This month marks forty years since the original release of Free To Be You And Me, the influential kids' record dreamed up by Marlo Thomas when she couldn't find any bedtime stories for her niece that exceeded old gender stereotypes.
I was born just a few years after the record came out and listening to it is one of my earliest memories. I studied the figures romping on the cover art's letters and knew every track inside out. Marlo Thomas and Harry Belafonte told me that parents are people, Tom Smothers extolled the virtues of helping, Jack Cassidy and Sharon Jones scared me off from creepy "Girl Land," Alan Alda and Marlo Thomas made it perfectly clear that William was extra cool for wanting a doll, and thanks to Carol Channing I always knew that housework was no fun.
When I finally read Betty Friedan's The Feminine Mystique for a gender studies class it was déjà vu; I had already learned many of its lessons from Free To Be You And Me. Five years ago I found out I was pregnant with my first child and I ordered the CD, which has been in heavy rotation ever since. It might not be a panacea for princess mania and other kid culture phenomena, but my kids love the groovy songs. I still have a sweet spot for its progressive message, which is simultaneously nostalgic and hopeful.
The recent Free To Be series at Slate.com recounts the origins, stakes and legacy of the album. You can learn more about the history and influence of Free To Be You And Me from the Free To Be Foundation.
• Free to Be You and Me MP3 Download or CD
(Image: Free To Be Foundation)
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"Don't dress your cat in an apron, just cause he's learning to bake." If I'm completely honest, I'll confess that I can still recite the Carol Channing Housework speech from memory. And I can say that this is an applause garnering feat at parties with people of a certain age. Shameful, but true.
I HAD that record! Seeing that cover is like coming across a long-forgotten smell - so instantly familiar even though I haven't thought of it in over 3 decades.
Does anyone else remember the Free To Be You and Me ABC After School Specials?
The ABC After School Specials were brilliant; not just the Free To Be shows, but others as well. They introduced me to Viveca Lindfors and Blythe Danner, who were both sort of female role models to me. I remember thinking how rich and complex and strong the characters they played were when I was a little kid, and it always stuck with me.
The '70s were pretty cool.
This was one of the first things I bought when I found out I was pregnant (well, the itunes version, not the record). I remember listening to it as a kid!
I remember it all but one that especially sticks with me goes something like:
"some kind of help is the kind of help that helping is all about and some kind of help is the kind of help we can all do without"
I try to remember that when I am helping.
I still laugh when I think of "Ladies first!"
Thank you Marlo, such joy!
I saw the film version of this every year in grade school as a kid - it was a class favourite. I remember Atalanta and "Ladies first, ladies first" fondly. It made a big impression on me. Of my female friends from University, those who'd seen it had a more independent attitude and kept their names when they married; those who hadn't all took their husbands' names.
I loved that as a child too, I'm 33 now and played it for my 27 year old boyfriend the other day. I'm so sad that he didn't have it in his life. We had the record and the book. I loaned out the record in my early 20s and never got it back, but I ordered it 8 years ago and will never loan out the CD. I'm keeping it for my kids to be someday!
I LOVED this album!!! My best friend and I knew every word to every song and choreographed dances to go with each one. We made the adults watch and then charged them a nickel each :-)
I remember watching the television special over and over as a kid. It really made an impression on me.
Miss Ruth- I value independence, but I'm not convinced whether or not a woman takes her husband's last name has anything to do with it.
I joyfully bought this album for my daughter, thinking she would love it as much as I did. She likes the songs, but, to be honest, a lot of it doesn't makes sense to her. Of course mommies are people and some mommies are doctors, etc. And why can't William have a doll? Many of her friends' families are made up of "birds and elephants." Finally, I don't believe she's ever heard the expression "Ladies First" apart from that story. At 5, she is fully entrenched in her own world of gender stereotypes (pink is her favorite color and she is just getting over a Princess obsession). But, I am pleased to say that a lot of the concepts in this album are simply archane to kids today!
Thank you for conjuring up so many warm memories. What a beautiful album.
Wow, what memories! Had the album and saw the videos too. Will never get the lyrics of 'Sisters and Brothers' out of my head.
I think it's available on DVD....my nephew watched it a few years back. It was the BEST.
I used to play this record over and over on my portable Fischer-Price record player. I still have the album (and now the CD, children's book and DVD for my kids) and still know it all by heart. This was probably the biggest influence on me as a kid and now my daughters listen to it. "Its Alright To Cry" and "Brothers and Sisters" are still my favorites.
My favorite was always the talking babies...and "Sisters and Brothers"...and "Parents Are People"...and...
@ek76, I agree, many of the points are outdated for our kids, thank goodness, but what a great relic to share!
I took out my copy to play to my 2 year old when he informed me that "big boys don't cry." Unfortunately, too many of the old stereotypes are alive and well...