Same with me. I do like Paul's studio version as well, but this performance on The Muppet Show is awesome. I don't like Three Dog Night's version of the song at all.
Hey, I'm 63 - raised my two kids on the muppets, and - gasp - went to the latest Muppet movie all by myself. Imagine, a grey haired senior, sitting in the aisle seat with popcorn and drink laughing louder than anyone in the theatre. It was a gas.
@@Talula-Darling what gives you the right to judge this man who just wants to enjoy a nice film do you believe in gender equality cause this aint it chief
@@maxmiller8826 I’m a woman. Yes, I believe in equality. As a mother and grandmother if I saw a man sitting in a kids movie it would send up warning signals. Is it fair? No. Should he be prevented from going? No. But this is the real world. Sorry.
I love how he has this goofy smile on his face during the entire thing, which always grows when the Muppets appear. Apparently he is an ENORMOUS fan of the Muppets and approached them to appear on the show, he loved them so much. He went on to work with them a lot after that. I love how the Muppets appeal to so many different types of people.
When Michael Caine was hired to play Scrooge in the Muppets Christmas Carol, he told Brian Henson "I'm going to play this movie like I'm working with the Royal Shakespeare Company. I will never wink, I will never do anything Muppety. I am going to play Scrooge as if it is an utterly dramatic role, and there are no puppets around me." Brian Henson replied "Yes, bang on!"
A lot of guests on the Muppet show were like that, just *so* happy to be there. Johnny Cash couldn't seem to stop smiling for the entire episode, and Harry Belefonte looked on with delight as he performed with the "Turn The World Around" Muppets he helped design.
The song's composer Paul Williams recorded his own version of the song he had written, which was included on his 1971 album Just an Old Fashioned Love Song. Williams later performed the song when he appeared on The Muppet Show in 1976. He also sang a portion of the song for an episode of The Odd Couple in 1974
My mom showed me this when i was a child and i was obsessed. We went to the Jim Henson exhibit in our town too. I ended up taking the entire season 1 of The Muppet Show that my mom owned when she passed away, so i rewatched
I absolutely love the Dixieland jazz feel of the song. The trumpet, the piano, the blowjug, even the clarinet. I would love to play this song in jazz band back when I was in high school!!
@Paul Williams PS Paul... I just did a quick view on Wikipedia... I forgot that you wrote We've Only Just Begun... Good LORD - I was in 5th or so grade and my family relished that LP by the Carpenters and it so symbolized the "road ahead" for a young kid. It is absolutely one of the most brilliant and sentimental songs of hope and promise ever written. THANK YOU again for your many, many gifts.
he is appreciated by those who know. he was only ever a mid ranked performer, but he was a top flight songwriter. many hits from other groups were his.
Paul Williams is such a talent. Singer, magnificent songwriter, actor. And Muppet show guest. Not many men could hope to be as accomplished as Paul Williams.
they just came out with a documentary on Paul and it looks pretty interesting. He had a bad drug and alcohol problem, lost everything, got sober and is now leading a very productive life.
I heard this song on the muppets 35 years ago as a child. Never ever heard it again, but for some crazy reason always remembered it in the back of my mind. Finally looked it up.
I guess it was an honor to be asked to be on this show ,it was always great have big hopes for the new show, but it would be hard to beat all the classics they already did which this show was part of -
I've been watching the Muppets for the first time and fell in love with this song, started looking up his other work. This version differs a little bit from the proper album version but I really like how he performed it on the Muppets! Looking forward to exploring more of his wonderful music.
