Atlanta natives and residents were well represented during last week’s “Schoolhouse Rock! 50th Anniversary Singalong” special that aired on ABC and is now on Hulu.
The one-hour nostalgia fest featured modern actors and singers performing fresh versions of the classic and catchy three-minute educational songs that aired Saturday mornings in the 1970s. The songs covered multiple genres and featured super colorful, often frenetic video stories.
Ryan Seacrest, the 1993 Dunwoody High School graduate, hosted. Atlanta-born actress Raven-Symone, in a football uniform, joined Kal Penn for their interpretation of “Interjection.” Atlanta R&B singer Ne-Yo, donning his signature fedora, performed a suave version of “Verb.”
“Schoolhouse Rock was part of my melodic education,” Ne-Yo, 43, said on the special. “I actually learned some stuff. I really did!”
Symone, 37, said the creators understood “music is complicated and these complicated things like interjections or multiplication tables, you put some music to it, and it becomes a part of you.”
Part-time Atlanta resident Shaquille O’Neal also sang a bit of “Conjunction Junction.” “I love it because all kids love trains so when the song took us to the railroad yard with the little conductor and his cap, hooking up the boxcars with his three favorite words ‘and, ‘but’ and ‘or,’ it all made sense,” he said. “It was fun and it was learning. But it wasn’t like school.”
The special is now available on demand on Hulu.
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