Song Clearance Sheet
4 sources citedSesame Street Theme
Children's Music1960s162BPM
C majKey
More around 160 BPM → · More in C major →
Tempo/key via GetSongBPM →
The verdict
Documented Sampling History
Confirmed songwriters of record and a directly confirmed current administrator (Universal Music Corp, for Sesame Street, Inc. and Stage Harbor Publishing) — an unusually clean, fully actionable case.
Used by independents?
Unconfirmed — the page doesn't yet document enough sampler detail to tell.
Who you need to ask
The current administrator — Universal Music Corp (for Sesame Street, Inc. & Stage Harbor Publishing) — directly confirmed
Easysong → · checked Jul 2026
The songwriters — Joe Raposo (estate), Jon Stone & Bruce Hart
Wikipedia → · checked Jul 2026
Has it been reused?
Yes — the show’s opening theme every season since 1969; notable covers include a version by Gladys Knight and a 35th-anniversary dance remix.
Do they allow reuse?
No standalone policy found, but a directly confirmed administrator (Universal Music Corp) — an unusually actionable clearance path for this catalog.
Who Owns It
Licenses explained →The two permissions you need, and who holds them
The song itself (the writing)Joe Raposo (estate), Jon Stone & Bruce Hart
The current administratorUniversal Music Corp
Receipts
Every public mention of terms, policy, or past deals we've found
A director harsh on his own lyrics
In his unpublished memoir, director Jon Stone took credit for several key concepts (incl. the recurring “how to get to Sesame Street” theme) and praised Raposo’s child-recognizable melody — but was notably harsh on his own lyrics, reportedly calling them “a lyrical disaster” full of “hackneyed phrases.”
Muppet Wiki · read it →
A jazz great on the recording
Raposo enlisted acclaimed jazz harmonicist Jean “Toots” Thielemans and a mixed children’s choir for the recording.
Wikipedia · read it →
A children’s-TV catalog that crossed over
Raposo was the show’s first music director and wrote “Bein’ Green,” “C is for Cookie,” and “Sing” — the latter a 1973 pop hit for The Carpenters. His name kept appearing in the credits through Season 40, decades after his 1989 death.
Muppet Wiki (Joe Raposo) · read it →
Can You Use It for Free?
How to check PD →Is it public domain?No
Sample History
—
Times sampled
Gladys Knight · “Ursula 2000” dance remix
Covers
—
First flip
Who to Contact
UM
Universal Music Corp
The directly confirmed administrator (for Sesame Street, Inc. & Stage Harbor Publishing)
What they'll chargeNobody's shared numbers yet
Don't Want the Hassle?
Sample something pre-cleared insteadCheck Tracklib →
Find a similar sound that's 100% freeBrowse the catalog →
Was this page helpful?
Page history · 2 updates
Jul 2026Page created — full research (Unique Angles Batch)
Jul 2026BPM/Key pending a separate manual keyfinder pass