Highlights from My Vinyl Collection, Part 12

This is the twelfth installment of "Highlights from My Vinyl Collection," an appreciation of great music, not necessarily rare finds or expensive imports. This is not about "deleted Smiths singles and original, not rereleased - underlined - Frank Zappa albums," as Rob Gordon so eloquently put it, though a small few select gems might appear every now and again.



Ernie & Other Sesame Street Characters - Ernie's Hits

Here it is. Though this is not the oldest album in my collection, it has spent the longest time in my possession. I have had this album since its release in 1974. Those who know me will automatically understand why this album is so important to me. I grew up with Sesame Street and subsequently with other Jim Henson projects that seemed to perfectly line up with my maturation process. After Sesame Streetcame The Muppet Show, Fraggle Rock, and then the later films, The Dark Crystal and Labyrinth, not to mention the original trilogy of Muppet movies. The Muppets embody everything I value today: education, friendship, humor, a celebration of diversity, and a camaraderie that exhibits all the best aspects of socialism. Sesame Street was and is a utopia in my mind, a place in which we can all aspire to live. Though I loved all the Muppets, Ernie was always my favorite, to the point of choosing to memorialize him (and thus my hero, Jim Henson) in a tattoo. Why Ernie? One simple reason is that he is hilarious. The tracks on Ernie's Hits, which include sketches as well as songs, exemplify his humor. Entries such as the classic "Would You Like to Buy an O?" "Ernie Dusts the Shelf," and "The Wrong Patient" crack me up even today. On top of it all, there are the great songs, "Imagination," "The Drawing Song," and the ultimate Ernie song, "Rubber Duckie." The only thing missing is a song that appeared four years later, "I Don't Want to Live on the Moon." The other reason is that he has a boundless heart. When his ol' buddy Bert is sick, Ernie takes care of him. Though he is silly and sometimes immature, he always rises to challenges when necessary. My own personality is more like Bert's. I tend to obsess over things, just like Bert with pigeons, oatmeal, and his bottlecap collection. I get quite serious about things, and even annoyed and testy when things don't go my way. I am easily frustrated. But, every morning, I look in the mirror and see Ernie. I am reminded to set aside the little problems and enjoy the silly and beautiful things in life.