It's been damn near a lifetime ago since I was a kid watching this show. This song was very well composed for a children's show. There was a special charm from the 70's and 80's that no longer exist today. I'm just glad that I grew up in that era.
I did not know that Lee, Luis, Jim, and Dwayne had all died. And now, Denise. There should be an official book written about the history and cast of The Electric Company. I'd buy it! From Cacilie
70s Electric Company was some of the best television ever made. These people were so dedicated and hard working, more than a few of them are comedy geniuses, they have impeccable timing, and their music backup was stellar. This is a prime example of specially composed and arranged music - but made a bit more special by the near-breaking of the 4th wall, as the adult cast members are drawn into the dance. Love everything about this.
Yes, she was and we do miss her. After she left The Electric Company, she guest starred on an episode of The Brady Bunch that she portrayed Pamela Phillips in "Two Petes in a Pod."
Happy 50th anniversary to this classic song from the Electric Company! Yup, it was featured in episode 150, which originally aired this very time 50 years ago(Friday, 11/17/1972), it’s Friday, 11/18/2022 as I post this comment. May this song from Electric Company live on for another half century! Peace. :)
It is so great to see Denise here, She sings well. I will always remember her from her roles on the original Dark Shadows, Amy Jennings (Present Day), Nora Collins (1897 Flashback), Amy Collins (1970PT). She was great too in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. RIP. Thanks for the entertainment.
This one shows that help kids in my general to learn how to read I grew up in 70's and its was shows like this that helps kids like me to read Turning 53 this year. And I've always like to show.
Absolutely, you can see JJ and Winnie(Skip Hinnant and Judy Graubart) really getting into it. As they dance their way off the stage, JJ and Winnie seem to be saying,”Yes! We really did it! Knocked them DEAD!”
This song is a classic. Sesame Street had a surprise Top 40 hit with the "Rubber Ducky" song. I think The Electric Company also had a handful of songs with hit potential, including this one. Allison really shines as the lead singer here. Kind of sad that the actress who played her, Denise Nickerson, is no longer with us.
The guy on the guitar was Douglas Grant who has also passed. Most remember Douglas as the kid on Good Times that James gave an attitude adjustment to. Lol
May Denise Nickerson (lead singer Allison) RIP. :) Season 2(1972-1973)was GREAT with having her. She had also recently done Willy Wonka and the chocolate factory (playing gum chewing Violet) at the time as everyone knows.
Since there is now a full time PBS Kids channel, I think it would be cool if they could do a "retro" block at night after most kids' bedtimes and rerun some of these classic shows that we GenX'ers grew up with. In the meantime, there are 2 DVD boxed sets (20 episodes each) put out by Shout Factory a while back. I think they are currently out of print but probably available on web sites like Amazon or eBay. You also might be able to find random episodes right here on UA-cam.
Indeed, do Rest in Peace, Denise Nickerson. You were in my favorite childhood movie and one of my favorite childhood shows. You influenced my life for the better.
This is what the Partridge family and the Brady Kids were going for, and as cute as they were, they missed the mark. This is the 70’s kids group with the real goods. The song is amazing and those kids were GREAT singers. Omg BEAUTIFUL belty fun voices.
Man now I'm old this is my favorite kid TV show I used to watch and love this show I always was scared when it came on I can hear the lady yelling heyyyyy you guys
I had the biggest crush on Denise Nickerson when I was about 5 years old! I wanted to be at least 10 years older so I could marry her. Made me want to cry that I wasn't as old as those other kids!
RIP as well to Doug Grant (the kid with the guitar). He appeared on Good Times on two different occasions- as Eddie, the kid who was taking Michael's lunch money, as well as Sweet Pea, one of the Satan's Knights trying to force JJ into some rumble.
My name is Thomas Keith Farris. I,m 53 years old I and I watched this song on the electric company back in the early 1970,s when I was a little boy and i fell in love with the girl back then singing the song. Rest In peace denise nickerson. Thomas Keith Farris.
Me too brother. Im 61 years old and was in love with the little Asian girl, her name fails me now. I loved this show and I don't think I missed and episode.
