On This Day in History : August 2nd
This is the song that never ends.
Yes it goes on and on my friends.
Some people, started singing it not knowing what it was,
but they’ll continue singing it forever just because….
Shari Lewis was a paragon of children’s programming. And on this day, August 2nd, we celebrate her passing 12 years ago.
There are certain childhood experiences that are ingrained in a generation. For me, its programs like the Magic School Bus and Lambchop’s Play-Along that really bring home that childhood nostalgia like few other things can. Even looking at kids programming today, it just seems there’s a heavy reliance on bright colors, flashing lights and really strange characters. There’s no sense of sing-a-long anymore, and that makes me really sad.
When i was five or six I used to wake up at obscene hours. Every morning I would run downstairs into the family room and pop in my absolute hands down favorite ever cassette tape, Shari Lewis and Lambchop “Don’t Wake Your Mom”. The plotline is simple. Your mom is sleeping, don’t wake her up.
And every morning I would put the tape into the stereo, turn the volume on full blast, and sing at the top of my lungs. And every morning my mother would sleepily come down the stairs and we would have this epic exchange:
Linda: Matthew.
Matthew: Yes.
Linda: What are you listening to?
Matthew: Don’t wake your mom.
Linda: And what did you just do?
Matthew: ……..
If you think to shows like Yo Gabba Gabba it’s hard to imagine the simple things that kept our imaginations running wild. For example:
A former Star Trek cast member
A Popsicle Stick
A Man whose only job was to take sweaters and loafers on and off
An Island Frog
Whatever Allegra Was
And what do the kids have today…well…..
We salute you Shari. For making a few puppets our best friends and ventriloquism so much less creepy than it actually is.
red herring. 