Bedtime Song

The song, "I Don't Want To Live On The Moon", was penned by Joe Raposo, and is from Jim Henson: A Sesame Street Celebration, copyright 1991, Children's Television Workshop and Jim Henson Productions.

Gordon flipped through the recordings in the lounge, looking for an old Beatles CD that he was just sure his father had left in the large collection of music that the family had gathered over the years.

As he flipped through the stacks, his eye was caught by a CD case without a garish cover to it. The case itself was blue, and thinner than the commercial CDs around it. Curious, he pulled it out. The label on it was handwritten and said simply: Bedtime Songs. He put it down on the table and continued his search. Eventually he found the recording he was looking for and took it, and the Bedtime Songs CD back to his room.

He slipped the Bedtime Songs recording into his player and lay down on his bed to listen to it. The music was simple, a single female voice accompanied by piano, singing quiet songs designed to lull a child to sleep. The voice, however, was familiar to him and he struggled to remember to whom it belonged. Finally it hit him; it was the voice of his mother, Lucille.

"Why don't I remember this?' he wondered, as the soothing songs continued, each highlighting his mother's soprano voice. Then a particular song came up, and he sat upright. I remember this one! He hummed along a bit, then got up, pulled the CD from the player, and headed for the lounge. 'John has got to hear this.'

He toggled the switch that put him in communication with Thunderbird 5.

"Gordon to Thunderbird 5."

"Thunderbird 5 here. What do you need, Gordon?" John asked, his voice weary.

"I found a CD that you need to hear." Gordon set the recording up in the lounge's CD player.

"If this is more of your techno-funk...," John began.

"No, it's not," Gordon cut him off. "I found this among Dad's recordings. Just listen to this one song." He programmed the machine to play the song that had brought him upright.

The piano played a simple introduction, and Lucille began to sing.

Well, I'd like to visit the moon,
on a rocket ship high in the air.
Yes, I'd like to visit the moon,
but I don't think I'd like to live there.

Though I'd like to look down at the earth from above,
I would miss all the places and people I love.
So although I might like it for one afternoon,
I don't want to live on the moon.

I'd like to travel under the sea.
I could meet all the fish everywhere.
Yes, I'd travel under the sea,
but I don't think I'd like to live there.

I might stay for a day there if I had my wish,
But there's not much to do when your friends are all fish.
And an oyster and clam aren't real family.
So I don't want to live in the sea.

I'd like to visit the jungle, hear the lions roar.
Go back in time and meet a dinosaur.
There're so many strange places I'd like to be,
but none of them permanently.

So if I should visit the moon,
Well, I'll dance on a moonbeam and then
I will make a wish on a star
and I'll wish I were home once again.

Though I'd like to look down at the earth from above,
I would miss all the places and people I love.
So although I may go, I'll be coming home soon.
'Cause I don't want to live on the moon.
No, I don't want to live on the moon.

John's face took on a nostalgic smile. "I'd forgotten that recording. Mom made it for us to help us go to sleep. She would put it on when you or Alan were really fussy, or if she didn't have enough time to tuck us in properly. I remember that song in particular because I wanted to look down on the earth like that."

"Yeah," Gordon said. "It was the verse about traveling under the sea that made me remember it. And making friends with all the fish. I always liked that part."

John gave Gordon a wide grin. "Thanks for playing it for me."

"You're welcome," Gordon replied, grinning right back. "What's Alan's ETA?"

"Thirty-five minutes. Then I can get back to the 'places and people I love'," John said. "We'll have to play that for Alan, too. He won't remember Mom's voice, but I think he'll appreciate the sentiment."

"Yeah, I do believe he will," Gordon agreed.

"See you in a bit, Gords," John said as he closed communications.

"See you soon." Gordon pulled the recording from the player. "Thanks, Mom, for the reminder," he whispered, as he returned it to its slot, and left the lounge.