abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz (song)

"Abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz" is a song sung by Big Bird of Sesame Street.

After stumbling upon the Latin alphabet, which was written in chalk on the sidewalk, he mistakes it for a very long word. With marching band-like accompaniment, he breaks into song, pronouncing the "word". His brilliance as a bird, he thinks, will become known to all the world if he can ascertain the word's meaning.

A verse lists Big Bird's assumptions of what the word might mean:

It might be a kind of an elephant

Or a funny kind of kazoo

Or strange, exotic turtle

You never see in a zoo

Or maybe a kind of a doggie

Or particular shade of blue

Or maybe a pretty flower

Naah, not with a name like that, Uh uh!

The humor comes from the irony that while Big Bird can read the word he does not seem to know what an alphabet is, as well as the fact that he is saying the whole alphabet as one word. This kind of humor is generally not intended to be noticed by children but instead is meant for adults so they can enjoy the show as well, and are more inclined to watch it with their children. This is a typical tactic of Sesame Street.

"Abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz" is one of many similar songs about the Latin alphabet, as well as songs that set the alphabet to music and use the same title or sometimes simply shortened to abc's. Their main purpose is generally didactic.

See also

• The alphabet song