Sesame Street Saturdays: Sesame Street Old School Vol. 1 CD Set

Sesame Street Old School Vol. 1

Classic 3-CD Set Review

Ryan Dosier - A few weeks ago, Sesame Workshop re-released three classic Sesame Street records in CD format in one convenient set. The set is "Sesame Street Old School Vol. 1" (yes, the same name as the DVD set) and contains the albums, "The Sesame Street Record," "Big Bird Sings," and "Bert & Ernie Sing-Along."

AUDIO
Each CD truly sounds better than the next and all three of them sound absolutely fantastic. It's so intriguing to listen to the vintage 70's goodness of "The Sesame Street Record" and hear the familiar voices of Caroll Spinney and Bob McGrath that fans can still hear today. All of the audio is truly as crisp and clear as if the songs were recorded yesterday.

True, there are some songs on these CDs that have been released countless times ("Rubber Duckie," "Bein' Green," "ABC-DEF-GHI") but even these seem to have a new flourish in the digital restoration. It's amazing what they can do in this digital age. But, don't worry, when Ernie tells you to turn over the record, you'll still wish you could.

PRESENTATION
The presentation of these CDs is fantastic. All of them come in individual sleeves that beautifully mimic an old record, complete with track and cast listing on the back. The real treat comes when you pull them out of the sleeves, however, and you see that each of the CDs even looks like a record. It's a wonderful touch and is a lot of fun.

Something fun and interesting I noticed on the CDs is who sings each track. For instance, on "I've Got Two," a song performed by Gordon, Susan, Bob, Oscar, Big Bird, and Mr. Hooper, the CD says, "Big Bird, Oscar plus everybody including Mr. Hooper." It's not terribly interesting but I think it's absolutely charming for no reason in particular.

FUN FACTOR
Is there anything more fun for a Muppet fan than classic Sesame Street? It's just the best, and these CDs are no different. It's just a joy to sit back and listen to Gordon and Big Bird and everybody talk to you as if they're with you or sing you a song as if you're learning the alphabet for the first time.

But the most fun obviously comes from the unhinged lunacy of "Bert & Ernie Sing-Along." The entire album takes place in Bert and Ernie's bathroom while Bert is in the tub (yes... IN the tub). And it's not just Bert and Ernie singing along, but Gordon, Susan, Bob, David, Luis, Maria, Big Bird, Grover, Herry, Cookie Monster, Prairie Dawn, The Count, Oscar, and Mr. Hooper all join in he fun as well. It's hilarious, heartwarming, and a whole lot of fun. Now... could someone please get poor Bert a towel?

CONCLUSION
This CD set was one of the greatest purchases I've made so far in 2010. I had never had the opportunity to hear the fun of "Bert & Ernie Sing-Along" or the magic of listening to "The Sesame Street Record" straight through. 

I really can't recommend this set enough. Whether you're an old-school fan who grew up owning these records or if you're a teenage fan like myself who has never heard them--or even if you're a parent who wants to share classic Sesame Street with your own kids... this set is for you!

This set is available from Amazon for only $17.99.

The Muppet Mindset by Ryan Dosier