Back when The Electric Company launched, in 1971, it was positioned as the hipper, more urban, slightly older-skewing version of Sesame Street. More than any specific bits, the thing that left the most lasting impression about the show on us was its theme song, a rallying cry for learning that was funky, bold, and empowering (“We’re gonna turn it on / We’re gonna bring you the POWER”) in a way that only songs from that era of social upheaval could be. And now, after twenty-plus years of being off the air, the show is coming back to PBS beginning on January 19. We just caught wind of two preview clips from the revamped show which, kinda intriguingly, look and sound a lot like something you might see on Flight of the Conchords. However, we’re sad to report that it looks like they’ve ditched their supremely righteous theme song in favor of a more generic contemporary-sounding hip-hop track. You can catch both the 2009 preview featuring vox from a Jemaine sound-alike and the badass original intro after the jump.
Here’s a clip from the new version of The Electric Company.
And, as promised, the badass original theme song. In case you were wondering, yes, that’s Bill Cosby. And Morgan Freeman!
The Electric Company Returns! [Thirteen.org]
