Free to Be... You and Me facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Free to Be… You and Me |
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| Cast recording by
Various artists
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| Released | November 1972 |
| Recorded | May - July 1972 |
| Studio | Media Sound Studios, New York (Music) CBS Studios New York (Vocal Overdubs / Spoken word) |
| Label | Bell Records (original issue) Arista Records (reissue) |
| Producer | Carole Hart, Stephen J. Lawrence, Bruce Hart |
Free to Be… You and Me is a special project for children. It was created by actress and author Marlo Thomas. This project worked with the Ms. Foundation for Women.
It started as a record album and a book in November 1972. Famous people like Alan Alda, Rosey Grier, Cicely Tyson, Michael Jackson, and Diana Ross sang songs and told stories. Two years later, in March 1974, it became a TV special on ABC.
The main idea behind Free to Be… You and Me was to teach kids that it's okay to be yourself. It encouraged everyone to be unique and accept others. A big message was that boys and girls can achieve anything they want.
Contents
What is Free to Be... You and Me?
The idea for this project came from Marlo Thomas. She wanted to teach her young niece, Dionne, about life. Marlo felt that many children's books at the time had old-fashioned ideas about what boys and girls should do.
She noticed a book that said, "Boys are pilots, girls are stewardesses." Marlo thought this was wrong. She decided to create something different for Dionne. She asked her famous friends to help by sharing their talents for free.
The project was produced by Carole Hart. The music was created by Stephen J. Lawrence and Bruce Hart. Alan Alda helped direct the stories and poems. This special collection has been popular for many years.
Money from the project went to the Ms. Foundation for Women. The album first came out on Bell Records in 1972. Since 1975, it has been available on Arista Records as cassettes and CDs.
Some well-known songs include "It's All Right to Cry," sung by football star Rosey Grier. The main song, "Free to Be... You and Me," was sung by the New Seekers. "When We Grow Up" was performed by Diana Ross on the album. Roberta Flack and a young Michael Jackson sang it on the TV special.
Other parts of the project included fun sketches. "Atalanta" was a story from ancient Greek mythology. "Boy Meets Girl" featured puppets trying to figure out if they were a boy or a girl. "William's Doll" was about a boy who wanted a doll to practice being a good father.
One song called "Housework" was not included in the TV special. Marlo Thomas explained that some people felt it made cooking and cleaning seem less important. So, they decided to leave it out of the show.
The children shown on the original album cover were school friends of the children of Letty Cottin Pogrebin. She was an editor at Ms. magazine.
Later, in 1988, "Marlo Thomas and Friends" made a follow-up project. It was called Free to Be... a Family. This was a special TV show made in both the United States and the Soviet Union.
The Television Special
The Free to Be... You and Me TV special first aired on March 11, 1974. It was shown on ABC. The special won an Emmy Award for its great work.
Many schoolchildren in the 1970s and 1980s watched this special. They saw it in their schools. The show also appeared on HBO in the 1980s.
A DVD of the TV special was released in November 2001. In 2010, a new, improved version came out. It included new bonus features, like a deleted scene with Dustin Hoffman.
TV Cast Members
- Marlo Thomas
- Alan Alda
- Harry Belafonte
- Mel Brooks
- Rita Coolidge
- Billy De Wolfe
- Roberta Flack
- Rosey Grier
- Dustin Hoffman
- Michael Jackson
- Kris Kristofferson
- Robert Morse
- The New Seekers
- Tom Smothers
- Cicely Tyson
- Voices of East Harlem
- Dionne Warwick
- Jack Cassidy
- Carol Channing
Popular Songs and Stories
The Free to Be... You and Me album and TV special featured many memorable songs and stories. Some parts were only on the album, some only on the TV show, and some only in the book.
Album Highlights
- "Free To Be... You And Me" – This is the main song. It was sung by The New Seekers.
- "Boy Meets Girl" – A funny story by Carl Reiner and Peter Stone. It was performed by Mel Brooks and Marlo Thomas.
- "When We Grow Up" – This song was performed by Roberta Flack and Michael Jackson on the TV special. Diana Ross sang it on the album.
- "Parents Are People" – Sung by Harry Belafonte and Marlo Thomas.
- "Helping" – A poem by Shel Silverstein, performed by Tom Smothers.
- "It's All Right to Cry" – Sung by Rosey Grier. This song teaches that it's okay for anyone to show their feelings.
- "Sisters and Brothers" – Performed by The Voices of East Harlem.
- "William's Doll" – Performed by Alan Alda and Marlo Thomas. It's about a boy who wants a doll.
- "Atalanta" – A story from Greek myths, told by Alan Alda and Marlo Thomas.
- "Glad To Have A Friend Like You" – Sung by Marlo Thomas.
Bonus Tracks
Some songs were added later to special versions of the album. These included:
- "Let's Hear It For Babies" – Performed by Marlo Thomas and Mel Brooks.
- "The Sun And The Moon" – Sung by Dionne Warwick.
- "Circle of Friends" – Performed by Kris Kristofferson, Rita Coolidge, and others.
40th Anniversary Celebration
In March 2014, the Paley Center for Media held an event. It celebrated the 40th anniversary of Free to Be... You and Me. Marlo Thomas and Gloria Steinem led the event. Many people who worked on the original project were there.
Books About the Project
To celebrate the 40th anniversary, a book was published. It was called When We Were Free to Be: Looking Back at a Children's Classic and the Difference It Made. This book explored the impact of the original project.
