Soundtrack in my head: Steve Zuckerman “Capital I Song”
Blame Sesame Street for my decision to live in a co-op house. It’s all because of this 1971 Sesame Street short called the “Capital I Song”. It was supposed to teach me about the ninth letter in my ABC’s, but apparently a more sinister plot was unfolding the entire time.
Okay, not really, but I saw this a few years ago and it just dawned on me recently that it might be on YouTube—which it is. It really made a strong impression on me for a couple of reasons. The first reason is that the cartoon characters look like they’re living in, well, a co-op house.
Second is that the sweet little folk rock tune sounds VERY much like a tune from that period—the sound and the melody give me instant flashbacks to my early, early childhood of the late 60’s and early 70’s. I have a theory that says that young musicians are very influenced by music from their early childhood. I think that’s why a lot of 80’s music has 60’s influences, a lot of 90’s music has 70’s influences and a lot of current music has 80’s influences.
And having a number of people living in a house together. Singing while cooperating with chores. Dressing weird. My parents have sometimes teased me about being “a product of the 60’s” since I was born during that decade. That may be true, but it’s THEIR fault.
And as for the similarity in shape between the capital “I” and the current house I live in—well, I’m not going to even go there…
OMG!! Though it never made me want to live in a co-op house (I’m a *classic* only child — it would *kill* me), the Capital I song is one of te most beloved song of my childhood (along with American Pie and The Cover of the Rolling Stone — I’m not kidding). I have often gone to YouTube to listen to its haunting goodness. By your parents’ definition, I too am a child of the sixties — by 41 days. 🙂
I love that description: "haunting goodness." Listening to it I’m struck by a couple of interesting twists in the song, like the fact that this capital "I" is "in the middle of the desert, in the middle of the sky." Okay, that’s not Madison, but it’s wildly creative.