# Who can turn a tap into a tape? Or my '70s early childhood. **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [December 12, 2007, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-can-turn-a-tap-into-a-tape-or-my-70s-early-childhood/429734 "2007-12-12T13:05:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2007, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-can-turn-a-tap-into-a-tape-or-my-70s-early-childhood/429734/1 "2007-12-12T13:05:55Z")
It’s elementary for silent ‘e’. The morning radio show started the day with Rita Moreno yelling “HEY YOU GUYS!!!” and that started a chain of rememberances between me and my husband. Who else is of the age to remember Baby Thataway? Soon as I leave you alone Baby Thataway Off you go on your own Baby Thataway What’s a mother to do? Baby That Away? Do with a dickens like you? Baby Thataway. My husband only barely remembered Baby Thataway but he did know all these words: Top Cat The indisputable leader of the gang He’s the boss He’s the VIP He’s a championship He’s the most tip top Top Cat! And why don’t people remember Courageous Cat and Minute Mouse? They were the best! ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2007, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-can-turn-a-tap-into-a-tape-or-my-70s-early-childhood/429734/2 "2007-12-12T13:10:36Z")
The most rudimentary of searches shows that Courageous Cat and Minute Mouse were actually made in the '60s. That could be why no one my age remembers them. But I saw them in the '70s! I especially remembery Froggy, the Edward G. Robinson of cartoon villians. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2007, 2:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-can-turn-a-tap-into-a-tape-or-my-70s-early-childhood/429734/3 "2007-12-12T14:25:28Z")
[QUOTE=Biggirl] It’s elementary for silent ‘e’. [/QUOTE] Huh. I would have guessed “Letterman.” (Also _The Electric Company_, yeah?) I still sometimes think about shelves turning into elves. ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2007, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-can-turn-a-tap-into-a-tape-or-my-70s-early-childhood/429734/4 "2007-12-12T14:48:36Z")
[QUOTE=Larry Mudd] Huh. I would have guessed “Letterman.” (Also _The Electric Company_, yeah?) I still sometimes think about shelves turning into elves. [/QUOTE] “He pulls the G off his varsity sweater, and turns the Broom back into a Groom!” I loved Letterman. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2007, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-can-turn-a-tap-into-a-tape-or-my-70s-early-childhood/429734/5 "2007-12-12T14:53:35Z")
Letterman was actually narrated by…(are you ready for this?) Joan Rivers! And “Silent E” was, of course, written and performed by the great (but not yet late) Tom Lehrer. As was the “LY” song (quietly, quietly, quiet-l-y!) ---
**Author:** ![Hail\_Ants](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/dc4da7/32.png) [@Hail\_Ants](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hail_Ants)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2007, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-can-turn-a-tap-into-a-tape-or-my-70s-early-childhood/429734/6 "2007-12-12T15:00:06Z")
And the voice of Letter-man himself was done by Gene Wilder!! ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2007, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-can-turn-a-tap-into-a-tape-or-my-70s-early-childhood/429734/7 "2007-12-12T15:20:40Z")
I have not yet forgiven my mother for giving away my Electric Company album. ---
**Author:** ![Sarahfeena](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sarahfeena/32/519_2.png) [@Sarahfeena](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sarahfeena)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2007, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-can-turn-a-tap-into-a-tape-or-my-70s-early-childhood/429734/8 "2007-12-12T15:59:50Z")
I love the Silent E song! “Who can turn a cub into a cube, who can turn a tub into a tube…” ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2007, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-can-turn-a-tap-into-a-tape-or-my-70s-early-childhood/429734/9 "2007-12-12T16:02:04Z")
I thought it was odd that after being on TV for 20+ years, David Letterman never used the Electric Company Letterman in some kind of skit or joke on his show. It would have been funny if Joan Rivers was a guest and she started going into her Letterman spiel, even though it would have whooshed a lot of people. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2007, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-can-turn-a-tap-into-a-tape-or-my-70s-early-childhood/429734/10 "2007-12-12T16:02:08Z")
[QUOTE=jayjay] And “Silent E” was, of course, written and performed by the great (but not yet late) Tom Lehrer. As was the “LY” song (quietly, quietly, quiet-l-y!) [/QUOTE] You enter a very dark room And sitting there in the gloom Is Dracula! Now how do you say goodbye? Immediately! Immediately! Immediate-L-Y!! “Spaghetti with a spoon!” Electric Company rawks. ---
**Author:** ![Bricker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@Bricker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bricker)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2007, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-can-turn-a-tap-into-a-tape-or-my-70s-early-childhood/429734/11 "2007-12-12T16:08:42Z")
I remember watching George and Jane Jetson dropping off daughter Judy at Orbit High school every morning… and “Jane! Stop this crazy thing!” at the end of every show… Magilla Gorilla, Wally Gator, Buzz Conroy & Franky were favorites, as were Fleegle, Bingo, Drooper, and Snork - the Banana Splits! And the Scooby-Doo clones “The Funky Phantom.” Ah, those were the days. ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2007, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-can-turn-a-tap-into-a-tape-or-my-70s-early-childhood/429734/12 "2007-12-12T16:10:03Z")