Look up HOLLOW IMAGE here on youtube…it is a 1970’s tv movie with Morgan and Hattie Winston (she sings in it.) i am not sure if it is that great of a movie, but it is really watchable and fun story about successful black people in the 70’s. Morgan’s character is a sweetheart with a tragic flaw.
June Angela WAS the Short Circus, no question. The only other two members who rivaled her for sheer talent and energy were short-timers Bayn Johnson and Denise Nickerson. The writers knew they had a good thing with Denise and gave her this song, one of the finest in the series. Awful shame she only lasted a single season.
You forgot about Irene Cara who played, "Iris". She had two featured songs with the Short Circus as well. They were; "Hard, Hard, Hard" and "I'm Just A Clown Who's Feeling Down". She was also very notable while in her brief stint with the show.
I had a thang for Réjane Magloire. Bayn Johnson annoyed the shit outta me. The candle on the cake was when she went on to be the lead singer of the new-wave group Indeep! Peace.
Wow! You guys are some major fans of this show! I only remembered Denise because of her role in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. I’ll have to check out Bayn and Angela since I don’t recall them by their names. If you’ve seen Denise recently you would never ever recognize her. She looks, I’m sorry to say, like a cancer victim. Gone is all the baby fat and auburn hair.
The Electric Company. was the second best show to air since Sesame Street’s being the first best. It was the second most watched. show after Sesame Street. I still miss the animated bed time story with a music box accompaniment.
Bit of history. Morgan Freeman wasn't keen on doing The Electric Company..as he was already an accomplished actor as was Rita Moreno. But one of the characters Freeman hated doing was the Mel Mounds character. But his best friend convinced him to stay with the show. Who was Freeman best friend? That would be the creator of The Electric Company Bill Cosby.
A lot has been mentioned about the fact that Denise Nickerson was in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. What wasn't mentioned, {although it may have been, just didn't feel like scrolling through all the comments.} is the fact that she was on the final season of the Gothic soap Dark Shadows. She played the little sister of Collinsport's resident werewolf Chris Jennings, Amy Jennings.
When you realize one of the girls singing this is played by Violet Beauregarde. (RIP to Denise btw.) Edit: The Electric Company pop-up text with the white and green colour here, now that I look at it again, looks like a half correct Wordle answer.
There are two others I know of. One, of course, is the "Hello" skit from the premiere; the other was the "march/cha cha cha" skit from Season 2 (posted here).
1980 was a good year for Electric Company cast members, Irene Cara's first big movie was FAME in 1980 and Morgan Freeman appeared in HIS first movie in 1980, the Robert Redford prison movie , "Brubaker".
Denise has her own very distinctive voice, but with a singing style very much like Karen Carpenter, here. Does anyone know if this (or other Short Circus songs) was written by Joe Raposo?
Me too! And also the knock knock Rock! I also like when Morgan Freeman sings since U left but I can't find those two songs I keep typing them in search but those two phones are not popping up luckily I could go to the local library and get a couple of the seasons although I would love all of them from 1971 to 77!😊👍
Both of those songs are on the Shout Factory DVD boxed sets. "Knock Knock Rock" is on Season 5 episode 35A which is on Volume 2, and "It's Not the Same Since U Left" is on Season 3 episode 285 which is on Volume 1. I think these DVD's are currently out of print, but you can probably find them on a website such as Amazon or eBay.
@UglySean Steve Gustfason (Buddy) is still acting. He was in the Actors Co-Op's production of Sherlock Holmes' Last Case which he played Dr. Watson. Steve also worked for Disney before he went back into acting.
@@Mister_Listener No, Irene Cara did not even sing on this second season of The Electric Company. Although she was very active in TEC the first season, she was completely gone after that. Someone related to the show told me why but said almost no one else knows.
![The Marvelettes - Unsung [No Ads]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/8Ckt3dhiY28/mqdefault.jpg)
The Best Children's Program Ever!!!!!!!!
I met Denise Nickerson at a Comic Con. When I told her I was an Electric Company fan, she sang this song to me as well as the Bicycle song she was in.
