Through the Related Videos feature on YouTube, I got onto a chain reaction of finding these great Sesame Street real and parody videos!
These videos and songs are great! They’re clever, hilarious and educational all at the same time! I’m going to learn to sing these songs for some kids I know (cause I ain’t got one and don’t plan to be having one any time soon). You should consider learning these songs as well, if your singing to your kids has been getting a bit routine. You’ll be the hit of the neighbourhood kids!
First up is Andrea Bocelli singing a “lullaby” to Elmo. It’s a modified version of his great hit Con te Partiro (Time to Say Goodbye, video), to Time to Say Good Night. Now, if you’re laughing at the thought of having an opera singer sing a child a lullaby and the trauma that might cause the child, they didn’t forget to deal with that in the video. But it is a lovely song, and a nice lullaby any Parent could sing for a child if he/she so chooses. It’s just a shame Andrea was not able to see this cute video, being blind.
Right, where would you get the lyrics to sing something like that or find time to sit down, listen to it several times over and write it out? Well, one beauty of the Internet is that you can sometimes really find everything on it! There is a Sesame Street lyrics archive! This is a cool webpage! The lyrics for Time to Say Goodnight is here.
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Next is the alphabet song, sung gospel style by Patti LaBelle. Hey, now there‘s how you sing the alphabet song! Allelujah G-S! I really can’t wait for my next chance to sing the Alphabet song for a kid! That’ll be after some practice, of course, and a lot quieter! That kid is in for some surprise, let me tell you! 
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But if you didn’t believe in GS, then try the rap version with Miles Robinson. That’s the Sesame Street character name on the show. It’s Olamide Faison in real life. So American melting pot, man, to get everybody an Anglicized name!
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Or how’s about a medley led by Ray Charles? Patrick Stewart, Susan Sarandon, Ellen DeGeneres, Tony Bennett, David Robinson and others make guest appearances.
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Ray’s got another great song here with Bert and Ernie, but I’ve only linked it instead of leaving it here as a full video because it’s a little off topic. Nora Jones‘ version of Don’t Know Why (great video of real song) on Sesame Street is right on, though. A clever adaptation to a situation where Nora doesn’t know why the letter Y hasn’t shown up to meet her, the piece is clever and beautiful, teaching not only about the letter, but also homonyms and many great words starting with the letter Y. Nora and the song also goes a long way towards influencing kids to have great taste and sense for music, too!
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Ah, then there’s James Blunt singing about a triangle using his big hit You’re Beautiful (video of real song). Cute. I love how they get these singers to come on the show and do all these parodies.
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But what’s a post about parody videos without a real parody in the truest sense of the word? Here’s Bert & Ernie doing gangsta rap! Enjoy! And no, I won’t be “singing” this to any kids! 
Flesch-Kincaid Grade Reading Level: 6.3