[QUOTE=Biggirl] The most rudimentary of searches shows that Courageous Cat and Minute Mouse were actually made in the '60s. That could be why no one my age remembers them. But I saw them in the '70s! I especially remembery Froggy, the Edward G. Robinson of cartoon villians. [/QUOTE] I have no cite for this, but my gut feel is that 70s kids endured more reruns than kids of any other generation: 50s kids: 50s shows 60s kids: 50s/60s shows 70s kids: 50s/60s/70s shows (mostly 60s) 80s kids: 80s shows 90s kids: 90s shows Am I imagining this? ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2007, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-can-turn-a-tap-into-a-tape-or-my-70s-early-childhood/429734/13 "2007-12-12T16:49:53Z")
> [@](#): > > The most rudimentary of searches shows that Courageous Cat and Minute Mouse were actually made in the '60s. That could be why no one my age remembers them. I recall them from the early 1960s. Important tidbit: Courageous Cat was invented by **Bob Kane** , the guy resoponsible for Batman, which is why CC’s devices resemble Batman’s so much. Other Important Tidbit – the guy who wrote “Silent E” for Sesame Street was the immortal **Tom Lehrer** , whose CDs you can find the song on (Along with “-LY”, which he also wrote for Sesame Street) ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2007, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-can-turn-a-tap-into-a-tape-or-my-70s-early-childhood/429734/14 "2007-12-12T17:01:36Z")
[QUOTE=CalMeacham] Other Important Tidbit – the guy who wrote “Silent E” for Sesame Street was the immortal **Tom Lehrer** , whose CDs you can find the song on (Along with “-LY”, which he also wrote for Sesame Street) [/QUOTE] Nitpick: Both were written for The Electric Company. And I mentioned him already. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2007, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-can-turn-a-tap-into-a-tape-or-my-70s-early-childhood/429734/15 "2007-12-12T17:44:11Z")
> [@](#): > > Nitpick: Both were written for The Electric Company. And I mentioned him already. Hmm – the album notes claim Sesame Street. Sorry – I looked for a Lehrer cite, but yours was at the end of your post, so I missed it. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2007, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-can-turn-a-tap-into-a-tape-or-my-70s-early-childhood/429734/16 "2007-12-12T17:51:55Z")
Aha. It was done for Electric company, but appeared on Sesame Street albums: > [@](#): > > This song was written for the PBS children’s show “The Electric Company” in 1971. It appeared on an Electric Company album, and later a Sesame Street album. Both of these releases were stereo. It appears in mono as a bonus track on the CD of Tom Lehrer Revisited. > **[News, Politics, Sports, Mail & Latest Headlines - AOL.com](https://www.aol.com/)** > > Discover the latest breaking news in the U.S. and around the world — politics, weather, entertainment, lifestyle, finance, sports and much more. I have to admit, the only place I’ve heard it was on albums (and now on YouTube) ---
**Author:** ![want2know](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/50afbb/32.png) [@want2know](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/want2know)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2007, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-can-turn-a-tap-into-a-tape-or-my-70s-early-childhood/429734/17 "2007-12-12T18:12:49Z")
[QUOTE=Bricker] as were Fleegle, Bingo, Drooper, and Snork - the Banana Splits! [/QUOTE] I was a teenager in the '70s, but this was my favorite Saturday morning show of all time! Remember “Danger Island”? One question: Is the similarity between the “La la la…” chorus of the theme song and the chorus of Bob Marley’s “Buffalo Soldier” a coincidence? Re “Electric Company”: Wasn’t “Easy Reader” played by **Morgan Freeman**? And, **Biggirl** , your memory is correct. _Courageous Cat_ was rerun extensively during the '70s, at least where I grew up. One of the best cartoon themes evah! ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2007, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-can-turn-a-tap-into-a-tape-or-my-70s-early-childhood/429734/18 "2007-12-12T18:40:37Z")
[QUOTE=want2know] Re “Electric Company”: Wasn’t “Easy Reader” played by **Morgan Freeman**? [/QUOTE] Yes. Also appearing on the show were Rita Moreno, Bill Cosby, a VERY young Irene Cara (as one of the Short Circus) and Skip Hinnant (the voice of Fritz the Cat). ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2007, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-can-turn-a-tap-into-a-tape-or-my-70s-early-childhood/429734/19 "2007-12-12T18:54:03Z")
Does anybody remember: The Kids From C.A.P.E.R. The Adventure Team Mike Power, The Atomic Man Bulletman Big Jim and Dr. Steel ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [December 12, 2007, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-can-turn-a-tap-into-a-tape-or-my-70s-early-childhood/429734/20 "2007-12-12T19:14:05Z")
[QUOTE=jayjay] Skip Hinnant (the voice of Fritz the Cat). [/QUOTE] Dear god, for a moment I read this to mean that Fritz had appeared on The Electric Company. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-can-turn-a-tap-into-a-tape-or-my-70s-early-childhood/429734.md?page=2)