Wasn't the bicycle song with Bain Johnson?
No, Allison (Denise) really was in the bicycle segment. Bain Johnson(Kelly) was her replacement in Seasons 3 and 4, in fact.
The Bicycle song is on one of the Shout Factory DVD's (I have both boxed sets), and that is definitely Allison/Denise in that one.
You are very lucky! I wish I met her, along with all those great folks who made my childhood worth while!
It's been damn near a lifetime ago since I was a kid watching this show. This song was very well composed for a children's show. There was a special charm from the 70's and 80's that no longer exist today. I'm just glad that I grew up in that era.
Well said, me too! 😊
Rest in Peace Denise Nickerson 07/11/2019
yes so young too ashe will be missed
07/10/2019
Denise is now showing Jonathan Frid and Gene Wilder how to do the Sweet Sweet Sway 😉.
Douglas Grant the guitar player also passed last year it is so sad these kids are now gone
@@kinglord318 What? When did he die? Double sadness.....😞 I hope the other Short Circus members are ok.
I remember watching this show when I was a kid - Julie (June Angela) was always such a good dancer
Man, I just looked this up because it was in my head and then it was - hey! Isn't that Violet Beauregard!?
RIP to Lee Chamberlain, Luis, Jim Boyd, Dwayne and now Denise Nickerson. You'll all be missed but not forgotten.
I did not know that Lee, Luis, Jim, and Dwayne had all died. And now, Denise. There should be an official book written about the history and cast of The Electric Company. I'd buy it! From Cacilie
They're all "righteous,brighteous, and way out of sighteous"!
Cacilie74 I agree. The Electric Company Where are they now? Pictures of them then and now.
I didn't know Jim Boyd died too. Sad.
Douglas Grant has also passed. He was another member of the Short Circus. He's shown here playing the guitar.
This song and "Boom!" are two of my favorite Short Circus songs.
TILT! is another one.
Also Jelly Belly and The Sign Song.
70s Electric Company was some of the best television ever made. These people were so dedicated and hard working, more than a few of them are comedy geniuses, they have impeccable timing, and their music backup was stellar. This is a prime example of specially composed and arranged music - but made a bit more special by the near-breaking of the 4th wall, as the adult cast members are drawn into the dance. Love everything about this.
Couldn't agree more! 😊
Morgan Freeman hated the show, he only did it because he needed the money
Denise was so awesome!! Love the way she did this! She was also a very cute girl !
Yes, she was and we do miss her. After she left The Electric Company, she guest starred on an episode of The Brady Bunch that she portrayed Pamela Phillips in "Two Petes in a Pod."
Happy 50th anniversary to this classic song from the Electric Company! Yup, it was featured in episode 150, which originally aired this very time 50 years ago(Friday, 11/17/1972), it’s Friday, 11/18/2022 as I post this comment. May this song from Electric Company live on for another half century! Peace. :)
Thanks for the info! I love this song
Yet another gem from "The Electric Company"! Mel Mounds' introduction was also so cool! 😊
Irene Cara Robert Douglas Grant and Denise Nickerson are looking down on this classic children's show RIP
Yes they are.....they were probably proud of being in it when they were here.
Denise (the lead singer here) played Allison. Rest in Peace!
This is arguably the best song by the Short Circus! 😎
Not "arguably." DEFINITELY!!!
Yeah I see your point
Was Irene Cara at one time a member of this group ??
Agree!
@@calvinwatson5639 Season 1.
It is so great to see Denise here, She sings well. I will always remember her from her roles on the original Dark Shadows, Amy Jennings (Present Day), Nora Collins (1897 Flashback), Amy Collins (1970PT). She was great too in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. RIP. Thanks for the entertainment.
I asked her how they blew her up like a blueberry. It turns out that there really was air, even though Wonka says there's no air but it's juice.
They should have let her sing on Willy Wonka.
Don't forget she was Peter's girlfriend on the Brady Bunch.
She also played the main character in the 1978 movie 'Zero to Sixty' with Darren McGavin.
