DESCRIPTION:
A cover of Peter Cincotti's jazz piano version of a song made famous by Kermit The Frog (Jim Henson's voice). "Rainbow Connection" is a song written by Paul Williams and Kenneth Ascher and originally performed by the character of Kermit the Frog (Jim Henson) in The Muppet Movie in 1979.

Kenneth Ascher and Paul Williams received Oscar nominations at the 52nd Academy Awards for the score of The Muppet Movie and for Rainbow Connection, which Allmusic described as an "unlikely radio hit ... which Kermit the Frog sings with all the dreamy wistfulness of a short green Judy Garland" and went on to add that "'Rainbow Connection' serves the same purpose in The Muppet Movie that "Over the Rainbow" serves in The Wizard of Oz, with nearly equal effectiveness: an opening establishment of the characters' driving urge for something more in life."

The American Film Institute named Rainbow Connection the 74th greatest movie song of all time in AFI's 100 Years...100 Songs.

Kermit the Frog reprised the song on The Muppet Show in 1980 as a duet with Debbie Harry when she was a guest star. The song is also reprised by a whole bunch of The Muppets as the closing number in the 1986 special The Muppets: A Celebration of 30 Years. Kermit the Frog also reprises the song in The Muppets, this time as a duet with Miss Piggy that leads into the entire Muppet group singing together. A shorter version of the song performed by The Moopets tribute band is also used in the film. The iTunes release of The Muppets soundtrack includes a new version of the song as an exclusive bonus track, recorded by Steve Whitmire, the current performer of Kermit the Frog.

1996 in Whanganui, New Zealand, a 21-year-old man burst into a radio station (Star FM) and took the manager hostage. His demand was to play "Rainbow Connection" by Kermit the Frog.

The original (Kermit the Frog's) version of "Rainbow Connection" reached #25 on the Billboard Hot 100 in November 1979; the song remained in the Top 40 for seven weeks total.[citation needed] Artists who have covered "Rainbow Connection" include Judy Collins,[11] The Carpenters, Dana Valery, Sarah McLachlan, DAT Politics, Aaron Lewis, Kenny Loggins, The Dixie Chicks, Justin Timberlake, Kiki and Herb, Jason Mraz (both as a solo and in a duet with Paul Williams), The Pussycat Dolls, Me First and the Gimme Gimmes, Tay Zonday, Jim Brickman, Caroline's Spine, Estradasphere, Leftöver Crack (with dramatically different lyrics), The Dresden Dolls, Willie Nelson, Peter Cincotti, Jane Monheit, pop-punk band Fifteen, Lea Salonga, Andy Bernard (played by Ed Helms) in The Office, Jim James of My Morning Jacket, The Loves, Trespassers William and Tara Jane O'Neil. It was sung by Blondie's Debbie Harry in a duet with Kermit on The Muppet Show in 1981 (Season 5) and implied that Kermit is well known for the song in the Muppet universe. Free Wild performs a rendition of the song on their 2010 Spin Dry tour. Also sung by Vonda Shepard in Ally McBeal.

karaoke cover live lyrics