Schoolhouse Rock! (TV)
"Schoolhouse Rock!" is an educational animated television series that first aired in 1971, designed to teach children various subjects through catchy songs and engaging characters. The concept originated when advertising executive David McCall aimed to help his son learn multiplication through music, leading to the creation of the song "Three Is a Magic Number." This song was part of the "Multiplication Rock" album, which laid the foundation for the series. Following the success of math-related segments, the show expanded to include "Grammar Rock," which taught language concepts, and "America Rock," which focused on American history. Other themes such as "Science Rock" were also introduced, explaining scientific concepts in a fun and memorable way. Over its run, "Schoolhouse Rock!" produced a total of forty-one segments, earning critical acclaim and four Emmy Awards for Outstanding Children's Programming. The series is respected by parents and educators for its effective approach to learning. A revival of interest occurred in the mid-1990s, highlighted by a musical production and new recordings by contemporary artists, further solidifying the show's legacy in educational entertainment.
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Subject Terms
Schoolhouse Rock! (TV)
Identification Children’s television programming comprising short animated segments
Date Aired from 1973 to 1985
In the early 1970’s, amid a climate of mounting concern over violence and lack of good content in children’s television programming, Schoolhouse Rock! brought an element of education to Saturday morning cartoons, teaching American children about history, math, science, and grammar.
In 1971, when advertising executive David McCall saw his son struggling with multiplication tables, he came up with a unique idea to help him learn the information. Knowing that the child could sing countless pop songs verbatim, McCall decided to link contemporary music with math concepts. He used his own agency’s creative team to execute his idea and, together with Texas jazz musician Bob Dorough, came up with the project’s first song, “Three Is a Magic Number,” which explained multiplication by threes using a soothing melody. The song and several more about math were combined on the record album Multiplication Rock, released by Capitol Records. The creators then decided to make animated adaptations of the songs. The American Broadcasting Company (ABC) network, already worried about parental and political pressure to decrease the commercialization and violence in children’s programs, agreed to air “Three Is a Magic Number” and gave the green light for the development of more segments.
Following the success of the math-related segments, Grammar Rock was introduced and used the same formula: silly characters, catchy songs, and repetition. American children learned that “A Noun Is a Person, Place, or Thing” and sang along to “Conjunction Junction” and “Lolly, Lolly, Lolly, Get Your Adverbs Here,” among others. The 1976 bicentennial celebration prompted America Rock, a new set of segments that related to American history, including “I’m Just a Bill,” “The Shot Heard ’Round the World,” and “Sufferin’ Till Suffrage.” Science Rock followed, and among its memorable contributions were “Telegraph Line,” which explained the human nervous system, and “Interplanet Janet,” which explained the solar system.
Impact
In all, forty-one segments of Schoolhouse Rock! were created during its run. The series won four Emmy Awards for Outstanding Children’s Programming, and it earned the respect of parents and educators for the way in which it made learning palatable and memorable with its fun characters and catchy melodies.
Subsequent Events
Schoolhouse Rock! experienced a revival during the mid-1990’s, beginning in 1994 with the musical production of Schoolhouse Rock Live! by Chicago-based Theater BAM. Original fans of the series reacted with a mixture of nostalgia and amusement, and the production gained national attention. In 1996, a new generation of musicians contributed their own versions of Schoolhouse Rock! classics to a compilation compact disc (CD) box set, released by Rhino Records.
Bibliography
Burke, Timothy, and Kevin Burke. Saturday Morning Fever: Growing Up with Cartoon Culture. New York: St. Martin’s Griffin, 1999.
Yohe, Tom, and George Newall. “Schoolhouse Rock!” The Official Guide. New York: Hyperion Books, 1996.