Denise was also great in the movie "The Neon Celing" with Lee Grant and Gig Young from 1971.
This one shows that help kids in my general to learn how to read I grew up in 70's and its was shows like this that helps kids like me to read Turning 53 this year.
And I've always like to show.
The adults looked liked they were having a great time dancing with the Short Circus.
Absolutely, you can see JJ and Winnie(Skip Hinnant and Judy Graubart) really getting into it. As they dance their way off the stage, JJ and Winnie seem to be saying,”Yes! We really did it! Knocked them DEAD!”
I remember when Judy was "Jennifer of the Jungle".
I remember watching this as a kid. Denise was a rock star 😕
This song is a classic. Sesame Street had a surprise Top 40 hit with the "Rubber Ducky" song. I think The Electric Company also had a handful of songs with hit potential, including this one. Allison really shines as the lead singer here. Kind of sad that the actress who played her, Denise Nickerson, is no longer with us.
The guy on the guitar was Douglas Grant who has also passed. Most remember Douglas as the kid on Good Times that James gave an attitude adjustment to. Lol
May Denise Nickerson (lead singer Allison) RIP. :) Season 2(1972-1973)was GREAT with having her. She had also recently done Willy Wonka and the chocolate factory (playing gum chewing Violet) at the time as everyone knows.
S.S. also had a hit with Mnah Mnah.
@@kgreene104 We also lost Irene Cara (Iris in season 1, and Allison's predecessor) not too long ago.
I loved everything about The Electric Company :)
It's a shame this show isn't around anymore, great actors and singing
And the show taught kids to read.😊
Since there is now a full time PBS Kids channel, I think it would be cool if they could do a "retro" block at night after most kids' bedtimes and rerun some of these classic shows that we GenX'ers grew up with. In the meantime, there are 2 DVD boxed sets (20 episodes each) put out by Shout Factory a while back. I think they are currently out of print but probably available on web sites like Amazon or eBay. You also might be able to find random episodes right here on UA-cam.
Indeed, do Rest in Peace, Denise Nickerson. You were in my favorite childhood movie and one of my favorite childhood shows. You influenced my life for the better.
This is what the Partridge family and the Brady Kids were going for, and as cute as they were, they missed the mark. This is the 70’s kids group with the real goods. The song is amazing and those kids were GREAT singers. Omg BEAUTIFUL belty fun voices.
Makes sense, considering this was the heyday of both The Brady Bunch and Partridge Family.(Both TV shows were in production at the time.)
Any version of The Short Circus would put the Brady Kids and Partridge Family to shame.
The worlds gonna end, you got 5 minutes left what do you do???
Play it loud n proud"SWEET SWEET SWAY NA NA NA NA NA NA NA"!!!!!!
The sweet, sweet, swaaaay! Nananana, na, nana!
Man now I'm old this is my favorite kid TV show I used to watch and love this show I always was scared when it came on I can hear the lady yelling heyyyyy you guys
RIP Denise Nickerson(62), aka. Allison.
Julie (June Angela) was (I'm sure she still is) a natural dancer. I used to love watching her!
R.I.P. Miss Nickerson. You're swaying sweetly in Heaven now.
I had the biggest crush on Denise Nickerson when I was about 5 years old! I wanted to be at least 10 years older so I could marry her. Made me want to cry that I wasn't as old as those other kids!
R.I.P Denise Nickerson 🙏🏻
Julie's (June) dace moves really awesome! Love it!~
She is adorable
The only member of the short circus to feature on all seasons of TEC.😊
@@glennporter6378 she sure is~ ❤
@@miraclelment Yes too cute!
RIP as well to Doug Grant (the kid with the guitar). He appeared on Good Times on two different occasions- as Eddie, the kid who was taking Michael's lunch money, as well as Sweet Pea, one of the Satan's Knights trying to force JJ into some rumble.
My name is Thomas Keith Farris. I,m 53 years old I and I watched this song on the electric company back in the early 1970,s when I was a little boy and i fell in love with the girl back then singing the song. Rest In peace denise nickerson. Thomas Keith Farris.