Always loved this for so many years! Have come to really appreciate the studio version Paul Williams put on his 1971 album, as it has a really fantastic arrangement of many awesome of musicians on it. I also love Three Dog Night's version, Cory Wells was an amazingly awesome singer on that and they had a huge #4 U.S. pop hit (and #1 on "adult contemporary"* *before it was called "easy listening") Three Dog Night does a few really awesome versions as well and i just found another really crazy take on the same song... The Carpenters had been making hits with Paul Williams and Burt Bacharach songs (RIP Burt Bacharach and Cory Wells, and Karen Carpenter, all great musicians) and Williams offered this song to them but Richard Carpenter rejected 'old fashioned', so Paul gave it to Three Dog Night, there are takes you can 'tube of both Midnight Special 1975 and Glen Campbell's Music Show 1972 Smothers Brothers hour. so... my 'version' ranking is- 1: Paul Williams version on his original 1971 album, 2: P.W. and Muppets 1976, 3: Three Dog Night on Glen Campbell Show 1972, 4: Three Dog on Midnight Special '75, and in 5th place: The Carpenters and Carol Burnett alternate reality twilight zone version on the Carol Burnett Show (The Carpenters never recorded it, only that live tv appearance version, taped by vhs, rip vhs) i think 1971 as well. many fantastic versions of this song, i rank this high up there at second place. Rainbow Connection, 2020 library of Congress selected to keep for eternity! one day we'll find it...! 🙂
It is amazing if you Wiki Paul Williams, look how many songs TV theme's and movie score's he wrote, my favorite acting character of his was, and always will be that of little Enos Burdette in the original Smokey and the Bandit movie, he also had hit songs w/ThreeDogNight,(3) B.Streisand, H.Reddy, the Carpenters (2), and he even had one song done by the Monkee's ............
j adore ce mec, il a un visage ,un charisme, une voix et respire la gentillesse à travers ses expressions...et musicalement c est un génie ....hélas trop inconnu en France
@@michellesmith7323 Well the only Guest stars that got their look alike Muppet selves were Juliet Prowse and Connie Stevens for the 1976 Pilots after that since Joel Gray that Stopped doing because it was way too expensive and was taking up too much time for the production of Sesame Street and The Muppet Show itself and other Jim Henson Projects
Watching the Muppets for the first time and I've liked most if not all the songs on the show so far, but this one just immediately grabbed me, I had to look it up as soon as it ended. Also the way Muppet Paul darts back into the radio at 0:53 is extremely satisfying to me
It is a shame we don't have good clean fun shows like this. when this was on t.v. this show and this artist were a list all the way. Would love to have this again but egos are too big.
Lol.... have you ever watched the Muppet Show? Clean? 😂 Are you just watching the music from the performers you like and literally forgetting about the rest of the show?
There's literally a bit called 'Pigs in space '.... that aired in 1976. About a clueless leader who would attack first and ask questions later.... and you think that this was wholesome, or 'not woke?'.... Anyone who knows anything knows that Henson invented woke. Turning people on with jokes and celebrity guests.... getting folks to realize that it doesn't matter if you're Sylvester Stallone...or say a little green frog. It's who you are inside that matters.
He is still writing amazing songs! This however is one of my fave and love how Jim honoured him in this. Paul wrote most of the early Muppet songs including "The Rainbow Connection". Love your comment as well!
Yep- and so many others as well! However I will say as much as I love the Carpenters- Paul's versions are better- but I grew up with him as the first version I heard! He is amazing. I feel for him as he just lost his brother Mentor Williams a few months ago. I hope others find Paul and have this happiness in their lives.
I remember actually seeing this on it's first showing. I was in my teens and loved it. The more famous version was Three Dog Night's but this was how I learned that P Williams wrote it. This number is brilliant.
Paul Williams has writte so many beautiful songs!! Dear lord, it was so much fun seing this song sang by him and the muppets!!! XDD I love the "minime" versions of Paul Williams XDDDDD
Interesting bit of trivia, Paul Williams got to keep both of the Paul William Puppets and they both sit on his piano at home, so cool :)
Awesome
That’s amazing
To be honest I would’ve done the same thing
That's fantastic!
i think they might have done that with all the celebrities that had Muppets made for them for the show
. . . and they're scaled at a 1:1 ratio.
This was the first version of the song I ever heard and It will remain the only true version to me
Same. The “real” version just doesn’t sound right to me.
@@Timewarps_1 the original sounds too slow and dragged out. This version cuts out various pauses while keeping the flow.
Totally agree!!
Yup, same here!😊
Same with me. I do like Paul's studio version as well, but this performance on The Muppet Show is awesome. I don't like Three Dog Night's version of the song at all.
Hey, I'm 63 - raised my two kids on the muppets, and - gasp - went to the latest Muppet movie all by myself. Imagine, a grey haired senior, sitting in the aisle seat with popcorn and drink laughing louder than anyone in the theatre. It was a gas.
