A couple of months ago, I received a comment asking if I had this album. At the time, I didn't. But I do now, so here it is!
Roosevelt Franklin was a character used more in the early years of Sesame Street. Probably the character (and his supporting cast) was dropped because he was voiced by Matt Robinson, the original actor to play Gordon on the show. I kept thinking that the character of Roosevelt Franklin lasted longer, but the show rotated out segments, so I may have just seen older skits that I hadn't seen previously. Looking at the credits to the album I see that the songs were also written by Robinson (with some help on the music by Joe Raposo), so he had quite a lot of time and energy devoted to the character.
Anyway, here's some songs about numbers, letters, days of the week, months of the year, and being proud of what you are, from Mobity Mosely, Baby Ray, A.B. Cito, Mary Frances and her brother Roosevelt Franklin!
Here's the track list:
- Roosevelt Franklin Counts
- Days of the Week
- Mobity Mosely's Months
- Keep on Trying
- The Safety Boy Blues
- Just Because
- The Skin I'm In
- A Bear Eats Bear Food
- Halfies
- Me and You
- Old King Midas
- Roosevelt Franklin's Alphabet
NOTE: This album is now a part of the 3-CD set "Sesame Street Old School, Volume 2," along with "Grover Sings the Blues" and "The Count Counts"! And you can buy it from the link below:
20 comments:
More Sesame Street albums please :D I'm loving 'em...and keep up the good work.
I wonder if they realize that Roosevelt Franklin was the name of a late 60's,early 70's radio preacher. His big thing was offering "prosperity packages."
I'd been led to believe, and I could definitely be wrong about this, that CTW dropped Roosevelt Franklin when concerns were raised about his character, who was always getting in trouble and school and so forth, being a bad role model for kids and presenting a negative image of African-American people and so forth.
That said, this is the funkiest Sesame Street album ever recorded (probably the funkiest childrens album ever recorded, even), and a stone classic.
Roosevelt Franklin on MySpace - songs, videos and more
I had this album! Im so glad to be reunited. It is still funky and funny, with a lesson on sharng and being happy with who you are thrown in.
Thank you thank you thank you.
This was my favorite when I was kid and I have been looking for it for YEARS.
Hearing him was very special for this little black girl. He sounded like people in my family. Very cool.
just wanted to say thank you for making this album available- i've wanted my son to have it and have been searching for it for about 2 years! yay!
Ohmigod!!! I have been looking for this for years!!! This is the best children's album ever!!!
Thank you so much for making this available. We had the 8-track, but I can't find it, and even if I could, I'm not sure if I still have the 8-track player....
Thanks again!
Roosevelt Franklin sounds like Mitch Hedberg.
My review of this album on rateyourmusic.com...
"Easily the best SS album ever made and very possibly the best funk album of the 1970's. Roosevelt Franklin was the angry militant black muppet of Sesame Street, barely 2 and badder than James Carr and Huey P. Newton combined. Roosevelt sounds like a soulful mix of Gil Scott Heron and Mitch Hedburg as he lays down the cold hard truth about some serious shit like safety and numbers. Mobity Mosely's guest appearance on "Mobity Mosely's Months" absolutely seals the deal. And "Just Because",a weird ballad about senseless violence, could easily be the anti-war anthem of the 20th century. Seek this out at all costs."
that's the name I chose for my blog ha ha
This LP was originally called "The Year of Roosevelt Franklin (Gordon's Friend from Sesame Street)" when it was originally released on the Columbia label back in 1971 (C 30387) and it was rereleased in 1974 on the Sesame St. label as "My Name Is Roosevelt Franklin".
I had this album as a child. I almost cried when I heard these songs. Who ever posted this, you are extraordinary and I LOVE YAH!
My whole family has been looking for this album for years we have been on a quest and you have delivered to us. I am going to be the hero of my family when I send all copies of this wonderful album. Thank you so very much.
Larry
OMG!!!! I loved this album as a child!!!
"Roosevelt Franklin how old are you?
I used to be one now I'm going on two.
What you gonna do when you get three?
I'm gonna look my daddy right in the knee!!
CLASSIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I love Roosevelt Franklin and have been searching for him for years. He is my favorite Sesame Street Character. Thank you for this album
I just asked my students in lunch detention if they know who Roosevelt Franklin is. They all thought he was a real person on Sesame Street. Anyway, I had this album too and I loved it then and I love it now. I still find myself singing some of the songs because they were so catchy!
I liked the Roosevelt Franklin character on Sesame Street however, it wasn't until many years later that I realized that the song where Roosevelt counts (Roosevelt Franklin, how old are you?") had serious racist connotations. I mean come on; "What you gonna do when you turn 8? U'm gonna eat all the collard greens off my plate!" is just one of the stereotypical lines in that song.
This has been one of my most cherished LP's in my collection since I received it back in '74. I hadn't heard it since I played it for my little sisters 20+ years ago, and just heard it again New Years Eve when my sister got a USB turntable for Christmas! The coolest thing was that I STILL remembered almost all the lyrics! This is a wonderful album, and a true piece of American culture that Sesame Street should be extremely proud of.
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