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Schoolhouse Rocky

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Schoolhouse Rocky was the February 2022 Article of the Month.
4kids95

Schoolhouse Rocky is the theme song to Disney's Schoolhouse Rock. The theme song was performed by the late musicians Bob Dorough and Jack Sheldon (current version), but the original version (television broadcast/1987 Golden Book Video VHS only) was performed by chorus of men and women.

Characters[]

Opening sequence[]

The intro begins as 4 kids (Noun Girl, Asian boy, Rocky and the Body Machine Girl) are growing bigger and their minds are literally flowering, with subjects learned (The Pilgrims, 2+2=4, a Noun, and H2O). Rocky speaks in a speech bubble ('Cause knowledge is power!) and shifts into his superhero form, with the show's logo flashing. Then the letters begin to shake and collapse, with Rocky's hair standing up and his sclera is revealed. Rocky flies across the screen to fix the show's logo, as the "Y" turns into an exclamation point. As soon as he's done, he brushes his shoulders and walks with Sarah Suffrage, Noah, the Conductor and Bill to visit the diner, joined with the gravity man, the Magician, Naughty Number Nine, Mr. Five, Janet, and Molly with her turtle. The gang make it into the "Daily Junction" as the camera flashes, and a newspaper boy is holding up the newspaper, screaming "EXTRA!" as the gang appear in front of the paparazzi. Rocky sneaks into the kitchen with a plate, and steals the flapjacks that the chef piled on while the latter got unimpressed, then Rocky rushes over to the jukebox to put coins in it, then the lights go out, and Rocky snaps his fingers for the cue. Noun Girl is dancing to Conjunction Junction (with new lyrics) and says, "With music on the menu, learning's really no mystery". The characters in the diner then pop out, shouting "Fun's your function!". Look for the Figure Eight girl at the far left, Sheldon and Bill, Betsy Ross (who is sewing the U.S. flag), Isaac Newton (while an apple falls on his head), the Greaser and Mary Jean dancing, Rufus and his kangaroo slurping a milkshake, Sarah Suffrage sitting next to Lolly, who is sharing a milkshake with the kangaroo, the Busy Prepositions reading the menu, Verb looking at Zero's symbol expanding, the Mortons sharing a milkshake, King George devouring a chicken, and Rocky asking the chef what today's special is. The chef will say something about foods with the sides as the main academic subject(s), with the chalkboard (which never appeared in the DVD version) reading (insert episode here).

Goofs[]

  • Instead of pink, Becky Sue is wearing an aqua green shirt.
  • Instead of white, the delivery boy, the chef, King George III and the newspaper boy have real skin colors.
  • Instead of Pearl being a natural brunette, she has gray hair without any glasses and a different outfit.
  • The word "Pilgrims" is over Noun Girl's head, while the word "Noun" is over Rocky's. Respectively, it should be that the word "Noun" should be over Noun Girl's.
  • As Rocky is by the jukebox, a small scribble above his eye resembles a high eyebrow.
  • The Figure Skater wears an orange outfit instead of a pink one, and she has bangs as well.
  • The Figure Skater and the ringleader have dot eyes. Then again, the ringleader had dot eyes throughout certain points in Three Ring Government. The Figure Skater also had dot eyes in one scene as well.
  • One of the Preposition bugs has a poorly drawn chin.
  • Rufus has a different-looking face while sitting with his kangaroo. His face isn't orange either and his hat changes color.
  • When Suffrage is sitting with Lolly and Rufus (with his kangaroo), her hair is dirty blonde, and she wears a light blue top.
  • The delivery boy's uniform is cyan instead of his normal dark blue.
  • When the picture is taken, Rocky's mouth is closed on the newspaper.
  • When the lights come on, Sally's eyes are open.
  • Lucky Seven Sampson has brownish-gray fur with a cyan tank top and pants, and his art style is different, due to Tom Yohe doing the artwork.
  • Lolly has blond hair, a white shirt, and red pants.