Ryhela I hope you’re a woman otherwise it would be creepy.
Молодец! 😁👍👍
Good for you Ryhela, you sound like you know how to have a good time. Hope you're doing well.
@@Talula-Darling what gives you the right to judge this man who just wants to enjoy a nice film do you believe in gender equality cause this aint it chief
@@maxmiller8826 I’m a woman. Yes, I believe in equality. As a mother and grandmother if I saw a man sitting in a kids movie it would send up warning signals. Is it fair? No. Should he be prevented from going? No. But this is the real world. Sorry.
I guess Paul Williams was really beside himself in this little skit.
I love how he has this goofy smile on his face during the entire thing, which always grows when the Muppets appear. Apparently he is an ENORMOUS fan of the Muppets and approached them to appear on the show, he loved them so much. He went on to work with them a lot after that. I love how the Muppets appeal to so many different types of people.
When Michael Caine was hired to play Scrooge in the Muppets Christmas Carol, he told Brian Henson "I'm going to play this movie like I'm working with the Royal Shakespeare Company. I will never wink, I will never do anything Muppety. I am going to play Scrooge as if it is an utterly dramatic role, and there are no puppets around me." Brian Henson replied "Yes, bang on!"
@@TomFynnNo wonder his performance was so brilliant.
A lot of guests on the Muppet show were like that, just *so* happy to be there. Johnny Cash couldn't seem to stop smiling for the entire episode, and Harry Belefonte looked on with delight as he performed with the "Turn The World Around" Muppets he helped design.
He wrote Rainbow Connection, so I think we all benefited from his connection with the Muppets.
@@TomFynn Funny you mention that version, since Paul Williams wrote one of the then deleted (now fully restored) songs, 'When Love is Gone'.
my dad walked in on this part, and calmly asked me: "why is Paul Williams singing with two muppet versions of himself?"
You will be told, given an explanation, and thus understand soon.
Because ..... THE MUPPETS!!!!!! :D
Because he is living the dream
Is this actually calm or dumbledore asked calmly?
Three part harmony = three Pauls. Otherwise they’d need Three Dog Night
best version of Old Fashioned Love Song
Cannot agree more. The other versions don't match the energy and fun here.
Priya Sridhar Ironically, he made a cover to this song earlier that decade that more closely resembled Three Dog Night.
That One Hostile Potato yass also, dibidibidi poteetoes
@@joinmarch76 I looked up the song, he actually wrote the song and Three Dog Night made it famous
The song's composer Paul Williams recorded his own version of the song he had written, which was included on his 1971 album Just an Old Fashioned Love Song. Williams later performed the song when he appeared on The Muppet Show in 1976. He also sang a portion of the song for an episode of The Odd Couple in 1974
I'm so glad that he managed to beat his addictions so we can still enjoy his presence even today!
Well, good for Paul. Not many people get to see themselves rendered as Muppets, let alone sing in harmony with themselves that way.
I believe every Muppet Show guest star received a muppet in their likeness as a parting gift.
Paul Williams pretty much already WAS a Muppet.
Paul Williams bragged that he was "the tallest person on the show", then the 9 foot monsters showed up and he cried in front of 20 million people!
Paul Williams has a fabulous voice
And what a gorgeous song
I love this. Paul and the Muppets are two things that belong together. This is my childhood in one wonderful song!
John Denver was great with The Muppets, too.
Well he certainly was Muppet sized xD
TOTALLY AGREED!
@@tulinfirenze1990 he got one of those Muppets too!
He did seem to work well with them. He wrote the songs for The Muppet Movie and Emmett Otter’s Jug Band Christmas.
My mom showed me this when i was a child and i was obsessed. We went to the Jim Henson exhibit in our town too. I ended up taking the entire season 1 of The Muppet Show that my mom owned when she passed away, so i rewatched
Waldorf: He's a credit to his race.
Statler: What Race is that?
Waldorf: The 100 Yard Dash.
Waldorf: You know i've heard some pretty good acts in my life.
Statler: What does that have to do with what we just watched?
Waldorf: Nothing really.
