verse to the song for The Carpenters. Their version of Sing became so popular that their version is now the standard version used on Sesame Street.
- This song was originally slated to be the theme song to Sesame Street.
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