Me too brother. Im 61 years old and was in love with the little Asian girl, her name fails me now. I loved this show and I don't think I missed and episode.
Last part reminds me of teachers who get up and dance during an assembly.
When i was little in the 1979
When i was little in the 1970s i watched this it was wonderful.
My early childhood. THE BEST!
I was hearing this song in my head all day, so after so many years, it is so good to finally hear it play again.....
My early childhood ❤😊
Denise Nickerson really shines here. 4-year-old me had a crush on her. I wish she stuck around longer than one season.
I learned so much from this show.
Robert Mosley me too, groundbreaking TV.
:43 to 1:00 -- the beautiful, beautiful, beautiful Denise Nickerson. RIP.
They were all too adorable!!!!
Glad this song was a part of my child hood
I like how each adult pair gets better at dancing - by the end Lee and Luis are really into it.
Rip, Denise Nickerson. 😢
I so remember this...
This was the video/song that made little kindergarten me fall in love with June Angela.
Get in line buddy
The lead singer, I'll always remember as the gum chewing, turn into a blueberry, girl, from the original "Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory".
June Angela only member of The Short Circus during the six seasons on The Electric Company
What a trip it is seeing a young Morgan Freeman after all these years.
He wasn't all that young friend. He started this show when he was 40 I believe
Look up HOLLOW IMAGE here on youtube…it is a 1970’s tv movie with Morgan and Hattie Winston (she sings in it.) i am not sure if it is that great of a movie, but it is really watchable and fun story about successful black people in the 70’s. Morgan’s character is a sweetheart with a tragic flaw.
June Angela WAS the Short Circus, no question. The only other two members who rivaled her for sheer talent and energy were short-timers Bayn Johnson and Denise Nickerson. The writers knew they had a good thing with Denise and gave her this song, one of the finest in the series. Awful shame she only lasted a single season.
You forgot about Irene Cara who played, "Iris". She had two featured songs with the Short Circus as well. They were; "Hard, Hard, Hard" and "I'm Just A Clown Who's Feeling Down". She was also very notable while in her brief stint with the show.
I had a thang for Réjane Magloire. Bayn Johnson annoyed the shit outta me. The candle on the cake was when she went on to be the lead singer of the new-wave group Indeep! Peace.
Wow! You guys are some major fans of this show! I only remembered Denise because of her role in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. I’ll have to check out Bayn and Angela since I don’t recall them by their names. If you’ve seen Denise recently you would never ever recognize her. She looks, I’m sorry to say, like a cancer victim. Gone is all the baby fat and auburn hair.
Actually Denise suffered a stroke.
Julie is so cute
Omg!!! I remember this ❤❤❤
The Electric Company. was the second best show to air since Sesame Street’s being the first best. It was the second most watched. show after Sesame Street. I still miss the animated bed time story with a music box accompaniment.
Better and catchier than any of the garbage music being produced today.
Well, Denise is now doing the Sweet Sweet Sway in heaven with Lee Luis and Jim.
Don't forget Gregg and Douglas.
@@ebf1957 And now Irene / Iris!
R.I.P. Sweet Sweet Denise Nickerson
That number was SWell!
Sallie Nennig yeah I can dig it! Lol
RIP Jim Boyd, Lee Chamberlin, Luis Avalos, Denise Nickerson.
Love it! Love it! Love it!!
They were so talented
Best show to learn English, that's how I learned my English.
Winnie and J. J.!
Childhood beautiful nuff said
What a fun little ditty! :-)
Awesome memories.
Had such a crush on the little Asian girl when I was a child.
RIP Denise Nickerson "Allison"
Bit of history. Morgan Freeman wasn't keen on doing The Electric Company..as he was already an accomplished actor as was Rita Moreno. But one of the characters Freeman hated doing was the Mel Mounds character. But his best friend convinced him to stay with the show. Who was Freeman best friend? That would be the creator of The Electric Company Bill Cosby.
What makes you think Bill Cosby was the only creator of The Electric Company?