*insert Statler and Waldorf laugh here*
I tried the 100 yard dash, the 200 yard run and so on and so forth. So I can say with confidence: I am not a racist.
love this very up-tempo version of the song, can never feel lousy when hearing this tune :)
SO TRUE!
One of those songs you hear once and then love immediately.
This guy is immortalized forever in the muppets. After all, were it not for him The Rainbow Connection would never have been written.
Paul Williams is a saint on earth.
I absolutely love the Dixieland jazz feel of the song. The trumpet, the piano, the blowjug, even the clarinet. I would love to play this song in jazz band back when I was in high school!!
Paul Williams has brought such joy to many millions!
@Paul Williams PS Paul... I just did a quick view on Wikipedia... I forgot that you wrote We've Only Just Begun... Good LORD - I was in 5th or so grade and my family relished that LP by the Carpenters and it so symbolized the "road ahead" for a young kid. It is absolutely one of the most brilliant and sentimental songs of hope and promise ever written. THANK YOU again for your many, many gifts.
I was born in the 70's. I like some of the songs from that generation.
Sad that he will never be truly appreciated the way he should be, such a musical genius!
@Tyler Buckley He has not done any directing.
@@yosefdemby8792 didn't he direct "Phantom of the Paradise"?
he is appreciated by those who know. he was only ever a mid ranked performer, but he was a top flight songwriter. many hits from other groups were his.
@@rmhartman No.
He was in Random Access Memories. That’s like a musical royal flush.
two geniuses: Paul Williams and Jim Henson
I was depressed until I watched this. You're a life saver.
I hope, having read your comment 9 years later, that’s you’re doing ok brother.
Big talent in a small package, with a very distinctive voice.
It is a relief to know that the young generation can still appreciate the good old classic TV shows. Thank you for illuminating my day.
This is the best version of this song that I ever heard ❤
This is one of those videos I wish I could like multiple times.
I've met Paul in person, and I told him this was one of my favourite episodes of the Muppet Show
Paul Williams is such a talent. Singer, magnificent songwriter, actor. And Muppet show guest. Not many men could hope to be as accomplished as Paul Williams.
Paul Williams is playing one of the Vampire Lords in the upcoming Adventure Time Miniseries: Stakes.
He did a FANTASTIC job as the Hierophant. His character was actually my favorite out of all the vampires.
Still my favorite performance of this song, all these years later.
Paul is one of the few guests that got a Muppet likeness of himself
I think he still has it
He does! According to him it's the only Muppet lookalike that's life sized. 😂
@@madphantom7161 thats awesome
oh he voiced the Penguin on Batman too
I watched this right after I watched Phantom of the Paradise.
Paul is so evil in that movie! I love it :)
+Sword Waifu Films Awesome Dude!
Vampire Driving A Car I was on a Paul Williams binge when viewing Phantom of the paradise. Must’ve seen the film 10 times or more.
I’m watching this right before
It's so weird to watch this if you only know Paul Williams from Phantom. I was like...Swan what are you doing...
Brilliant. He is absolutely loved this you can tell!
You mean like how he had to keep himself from dying of laughter while singing?😂😂😂
they just came out with a documentary on Paul and it looks pretty interesting. He had a bad drug and alcohol problem, lost everything, got sober and is now leading a very productive life.
i love this version, and vividly remember this episode of the muppet show!!!!
I love that Paul Williams has his own Muppet likeness. That is so awesome. :)
he *was* his own muppet likeness!
Paul Williams. Best known for working with The Muppets and Little Enos Burdette in the "Smokey and The Bandit" films.
And Paul Williams wrote the signature song of The Muppets a few years later.
Love how Paul stretches the word “love” into “looovve” at every single repetition.
thanks god his not dead i love him in that new daft punk track "touch"
I heard this song on the muppets 35 years ago as a child. Never ever heard it again, but for some crazy reason always remembered it in the back of my mind. Finally looked it up.
Paul wrote this song so thats kind of neat. Not every songwriter gets to perform on tv.
So cute! I love Paul and his musical genius!!!
I saw Paul Williams perform with the Muppets at Carnegie Hall on 4-14-12, it was amazing!
