Free to Be… You and Me

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Free to Be… You and Me is a record album and illustrated songbook for children, first released in November 1972, and later in 1974 as a television special, featuring songs and stories from celebrities (credited as "Marlo Thomas and Friends"). Using poetry, songs, and sketches, the basic concept was to salute values such as individuality, tolerance, and happiness with one's identity; a major thematic message is that you, whether a boy or a girl, can achieve anything you want. The album has become a cult classic amongst many children raised in the 1970s.

The original idea to create the album came from Thomas; she wanted to teach her then-young niece Dionne about life. A well-received sequel, Free to Be . . . A Family, was produced in 1987.

The album has been published by Arista Records since 1983 (it was first published by Bell Records), and is still in print today.

The TV cast included:

• Alan Alda
• Harry Belafonte
• Mel Brooks
• Rita Coolidge
• Billy De Wolfe
• Roberta Flack
• Rosey Grier
• Michael Jackson
• Kris Kristofferson
• Shel Silverstein
• Tom Smothers
• Marlo Thomas
• Dionne Warwick
• The New Seekers
• The Voices of East Harlem

Well-known songs include "It's All Right to Cry," sung by football hero Rosey Grier; the title track by the New Seekers; "Help" by Tom Smothers; "Sisters and Brothers" by The Voices of East Harlem; and "When We Grow Up" by Michael Jackson and Roberta Flack.

Other sketches, some of them animated in the television special, include "Atalanta," narrated by Alan Alda, "Boy Meets Girl" with Marlo Thomas and Mel Brooks providing the voices for puppets resembling human babies, and "Dudley Pippin" with Billy De Wolfe. The special appeared occasionally on HBO in the 1980s.

Track listing

• "Free To Be... You And Me" - Music by Stephen Lawrence, Lyrics by Bruce Hart, Performed by The New Seekers

• "Boy Meets Girl" - Written by Carl Reiner and Peter Stone, Performed by Mel Brooks and Marlo Thomas

• "When We Grow Up" - Music by Stephen Lawrence, Lyrics by Shelley Miller, Performed by Diana Ross

• "Don't Dress Your Cat In An Apron" - Performed by Billy De Wolfe

• "Parents Are People" - Music and Lyrics by Carol Hall, Performed by Harry Belafonte and Marlo Thomas

• "Housework" - Performed by Carol Channing

• "Helping" - Written by Shel Silverstein, Performed by Tom Smothers

• "Ladies First" - Performed by Marlo Thomas

• "Dudley Pippin And The Principal" - Performed by Billy De Wolfe, Bobby Morse, and Marlo Thomas

• "It's All Right To Cry" - Music and Lyrics by Carol Hall, Performed by Rosey Grier

• "Sister And Brothers" - Music by Stephen Lawrence, Lyrics by Bruce Hart, Performed by Sisters and Brothers

• "My Dog Is A Plumber" - Performed by Dick Cavett

• "William's Doll" - Music by Mary Rodgers, Lyrics by Sheldon Harnick, Performed by Alan Alda and Marlo Thomas

• "Atalanta" - Performed by Alan Alda and Marlo Thomas

• "Grandma" - Performed by Diana Sands

• "Girl Land" - Music by Mary Rodgers, Lyrics by Bruce Hart, Performed by Jack Cassidy and Shirley Jones

• "Dudley Pippin And His No-Friend" - Performed by Bobby Morse, and Marlo Thomas

• "Glad To Have A Friend Like You" - Music and Lyrics by Carol Hall, Performed by Marlo Thomas

Trivia

• Has sold more than 500,000 copies
• Television special first aired March 11, 1974 on ABC, earning an 18.6 rating/27 share, went on to win an Emmy.
• Album produced by Carole Hart, with music produced by Stephen Lawrence and Bruce Hart, stories and poems directed by Alan Alda.
• Proceeds went to the Ms. Foundation for Women
• The children pictured on the original LP jacket were school-mates of Abigail, Robin and David Pogrebin, the children of Letty Cottin-Pogrebin, then the editor of Ms. Magazine. Most of the children attended Corlears School.Template:Album-stub