The Muppet Show: Music, Mayhem and More! The 25th Anniversary Collection

1	The Muppet Show Theme / Jim Henson 0:54
2	Mahna Mahna/Lullaby of Birdland / Jim Henson 2:16
3	There's a New Sound / Richard Hunt 2:17
4	Lady of Spain / Frank Oz 1:38
5	Trees / Richard Hunt 0:39
6	A Monolouge by Fozzie Bear / Jim Henson 1:51
7	Bein' Green / Jim Henson 2:13
8	Simon Smith and His Amazing Dancing Bear / Richard Hunt 1:56
9	Tenderly / Jim Henson 2:00
10	Wishing Song / Dave Goelz 2:27
11	What Now My Love? / Frank Oz 2:16
12	Happy Feet / Jim Henson 1:37
13	We Got Us / Jim Henson 1:23
14	Closing Theme Instrumental 0:57
15	Rainbow Connection / Jim Henson 3:15
16	Movin' Right Along / Jim Henson 2:56
17	Can You Picture That? / Jim Henson 2:31
18	Finale: The Magic Store / Dave Goelz 5:18
19	Hey a Movie! / Jim Henson 2:41
20	Happiness Hotel / Jim Henson 3:05
21	The First Time It Happens / Jim Henson 4:11
22	Together Again / Jim Henson 2:53
23	I'm Gonna Always Love You / Jim Henson 2:56
24	He'll Make Me Happy / Jim Henson 2:04
25	One More Sleep 'Til Christmas / Steve Whitmire 2:49
26	Love Led Us Here / Frank Oz 2:22
27	I'm Going to Go Back There Someday / Dave Goelz Muppets from Space Version 3:28

Barnes & Noble

When The Muppet Show first premiered on TV in 1977, it introduced young viewers to a cast of eccentric and endearing puppets created by Jim Henson. Little did Henson or his fans know that 25 years later, these innovative creatures would still be around, making kids smile and parents rejoice. This 25th Anniversary collection gathers the best songs from The Muppet Show and its spin-off movies. The songs -- which run the gamut from rock to jazz to Broadway -- have an age-blind appeal, blending wacky voices and unmistakable personalities with irresistible melodies. From the very first line of "The Muppet Show Theme" we know "It's time to play the music/It's time to light the lights." "Bein' Green" -- which has since been covered by everyone from Tony Bennett to Frank Sinatra -- finds Kermit in rare form, his voice pensive and full of heartache, as he bemoans "having to spend the day the color of the leaves." Another poignant Kermit moment occurs on the uplifting, much-loved "Rainbow Connection" from The Muppet Movie, a tune that's been revisited by Kenny Loggins and Willie Nelson. But it's not all about the hankies -- several songs aim to get little bodies moving. "Happy Feet" attempts to answer the question "Can a frog tap dance?" Kermit answers in the affirmative as he taps to the cheery song. And the Muppets achieve a communal spirit on "We Got Us," where they ponder "Why sing a melody/as a soliloquy/when it's more fun to be/harmonizing." The gang gets rockin'-and-rollin' on "Tenderly," sung by the throaty Dr. Teeth, a character based on legendary New Orleans musician Dr. John. And to keep up both momentum and spirits, Fozzie Bear and Kermit join together for the road-trip anthem "Movin Right Along." This lavishly outfitted, 27-track collection includes a photo-filled booklet detailing a history of the TV series and featuring memories from Frank Oz (the voice of Miss Piggy) and Dave Goelz (The Great Gonzo). A dyed-in-the-wool classic, this timeless collection deserves a prominent position in every child's playroom. Amy Barkat

All Music Guide

The Muppet Show: Music, Mayhem and More! The 25th Anniversary Collection is a problematic release. The music and mayhem created by Kermit, Fozzie, Miss Piggy, and the Muppet gang on the 27-track disc is mostly hilarious, always entertaining, and also strangely moving at times. The first 14 songs are from the soundtrack of The Muppet Show, beginning with the inimitable "Muppet Show Theme" and collecting some favorites like "Mahna Mahna," Kermit's existential showcase "Bein' Green," and "There's a New Sound," interspersed with comedy bits like the charmingly silly "Monologue by Fozzie Bear" and the always-tart commentary of Statler and Waldorf. One hundred percent wonderful stuff. The rest of the disc is devoted to the Muppets' cinematic adventures: four songs from The Muppet Movie; three from The Great Muppet Caper; three from The Muppets Take Manhattan; and one each from The Muppet Christmas Carol, Muppet Treasure Island, and Muppets From Space. The tracks from The Muppet Movie are solid gold: "Rainbow Connection" is practically a standard and "Movin' Right Along" is worthy of the Marx Brothers if they had ever made an MGM musical. Sadly, the quality slowly begins to slip with each Muppet project, especially after creator Jim Henson's death before The Muppet Christmas Carol was made. Even with a reduction in quality, the Muppets' music stands head and shoulders above most music made for kids.

The problematic aspect of this disc is the producer's decision to lump the material from the TV series in with the film music. Many listeners may find that the paltry amount of material from The Muppet Show merely whets their appetite for more. The soundtracks (apart from The Muppet Movie) don't pack the same combination of energy, laughs, and pathos that the TV show did; they try too hard to be statements or big emotional moments and lack the effortless grace of The Muppet Show. It is too late now, but it seems that the perfect solution for this collection would have been a two-disc set: one disc for The Muppet Show and one for the Muppet movies. Still, with RCA's superior collections Muppet Hits volumes one and two being out of print, The Muppet Show: Music, Mayhem and More! The 25th Anniversary Collection is the only place to experience the audio brilliance of The Muppet Show. Buy it and send Rhino an e-mail (or a letter) requesting more Muppet Show music and mayhem. Tim Sendra