I guess it was an honor to be asked to be on this show ,it was always great
have big hopes for the new show, but it would be hard to beat all the classics they already did
which this show was part of -
I love his voice!
saw this when it aired.I love this song.He got a gold record out of this song I think.
I loved this so much when I was little and it remains my favorite version of this song to this day. 😊
I've been watching the Muppets for the first time and fell in love with this song, started looking up his other work. This version differs a little bit from the proper album version but I really like how he performed it on the Muppets! Looking forward to exploring more of his wonderful music.
Always loved this for so many years! Have come to really appreciate the studio version Paul Williams put on his 1971 album, as it has a really fantastic arrangement of many awesome of musicians on it. I also love Three Dog Night's version, Cory Wells was an amazingly awesome singer on that and they had a huge #4 U.S. pop hit (and #1 on "adult contemporary"* *before it was called "easy listening") Three Dog Night does a few really awesome versions as well and i just found another really crazy take on the same song... The Carpenters had been making hits with Paul Williams and Burt Bacharach songs (RIP Burt Bacharach and Cory Wells, and Karen Carpenter, all great musicians) and Williams offered this song to them but Richard Carpenter rejected 'old fashioned', so Paul gave it to Three Dog Night, there are takes you can 'tube of both Midnight Special 1975 and Glen Campbell's Music Show 1972 Smothers Brothers hour. so... my 'version' ranking is- 1: Paul Williams version on his original 1971 album, 2: P.W. and Muppets 1976, 3: Three Dog Night on Glen Campbell Show 1972, 4: Three Dog on Midnight Special '75, and in 5th place: The Carpenters and Carol Burnett alternate reality twilight zone version on the Carol Burnett Show (The Carpenters never recorded it, only that live tv appearance version, taped by vhs, rip vhs) i think 1971 as well. many fantastic versions of this song, i rank this high up there at second place. Rainbow Connection, 2020 library of Congress selected to keep for eternity! one day we'll find it...! 🙂
Love the Muppet versions of Paul.
Did a fabulous job. Phantom of the paradise ☝️👍👍👍❤
I totally remember this episode!!!🥰🥰🥰
wow... I really thought Paul Williams had passed. I just read his bio and he's still very involved with films and music at 70+ - you go Paul!
Wow! My foot was tapping at the third chorus of that song! great rendition of the Three Dog Night cover. Two thumbs up!
three dog night sang it, but Paul wrote it
It is amazing if you Wiki Paul Williams, look how many songs TV theme's and movie score's he wrote, my favorite acting character of his was, and always will be that of little Enos Burdette in the original Smokey and the Bandit movie, he also had hit songs w/ThreeDogNight,(3) B.Streisand, H.Reddy, the Carpenters (2), and he even had one song done by the Monkee's ............
Wow, who knew The Penguin had such a singing voice!
Hands down my favourite Muppets Show episode 👍🏻
He also voiced the Penguin on Batman TAS, The New Batman Adventures , and Superman TAS;] and DCUO.
And the Hierophant in Adventure Time
Don't forget he was Little Enos in the Smokey and the Bandit films.
And of course, he co-wrote "Rainbow Connection" among others for the Muppets!
He was great as Penguin
@@Johnlindsey289 Agreed
if you were on the muppets you were good
Indeed! What a blessing to be able to claim that as a credit!
Except for Judy Collins
Paul Williams is a brilliant songwriter.
8 months after avoiding this...good night it's catchy....
I love this song and I love the muppets!
j adore ce mec, il a un visage ,un charisme, une voix et respire la gentillesse à travers ses expressions...et musicalement c est un génie ....hélas trop inconnu en France
Williams is as close to being a muppet as any human. The highest compliment.
Paul Williams got me through high school. Thank you sir.
It’s pure, vaudevillian corn, and I’m here for every second
It sucks we have to get old Stallion... soooo good!
It’s cool they took the time to make such a realistic muppet for Paul Willians.
In the first season they used to make each guest host a personalized muppet to take home.
