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I’m an Elder Millennial, and as such, I remember the kids’ TV programs from the late 80s and early 90s. More specifically, I remember the theme songs and other music featured on them. You know, jingles like the Muppet Babies theme, “The Song That Doesn’t End” from Lamb Chop’s Play-Along, and, of course, Barney & Friends’ “I Love You.” I was a tad too old to really watch Barney, but I had two younger sisters and there was only one TV, so…ya know, lol.
Barney is having a bit of a resurgence right now thanks to the new animated series, Barney’s World on Max. And like basically everything else, there’s now a Barney-centered podcast. On Tuesday, November 12, a brand new, seven-part pod dedicated to the original series made its debut. Hosted by Connecticut Public Radio’s Sabrina Herrera, Generation Barney is about both Barney and the “music and love and backlash and toys and nostalgia.” Barney & Friends’ musical director, Bob Singleton, is a guest on one of the episodes. During his appearance, he talks about his experience working on the show, as well as the scary downside to creating such catchy children’s songs.
One of the things kids loved — and parents perhaps tolerated — about Barney & Friends were the catchy tunes the purple dinosaur and his friends would sing. Believe it or not, the songs about friendship, community and love were tough for some who were hearing so much of them. Musical director Bob Singleton shares his experience on the new podcast Generation Barney, recalling getting flack when people would learn what he did for a living.
“When I was nominated for a Grammy, a local talk radio station said, ‘Hey, this is great,’ ” Singleton recalls. “Then someone called in and said, ‘I wish I could get my hands around the neck of that guy. I would just, I would really like to take him out. ‘”
As Internet culture evolved and more people were getting together to discuss the show online, Singleton got troubling emails, too.
“My email address was out there, and I was getting people sending me emails … that [were] threatening me and my family with horrible, horrible death and dismemberment and terrible things,” Singleton says in the narrative podcast’s second episode.
“It was frightening. I remember going to a luncheon once and they’ve got us sat at a table. I said I had been the music director on Barney and this one guy — and I’m sure he was well-meaning — said ‘Wow, my kids loved you but I just wanted to kill you.’ ”
“In that moment, I have to think, ‘Okay, is this somebody that I need to watch for in the parking lot, you know?’ Or is he just, is that just his way of going ‘My kids liked it, I didn’t’. So it was awkward.”
Goodness, people are so unhinged. Imagine being so triggered by a song in a children’s television program that you go out of your way to send the show’s music director death threats. And the guy that told him that he didn’t like his work to his face while at a professional luncheon was so rude! I doubt my mother loved hearing these songs (and more) over and over again, but she certainly never complained about it in front of us or sent anyone threatening emails. And within the circle of life, those of us who are parents now have or are paying our penance by having to listen to annoying songs from shows like Cocomelon and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. Thankfully, parents today have better methods to help tune it out. Although, I do still sometimes randomly burst into the theme song from Doc McStuffins because it’s so damn good.
You can check out Generation Barney here. The first episode features the two actors to have played Barney the longest, Bob West (voice) and David Joyner (body). It’s a pretty interesting conversation.
photos are screenshots from YouTube/Barney