A lot has been mentioned about the fact that Denise Nickerson was in Willy Wonka and the
Chocolate Factory. What wasn't mentioned, {although it may have been, just didn't feel like scrolling through all the comments.} is the fact that she was on the final season of the Gothic soap Dark Shadows. She played the little sister of Collinsport's resident werewolf Chris Jennings, Amy Jennings.
R.I.P. DENISE! You and Jonathan Frid {a.k.a. Barnabas Collins,} are doing the SWEET, SWEET SWAY, in heaven!
June Angela was about eight years old when she was a member of The Short Circus
She was twelve.
Gotta watch Julie...gotta watch Julie...no, I'm not crazy, just a big fan of June Angela
I remember ❤
R.I.P. Denise
Rest in peace presidents Carter's wife when I was little in the 1970s I watched this show. I'm 50 now and I still read .
When you realize one of the girls singing this is played by Violet Beauregarde. (RIP to Denise btw.)
Edit: The Electric Company pop-up text with the white and green colour here, now that I look at it again, looks like a half correct Wordle answer.
There are two others I know of. One, of course, is the "Hello" skit from the premiere; the other was the "march/cha cha cha" skit from Season 2 (posted here).
1980 was a good year for Electric Company cast members, Irene Cara's first big movie was FAME in 1980 and Morgan Freeman appeared in HIS first movie in 1980, the Robert Redford prison movie , "Brubaker".
I feel so old right now.
RIP Denise Nickerson.
Irene cara!❤
The tall girl is Melanie Henderson, who played Kathy. Irene Cara, who played Iris only, appeared in season 1. This was season 2.
R.i.p. Denise.
I heard Irene Cara Passed away this morning
Back then!!!!!
Denise has her own very distinctive voice, but with a singing style very much like Karen Carpenter, here. Does anyone know if this (or other Short Circus songs) was written by Joe Raposo?
Yes Joe Raposo wrote LOTS of songs including this one.. has Raposo "Sound" to it.
BOOM is my favorite.
Was that the ZOOM parody they did c. 1974?
Me too! And also the knock knock Rock! I also like when Morgan Freeman sings since U left but I can't find those two songs I keep typing them in search but those two phones are not popping up luckily I could go to the local library and get a couple of the seasons although I would love all of them from 1971 to 77!😊👍
Both of those songs are on the Shout Factory DVD boxed sets. "Knock Knock Rock" is on Season 5 episode 35A which is on Volume 2, and "It's Not the Same Since U Left" is on Season 3 episode 285 which is on Volume 1. I think these DVD's are currently out of print, but you can probably find them on a website such as Amazon or eBay.
Happy 50th anniversary.
@UglySean
Steve Gustfason (Buddy) is still acting. He was in the Actors Co-Op's production of Sherlock Holmes' Last Case which he played Dr. Watson. Steve also worked for Disney before he went back into acting.
Winnie was my favorite girl on the show!
Holy shit I completely forgot about this
When I clicked on this it instantly came back to be & I probably haven't seen this in 40 years or more.
Jabberwockyz do the sweet sway in da baby video
I always thought it was "The Short Circuits" in conjunction with the whole Electric Company thing.
The name sounding like that, but not being that, was intentional; a play on words. :-)
Poor Luis...
Toos🎉
Oh dear lord, I think I had a pantsuit like that in 3rd grade.
Remember "Knock Knock Rock?"
Irene Cara rocked
You can really hear her voice in the ensemble, she was incredible.
Irene? This is from season 2’s 20th episode. Irene Cara only appeared in season 1. That’s Irene’s replacement, Denise Nickerson singing.
Now we’ve lost Irene too.
@@jkingvevo2472 yeah the third girl on camera is not irene, but maybe she still sang on this one? Sad that she is gone now, too.
@@Mister_Listener No, Irene Cara did not even sing on this second season of The Electric Company. Although she was very active in TEC the first season, she was completely gone after that. Someone related to the show told me why but said almost no one else knows.
I was today years old when I learned that the girl singing played Violet in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.
Violet was a brat but not " violent "!😊😊😊😊😊
@@tonycanabal1659stupid autocorrect!
I thought the name of the band was the Short Circuits since the show is called the Electric Company.