The Muppets’ house band Dr Teeth and The Electric Mayhem are taking over our screens this week, as the hilarious new series The Muppets Mayhem premieres on Disney+.
The show follows Animal’s band as they attempt to get their first Platinum record, with episodes featuring cameos from music superstars including Lil Nas X, Kesha, “Weird Al” Yankovic and countless more.
To celebrate the premiere of the series, we’ve looked back across nearly 50 years of Muppet action on screens big and small to pick ten of their very best musical moments – from cover versions and original songs, to duets with the rock’n’roll A-list. These are unranked, because how can you choose the best from so many years of gold?
Bohemian Rhapsody
Many artists have tried to recreate Bohemian Rhapsody, always finding themselves in the shadow of Queen – with the exception of one supergroup who firmly made the iconic song their own.
From Animal’s inspired take on the “Mama, just killed a man…” verse, the performance quickly evolves into hilarious gibberish of the highest order, perfectly deploying each Muppet to the lyrics best suited to their unique delivery.
Rainbow Connection
First appearing in 1979’s The Muppet Movie, Rainbow Connection was a smash hit success for Kermit the Frog, charting in the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100 and getting a Best Original Song nomination at the Oscars, where he performed onstage (if you’ve never seen it, that clip is worth watching purely for Miss Piggy and host Johnny Carson’s extended bantering introduction).
The joyously simple song has been covered by several artists guest starring alongside Kermit and Co. for years, but Debbie Harry’s 1981 appearance on their TV show easily remains the most memorable of these. In that same episode, I also love the Muppets replacing Blondie as her backing band for a spirited take on Call Me.
Crocodile Rock
Elton John is considered to be one of the great guest stars on The Muppet Show, and the performance that opened his episode proves it immediately – bonus points for the crocodile backing singers.
Man or Muppet
Inexplicably the only Muppet song to have an Oscar, this Bret McKenzie penned number from the 2011 reboot movie works because it understands that the franchise’s best numbers are impactful because they sincerely explore the emotions of their non human characters. Muppet songs can be ridiculous, but their ballads are always moving.
Here, that perspective is shifted to Jason Segel’s human character as he’s going through an existential crisis – something it takes so seriously, you never stop to question how preposterous it all is.
Dave Grohl vs Animal Drum Battle
The Foo Fighters front man is a noted Muppets super fan, first appearing in a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it cameo in the 2011 movie. He returned for their short-lived 2015 mockumentary series in a more substantial role, first performing Learn To Fly with the Electric Mayhem, before battling Animal on the drums.
It ends with the pair agreeing it’s a draw because of how successfully they both demolish their kits by the end. If we’ve learnt anything from Animal over the years, it’s that this is the only accurate way to judge anybody’s drumming skills.
Keep Fishin’
For a band who first broke into the mainstream via a Happy Days themed music video, it’s no surprise that Weezer could also make good on using the same format for what is essentially a five minute Muppets sketch.
The 2002 video arrived as the Muppets had left the cultural spotlight, with the franchise relegated to straight-to-DVD fare after the underperformance of 1999’s Muppets From Space. As a result, it acted as a reminder of just how endlessly funny these characters are when deployed properly, even in small doses.
Ghost Riders In The Sky
Johnny Cash is having the time of his life in this 1981 appearance on The Muppet Show. There’s something incredibly charming about seeing The Man in Black struggle to keep a straight face as Gonzo interrupts his performance midway through.
School’s Out
One of the more chaotic guest appearances, as Alice Cooper is dragged across the stage by several of the largest Muppets as explosives go off in the background. Perhaps the definitive performance of his enduring anti-education anthem.
Bein’ Green (With Ray Charles)
Kermit’s ballad is the most emotional song in the Muppets repertoire, but it’s elevated to an entirely new level via this powerful duet with Ray Charles. I found myself struggling to hold back a tear rewatching this clip for the first time in several years just now.
The performance clearly left an impression on Charles, with the song becoming a staple of his setlists in the years after this moving duet.
Danny Boy
Finally, we go from the most emotional performance to the silliest, as Swedish Chef, Beaker and Animal (performing as “The Leprechaun Brothers”) croon their way through a demented take on Danny Boy.
It is borderline unlistenable and too stupid for words – which, in short, makes it one of the funniest Muppet music moments.