@@michellesmith7323 Well the only Guest stars that got their look alike Muppet selves were Juliet Prowse and Connie Stevens for the 1976 Pilots after that since Joel Gray that Stopped doing because it was way too expensive and was taking up too much time for the production of Sesame Street and The Muppet Show itself and other Jim Henson Projects
so fantastic, that's one of my fav skits I miss the good ol' days
The Muppets were the Weird Al of the seventies. If you got on you were worth noticing. It's like a right of passage for music artists.
Watching the Muppets for the first time and I've liked most if not all the songs on the show so far, but this one just immediately grabbed me, I had to look it up as soon as it ended.
Also the way Muppet Paul darts back into the radio at 0:53 is extremely satisfying to me
yes, the radio bit was genius
Pure delight! Thank you muppets and paul williams for all the joy !
It is a shame we don't have good clean fun shows like this. when this was on t.v. this show and this artist were a list all the way. Would love to have this again but egos are too big.
Lol.... have you ever watched the Muppet Show? Clean? 😂
Are you just watching the music from the performers you like and literally forgetting about the rest of the show?
There's literally a bit called 'Pigs in space '.... that aired in 1976. About a clueless leader who would attack first and ask questions later.... and you think that this was wholesome, or 'not woke?'.... Anyone who knows anything knows that Henson invented woke. Turning people on with jokes and celebrity guests.... getting folks to realize that it doesn't matter if you're Sylvester Stallone...or say a little green frog. It's who you are inside that matters.
I love how quickly the Paul Williams puppet goes back into the radio at :54,..Paul wrote some really great songs.
He is still writing amazing songs! This however is one of my fave and love how Jim honoured him in this. Paul wrote most of the early Muppet songs including "The Rainbow Connection". Love your comment as well!
Laura Coffing
The Carpenters recorded four of his and Roger's best tunes.
Yep- and so many others as well! However I will say as much as I love the Carpenters- Paul's versions are better- but I grew up with him as the first version I heard!
He is amazing. I feel for him as he just lost his brother Mentor Williams a few months ago. I hope others find Paul and have this happiness in their lives.
Til now I only know him from Phantom. It's so weird to see him not evil...
Guaranteed to cheer you up, great song, great man, great muppets!
Amusical legend he's wrote some great great tunes. I wonder If Paul was actually made in Jim Hensons creature workshop though :O
One my favorite shows when in preschool along with The INcredible Hulk and Superfriends
Oh wow - GREAT times!
She's not joking, he did indeed write the music for NIMH. Also, Wil Wheaton and Shannen Doherty were in it!!
Is it just me, this reminds me so much of The Hell Of It, with new lyrics. Not a bad thing, PotP is an awesome movie, love it.
Paul always looked like a Muppet to me. Lol
Amazing!!! This song is my ring tone I love it so much. I love what you have added
❤ Paul Williams
That's the greatest thing about music my friend, it cannot die unless you allow it to.
please 2016 do not take this man
+iHeartRyanStiles You can say that again.
A-MEN.
We must pray.
2016 does not care for your fragile mortality she is still young and can only take more.
2016 took Florence Henderson instead. Stay weary of 2017.
wonderful, it's been long time since the album a little bit love. I still have LP.
Could have seen Paul Williams in Traverse City, MI. So sorry I had to miss going.
Paul Williams was awesome when he sang in this episode of the Muppet Show.
I think this is the best version
I remember actually seeing this on it's first showing. I was in my teens and loved it. The more famous version was Three Dog Night's but this was how I learned that P Williams wrote it. This number is brilliant.
Paul Williams has writte so many beautiful songs!! Dear lord, it was so much fun seing this song sang by him and the muppets!!! XDD I love the "minime" versions of Paul Williams XDDDDD
He also wrote Rainbow Connection
my fav muppet song ever!!!
nice
Patrice Franklin It is only a really good cover for The Muppet Show otherwise Paul wrote the song for Three Dog Night.
And one of my favorite songs
i like this allot, first time i heard this was on the muppets! brilliant.
Huh, I never knew he wrote this song. Always thought it was Three dog night. But he wrote it for them.
Best version of this song! I love Paul Williams
There's two things I like! Paul Williams and Muppets! FTW!!!
that's only one thing...
;-)
You'd never guess that this was the same guy who voiced The Penguin on Batman, The Animated Series
Thanks for the upload, awesome little vid!