Confessions of a Fanboy

On this day in 1990, Jim Henson passed away at age 53 of bacterial pneumonia.

I don’t know if we can trace the beginning of the decline of civilization to that day, but childhood has never been the same. How many generations of us grew up on The Muppet Show, Sesame Street, and Muppet Babies? Fraggle Rock? The Dark Crystal? That’s my childhood right there- at least a good segment of it. Recent animated series have become hugely popular by appealing to adult audiences. Henson’s Muppets were working that angle long before Disney and Pixar. He was only 53. That’s just way too damn young.

Henson started The Muppet Show because he wanted the freedom to incorporate more sophisticated humor. My favorite characters on The Muppet Show were Statler and Waldorff. The man created hecklers for his own show! That’s fucking brilliant!

Jim Henson being a guy who loved to laugh, well, I hope he’d appreciate some good-natured irreverence. To those of you who can’t, think of this as my Fozzie homage and throw your tomatoes.

R.I.P., Jim, and thanks.

• “Froggie Went A Courtin’” | Bruce Springsteen | We Shall Overcome: The Seeger Sessions
• “Peace Frog” | The Doors | Morrison Hotel
• “Green River” | CCR | Green River
• “Green Eyes” | Coldplay | A Rush Of Blood To The Head
• “From The Edge Of The Deep Green Sea” | The Cure | Wish
• “Kiss That Frog” | Peter Gabriel | Us
• “Blue in Green” | Miles Davis | Kind Of Blue
• “Fattening Frogs For Snakes” | Sonny Boy Williamson | His Best
• “Green Disease” | Pearl Jam | Riot Act
• “Frogs” | Alice in Chains | Alice in Chains
• “Green Grow The Rushes” | R.E.M. | Fables Of The Reconstruction
• “Green” | The Dandy Warhols | Come Down
• “Love You But You’re Green” | Babyshambles | The Blinding EP

Normally, I’d jot a few notes about each of those songs and how they tie in to whatever theme I was yammering on about. I don’t suppose that works in this case. There are some good songs on the list, though. I’d forgotten all about Peter Gabriel’s “Kiss That Frog.” I really love the version from Secret World Live. That was an incredible show. Sadly, I only ever saw it (repeatedly) on VHS. I wish Peter Gabriel wasn’t on the Axl Rose plan. He really should release albums more than once a decade.

Filed under: Alice in Chains, Bruce Springsteen, Pearl Jam, Pete Doherty, The Concept Album Mix Tape