The end of smart T.V.
Many years ago, before I was married I bought the anniversary collection of Schoolhouse Rock DVDs for nostalgic purposes. Right smack in the middle of watching my usual lineup of Saturday morning cartoons as a child, I fondly remember seeing these short educational clips of cartoons with a catchy tune that to this very day is still buried deep in my brain (perhaps part of a secret scientific government conspiracy?).
When Schoolhouse Rock became a thing of the past in my high school years, I remember taking a history test which asked me to write down the Preamble. After freaking out for a few minutes, my brain slowly began to recall the lyrics and tune of the Preamble song from Schoolhouse Rock:
Hey, do you know about the U.S.A.?
Do you know about the government?
Can you tell me about the Constitution?
Hey, learn about the U.S.A.
In 1787 I’m told
Our founding fathers did agree
To write a list of principles
For keepin’ people free.
The U.S.A. was just startin’ out.
A whole brand-new country.
And so our people spelled it out
The things that we should be.
And they put those principles down on paper and called it the Constitution, and it’s been helping us run our country ever since then. The first part of the Constitution is called the preamble and tells what those founding fathers set out to do.
We the people,
In order to form a more perfect union,
Establish justice, insure domestic tranquility,
Provide for the common defense,
Promote the general welfare and
Secure the blessings of liberty
To ourselves and our posterity
Do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America
Yes, I passed!
Miraculously, that same DVD set I bought years ago has survived and my kids are now in their second honeymoon with this collection. Unfortunately, some of the scratches made some of the clips impossible to watch, so I just paid the $12-13 and bought them a brand new copy the other day.
As your body grows bigger
Your mind grows flowered
It’s great to learn
Cause knowledge is power!
It’s Schoolhouse Rocky
That chip off the block
Of your favourite schoolhouse
Schoolhouse Rock!
Related link(s)
Schoolhouse Rock (home)
“I’m only a bill, and I’m sitting here on Captial Hill……”
“Oh, any place that you may go, or anyone who you may know, oh they are nouns, oh they are nouns………….”
Duane, I too purchased School House Rock for my son. When I realized that I could still remember and recite the lyrics myself 30 years later it was a must for the boy.
“Conjunction Junction what’s your function……….”
Comment by Give it a rest! | April 24, 2008
i use those in class. the verb one is my favorite. but have you all heard the version done in the 90’s w/ remakes by contemporary artists? they got biz markie doin the energy blues. outside of ‘just a friend,’ it’s his best song.
Comment by avery | April 24, 2008