Open Sesame/Lonesome Joan (from Sesame Street)

Cast

• Grover's Orange Book as Ernie
• Big Bird's Yellow Book as Bert

Lyrics

Big Bird's Yellow Book: Okay, Grover's Orange Book. You're ready?

Grover's Orange Book: Sure am, Big Bird's Yellow Book. And I've got my piano all in tuned.

Big Bird's Yellow Book: Good, because me and my bass are all ready to groove.

Grover's Orange Book: Oh, good. Then why don't you introduce the song?

Big Bird's Yellow Book: Oh, okay. (clears throat) Grover's Orange Book and I are going to sing a song about a girl who had a little trouble learning to how to do things and this girl's name was Lonesome Joan, which is also the name of our song. (clears throat) Hit it.

Grover's Orange Book: Okay, Big Bird's Yellow Book old pardner. Let her rip!

Big Bird's Yellow Book: (spoken) Okay, buckaroo Grover's Orange Book.
(singing) Let me tell you all a story 'bout a girl named Lonesome Joan
When she was three she thought she'd try to tie her shoe
Her Momma said, "I'll show you how!"
She pushed her Mom aside
"I'll do it alone," said Lonesome Joan
And her laces stayed untied

Grover's Orange Book and Big Bird's Yellow Book: Oh, Lonesome Joan, Lonesome Joan
Big Bird's Yellow Book: Felt she had to do everything alone (Yahoo!)
Grover's Orange Book and Big Bird's Yellow Book: She said, "I don't need no help, I can do it by myself"
Oh, Lonesome, Lonesome Joan

Grover's Orange Book: Well, she got a little older -- thought she'd learn to read and write
Her teacher tried to help her
Joan yelled, "Get out of my sight!"
So she never learned to write her name or even read a book
And all alone she never learned to swim or skate or count or cook

Grover's Orange Book and Big Bird's Yellow Book: Oh, Lonesome Joan, Lonesome Joan
Grover's Orange Book: Felt she had to do everything alone
Grover's Orange Book and Big Bird's Yellow Book: She said, "I don't need no help, I can do it by myself"
Oh, Lonesome, Lonesome Joan

Big Bird's Yellow Book: (spoken) Here I go!
(singing) Well, time went by and Joan grew old as people sometimes will
When Joan was 81 years old, she met a girl named Lil
Lil said, "Joan, it's just ridiculous the things that you can't do!
Joan, you're an 80 year old woman -- Time you learn to tie your shoe!"

Grover's Orange Book and Big Bird's Yellow Book: Oh, Lonesome Joan, Lonesome Joan
You don't have to do everything alone
You can use a little help
Don't have to do it by yourself
Oh, Lonesome, Lonesome Joan

Big Bird's Yellow Book: Go, Grover's Orange Book!

Grover's Orange Book: So Lil taught Joan to read and write and tie her shoe and more
And Joan lived to the happy age of a hundred and forty four (Big Bird's Yellow Book: Wow!)
So be sure you learned a lesson
From that old girl, Lonesome Joan (Big Bird's Yellow Book: What's that?)
When you're trying for the first time,
You don't have to try alone

Grover's Orange Book and Big Bird's Yellow Book: Oh, Lonesome Joan, Lonesome Joan
You don't have to do everything alone
Grover's Orange Book: You can use a little help
Big Bird's Yellow Book: Don't have to do it by yourself
Grover's Orange Book and Big Bird's Yellow Book: Oh, Lonesome, Lonesome Joan
Oh, Lonesome, Lonesome Joan

Big Bird's Yellow Book: Yippie tie yie, pardners!