Conjunction Junction - Schoolhouse Rock, 1974

 
 
Conjunction Junction, what's your function?
Hooking up words and phrases and clauses.
Conjunction Junction, how's that function?
I got three favorite cars
That get most of my job done.
Conjunction Junction, what's their function?
I got "and", "but", and "or",
They'll get you pretty far.

"And": That's an additive, like "this and that".
"But": That's sort of the opposite, "Not this but that".
And then there's "or": O-R, when you have a choice like
"This or that". "And", "but", and "or",
Get you pretty far.

Conjunction Junction, what's your function?
Hooking up two boxcars and making 'em run right.
Milk and honey, bread and butter, peas and rice.
Hey that's nice!
Dirty but happy, digging and scratching,
Losing your shoe and a button or two.
He's poor but honest, sad but true,
Boo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo!

Conjunction Junction, what's your function?
Hooking up two cars to one
When you say something like this choice:
"Either now or later" Or no choice:
"Neither now nor ever"
Hey that's clever!
Eat this or that, grow thin or fat,
Never mind, I wouldn't do that,
I'm fat enough now!

Conjunction Junction, what's your function?
Hooking up phrases and clauses that balance, like:
Out of the frying pan and into the fire.
He cut loose the sandbags,
But the balloon wouldn't go any higher.
Let's go up to the mountains,
Or down to the seas.
You should always say "thank you",
Or at least say "please".

Conjunction Junction, what's your function?
Hooking up words and phrases and clauses
In complex sentences like:

In the mornings, when I'm usually wide awake, I love to take a walk through the gardens and down by the lake, where I often see a duck and a drake, and I wonder, as I walk by, just what they'd say if they could speak, although I know that's an absurd thought.

Conjunction Junction, what's your function?
Hooking up cars and making 'em function.
Conjunction Junction, how's that function?
I like tying up words and phrases and clauses.
Conjunction Junction, watch that function.
I'm going to get you there if you're very careful.
Conjunction Junction, what's your function?
I'm going to get you there if you're very careful.
Conjunction Junction, what's your function?
I'm going to get you there if you're very careful.
 
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In the early 1970s, an advertising executive named David McCall figured out that his son had memorized the words to every rock song on the radio, but had trouble with with his homework. Being in commercial advertising, he set about putting educational lyrics to music, and came up with Schoolhouse Rock. Animation was added by Tom Yohe Sr., and the first piece, Three is a Magic Number was released. With sponsors such as Nabisco, Kenner Toys, Kellogg's, and McDonald's, these education shorts were sold to ABC for the children's segments. They aired for 12 years.
 
Schoolhouse Rock divided its songs into categories: Multiplication Rock, Grammar Rock, Science Rock, America Rock, Money Rock and in later years, Computer Rock. The computer series used two characters, Scooter Computer & Mr. Chips to prepare 80s kids for the coming digital age. I wonder - if Schoolhouse Rock were going today, how they would explain all that damned spam?