Videos: Feist on Sesame St., the Hold Steady on Letterman

Feist popped up on Sesame Street, singing a kid-ified version of her hit, “1 2 3 4,” which, as I look at that title, I’m reminded didn’t need much in the way of changes.

The show has a longstanding tradition of bringing on pop stars. REM played the Street, as they call it in the biz. So did Smokey Robinson (in my personal favorite clip).

Why do the stars do it? My guess: They like Muppets. Either that, or they like the idea of getting fans young.

Anyway, here’s that clip, along with a few others.

Feist — “1 2 3 4” — Sesame Street clip

With revised lyrics like, “we’re counting to four, let’s count some more,” Feist goes educational. You’ve got to love it as those penguins pop up, right? Or the chickens? No? C’mon. It’s good stuff.

The Hold Steady – Behind the scenes skit and performing “Sequestered in Memphis” – On Letterman

I dig the Hold Steady and Andy Kindler (an occasional guest on “Everybody Loves Raymond”), so this behind the scenes bit the two did for Letterman was a fit. Granted, nothing tops the band actually playing. Watch as Craig Finn does his usual air-stabby thing as the band plays. The song, near as I can tell, is about a guy getting questioned by the police after a girl he nailed disappears. The lyrics are his response to the cops.

First, the skit:

Now, the performance: