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The secret origin of Kermit the Frog's Rainbow Connection song in the Muppets Movie, according to co-creator Paul Williams
Songwriter Paul Willaims recalls the inspiration behind Rainbow Connection, and how it became Kermit the Frog’s anthem.
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In 1979 the Muppets came to the big screen, and cinema hasn’t been the same since. The Muppet Movie contained comedy, heart, and lots of catchy songs. The film begins with Rainbow Connection, a heartwarming ballad that has become Kermit the Frog’s signature song.
The lyrics are touching, and Jim Henson’s vocal performance as Kermit really tugs at your heartstrings. There’s no denying that Rainbow Connection is one of the best songs in the Muppets discography.
The song was written by Paul Williams and Kenny Ascher, a creative duo who crafted many of the Muppets early hits. Rainbow Connection earned Ascher and Williams an Oscar nomination for Best Original Song at the 1979 Academy Awards.
Today, Williams is extremely proud of the song’s legacy. Speaking to a crowd at Tampa Bay Comic Convention, Williams shared the story of how the iconic tune came together. “With The Muppet Movie I wrote with Kenny Ascher. We wrote all the songs together. We kind of write at the same time. He writes music, I write music and lyrics, and we go back and forth.”
“Sitting down to write the song for Kermit at the opening of The Muppet Movie, Kenny and I were thinking about When You Wish Upon a Star from Pinocchio as the ultimate. That’s just absolutely as good of a song in that kind of a story can be. Kenny and I are sitting there going, ‘Jim, what is Kermit doing in the swamp when we discover him.’ He thought a second and said, ‘Playing a banjo.’”
This was all Williams and Ascher needed.
“Okay, that tells you a lot. He’s sitting in the middle of a swamp. What do we have to work with? We have water and light. What do you get with the reflection? You get rainbows. As soon as you do that, you have something that is mystical to include in the whole story.”
Williams reflected on how the song helped develop Kermit as a character. Previous television appearances from the Muppets treated Kermit as the often frustrated ringleader. With Rainbow Connection, the audience got to see Kermit’s vulnerable side.
“The great thing that happens there is that Kermit goes from being the teacher, the mentor, the guy standing at the podium. He becomes a member of the audience and has a shared experience. It left him as someone with questions, instead of someone with answers. I think that’s one of the reasons why the song really works. It remains the question for each of us to individually answer.”
Williams has a legacy he can be proud of. In a world filled with uncertainty, Rainbow Connection continues to resonate, reminding us all to embrace our dreams and the shared journey of seeking answers together.
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