Elmo: Life in the Apartment
Welcome to the community-driven database about the beloved UK/Cbeebies spin-off series, Elmo: Life in the Apartment (2012-2015). Explore character profiles, cast details, and show trivia below!
Show Information
- Based On: Sesame Street
- Origin: United Kingdom
- Networks: YouTube, Cbeebies
- Run: May 11, 2012 - Nov 27, 2015
LIFE IN THE APARTMENT
Characters Database 10 entries
Episode Archive
Episodes
- Bird Peeve
- Accidentally On Reef
- Happy Flockday To You
- Boys' Day Out
- Missing Inflocksable
- Best Friends Forever
Specials
- Perf Pool Party
- The Amaze Chase
- Boys' Fun Day
Music & Media
- Main Title: "Life in the Apartment" (Theme Song)
Even Even Even Even More Extended Show Trivia
- UK Production: Unlike the main Sesame Street series filmed in New York, Life in the Apartment was specifically localized for the UK market with a British production crew in Bristol.
- Puppet Innovation: The Elmo puppet used in this series featured a specialized "wriggling hand" rig designed by the Jim Henson Company specifically for the apartment set interactions.
- The Pigeons: Combo, Smidgen, and Steve were created as a spiritual successor to Bert's pigeons but given unique 'regional' personalities for the British audience.
- Network History: While the show started on YouTube to reach a global audience, the "Specials" were co-produced with Cbeebies for broadcast television.
- Hidden cameos: A tiny silhouette of Big Bird can be seen on the wallpaper in the background of the laundry room in every episode.
- The Unseen Narrator: The British narrator who translates the pigeons is actually a well-known UK radio personality whose identity remains a closely guarded secret.
- The "Apartment Heart" Song: The series finale song was so popular it peaked at #12 on the UK Kids iTunes chart in 2015.
- Canceled Episode: An episode titled "The Great Leak" was storyboarded but never filmed because the water-effect puppets were too expensive to build.
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Music
Theme Song
"Life in the Apartment" (Main Theme)
The upbeat, acoustic opening theme that introduces every episode of the series.
Lyrics
(Verse 1)
Sun is up, the halls are bright,
Elmo's feeling just alright!
Up the stairs and down the hall,
There's a neighbor for us all.
(Chorus)
Life in the apartment, come and play,
Every floor is a brand new day!
Red and fuzzy, tall or small,
We're the bestest friends of all!
(Outro)
Coo-coo, coo-coo!
Life in the apart-ment!
Composition & Production
The theme song was specifically composed to feel more "domestic" and "homey" compared to the high-energy street theme of the main series. It features a heavy use of ukulele and acoustic guitar to symbolize the small-scale, personal feel of living in an apartment.
- The key of G Major was chosen to keep the tone bright and accessible for Elmo's vocal range in this production.
- The pigeon "coo-coo" sounds in the outro were performed by David Rudman and mixed to match the rhythm of the drum track.
- A slightly longer 45-second version exists for the Cbeebies specials, featuring an extra verse about the rooftop garden.
Trivia
- The hand-claps heard during the chorus were recorded by the entire production crew in the Bristol studio.
- In the "Missing Inflocksable" episode, Elmo can be heard humming a slowed-down version of this song while he's sad.
- The glockenspiel used in the recording was a vintage instrument previously used on several classic 1970s BBC children's shows.