You heard me. It's fucking art. (and no it is NOT a rule on this blog that the word 'fucking' must preceed the word 'art', just works out that way).
Schoolhouse Rock was a series of animated shorts produced from 1972 to 1985. They ran on Saturday mornings on ABC, and they taught us shit. They taught us grammar, arithmetic, science, politics and history. Gen X in part will forever be defined by these cartoons, because we all have our favorites kicking around in our heads for instant recall. "I'm Just a Bill" seems to be popular, as well as "Conjunction Junction".
They certainly helped me - from high school pop quizzes to the SAT, and out of some tight spots in the Trivial Pursuit Game as well. These little films had a special something that sticks with you - both in the visuals and the score.
But then that's kind of by design. They are the brainchild of advertising exec Dave McCall, who watched his sons struggle with multiplication and thought maybe his ad chops could help. That thinking led to a pilot jingle - "Three is a Magic Number". And THAT got in front of some animators, one you may have heard of - Chuck Jones.
The series grew to include a creative team that if they did nothing else ever would be aces in my book - Phil Kimmelman, Tom Yohe in their respective art shops, and Bob Dorough, Lynn Ahrens, Jack Sheldon on the music - this is not a comprehensive list - they just nailed it all. And by "nailing it all" I mean that it is art.
Forget the full definition and discussion of what art is - short list below:
Art stands the test of time.
It influences/reflects our culture.
It is a resolved thing - needing nothing more and nothing less to be what it is.
Schoolhouse Rock does all of this. And one more thing:
Remember last post I mentioned intent in art. I think intent is important - because an artist should ask "What am I trying to do?".
I don't think the folks who created Schoolhouse Rock set out to make art, they set out to use TV and cartoons to educate children. But they also set out to do something special that at the time was a new idea shared by their friends across the channel on "Sesame Street" for PBS - use TV to broaden minds and build skills..
The intent to create something special is a cornerstone of art.
My son is finishing 1st grade and can finally start to appreciate SHR. Of course I began playing him the shorts when he was 2 and just thought they were pretty moving pictures, now I see him singing along and exclaiming things like "Dad now I get it, 100 is just 20 FIVE times!!" Fantastic.
As a creator inside and outside the commercial world I can only hope that SOMETHING I do has this kind of legacy. Love Schoolhouse Rock straight up. Love that my kid loves it. I leave you with a fave.