Trivia[]

  • In the original television broadcast/1987 Golden Book Video VHS tapes, the theme song became shorter and was performed by Tom Yohe Jr and unknown voice actors/actresses.
  • In the VHS/DVD version, Jack Sheldon rewrites the first verse of the well-known "Conjunction Junction" song.
  • In the DVD version, the chef is now voiced by Bob Dorough and the kids does not say "ROCK!" at the end, and they’re replaced by a one-note horn riff. However, the chalkboard has disappeared, and the DVD's main menu is featured.
  • Tax Man Max, the allowance boy, Tyrone (the electrician), Ben Franklin, the tuba boy (possibly due to his bus incident), Tyrannosaurus Debt (due to his size), the Earth (logically impossible) the Dry Bones quartet, the skeletons, Lolly’s father and grandfather, Rafaela Gabriela, the aardvark and rhinoceros, Tommy (boy from Verb), Reginald, the Darn/cheerleader girl, Statue of Liberty, Colonel Prescott, Mother Necessity, the founding fathers, the judge, Fred the Mailman and the accompanying song’s characters, Barter (the caveman), Lester the Investor, the newspaper seller, Leroy, Grady (Balloon boy), Greta (his sister), the Good Eleven angels, and the Four-Legged Zoo were never seen in the Conjunction Junction diner.
  • In the updated opening sequence, the flowers have different colors, and Rocky is voiced by Tom Yohe III, but he's still saying, "Cause knowledge is power!"
    4kids81
  • Rocky is wearing a yellow sweater. His hair is messier as well, but in the updated opening sequence, he wears a red sweater, and his hair is combed.
  • The girl on the left wears a green sweater and white pants, but she is replaced by Connie (Noun Girl) from "A Noun is a Person, Place, or Thing" in the updated opening sequence. Ironically, the word “Noun” is over Rocky’s head instead of hers.
  • The Asian boy has a bowl cut, and is seen wearing a red shirt and khakis, but in the updated opening sequence, he wears a green jacket and has a similar hairstyle to Chen from "I Got Six".
  • The black girl on the right resembles only out of children from "Ready or Not, Here I Come", but she is replaced by Desiree from "The Body Machine" in the updated opening sequence.
  • When the diner's lights go off, some songs' clips are featured from the show. (Conjunction Junction, Three is a Magic Number, Interjections!, A Victim of Gravity, and No More Kings)
  • This is the only song not to appear on Disney+. If it did, it’s likely that Rocky’s transformation scene (with the flashing letters) would be slowed to make it seizure friendly.
  • One could believe it’s Tom Yohe Jr. that voiced Rocky in the modern-era TV version.
Schoolhouse Rock 1995-2009

Lyrics[]

Original Version (television broadcast/1987 Golden Book Video VHS only)[]

Chorus: As your body grows bigger

Your mind must flower

It's great to learn...

Rocky (spoken): Cause knowledge is power! (DRUMROLL)

Chorus: It's Schoolhouse Rocky, that chip off the block

Of your favorite schoolhouse, Schoolhouse Rock!

Long Version (VHS and DVD only)[]

Bob Dorough: As your body grows bigger

Woman Chorus: Your mind must flower

Bob Dorough: It's great to learn...

Rocky (spoken): Cause knowledge is power! (DRUMROLL)

All: It's Schoolhouse Rocky, that chip off the block

Of your favorite schoolhouse, Schoolhouse Rock!

(guitar riffs)

Bob Dorough: Come on, let's follow him down, to that place of renown

They call it the Conjunction Junction Diner

With Schoolhouse Rocky and friends

You know the fun never ends

(camera flash)

Cause everyone's a Schoolhouse Rock headliner!

Newspaper boy: Extra!

Bob Dorough: Rocky gets the diner cooking in short order

When he feeds that video jukebox nickels, dimes, and quarters

(clink, click, snap)

Jack Sheldon and Woman Chorus: Conjunction junction, what's your function?

Jack Sheldon: Hooking up multiplication to music

Rocking with grammar, and science and history

Noun Girl: With music on the menu, learning's really no mystery!

Jack Sheldon: When you're in Conjunction Junction...

All: Fun's your function!

Jack Sheldon: Picking up some knowledge, rocking 'round the clock

Accumulating power watching Schoolhouse Rock!

Rocky: Hey, Chef, what's the special today?

Chef: Macaroni and cheese, with a side of multiplication—

Kids: ROCK!

Chef: Alphabet soup du jour, with a side of grammar—

Kids: ROCK!

Chef: Homemade apple pie, with a side of America—

Kids: ROCK!

Chef: Sautéed succotash, with a side of science—

Kids: ROCK!

Chef: Lots of lettuce, with a side of money—

Kids: ROCK!

Chef: My new 25-ingredient soup! I'm stirring in the 25 all-time favorite songs of Schoolhouse—
Together with Chef: ROCK!
Rocky: Wow! The all-time favorites?
Chef: That's right! It takes 30 years to make a soup this good!

Rocky: 30 years! No wonder this suit is getting tight!

Bob Dorough: The whole enchilada and a side of fun!

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