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Welcome to Diane Patterson's eclectic blog about what strikes her fancy

The Backyardigans

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So, I know I’m totally going to give you the idea that all my kids do is watch TV, and this is completely one hundred percent not true.

However, the TV they do watch gives me something to write about, so here it is.

Forget Lazytown (as though I could forget it—it’s my single most popular entry ever)—Sophia got bored with Lazytown because it’s been the same five episodes in rotation for the past two months. The show to watch is The Backyardigans. How much do I love this show? I am tempted to watch it when the kids aren’t around. I sing the songs as I do the dishes. There are only nine episodes so far and I have all nine on our TiVo. I force people just visiting our house to watch some of this show.

I love this show.

backyardigans.jpg

Tyrone, Tasha, Pablo, Uniqua, and Austin

The Backyardigans is a show about five friends—Tyrone the moose, Tasha the hippo, Pablo the penguin, Uniqua the ladybug, and Austin the kangaroo (actually, I’m not sure what Austin is, and he’s the Backyardigan we see the least of anyhow)—who get together every day and have some theme to their play: ghosts, Tarzan, knights and quests, Mounties, Vikings. They all take roles in their adventure that pretty well fit with their personalities. At the end, they repair to one kid’s house for snacktime.

In between, there’s singing, dancing, and general silliness. What’s extremely excellent about this show is that there’s stuff in there for grownups that’s not sneaky or salacious: it’s just on a level most kids aren’t going to find funny in the same way. For example, three Backyardigans are chasing the Yeti across the North Pole:

             TASHA
          We need kayaks to cross
          this water.

     They suddenly spy three KAYAKS on the bank of
     the river.

             TYRONE
          Well, that certainly is
          convenient.

That line cracks me up everytime.

The songs in this show are incredibly memorable. While doing the dishes I like to sing the songs the Vikings sing as their Viking ship rounds a very powerful whirlpool, “You’ve Got To Hold On Tight”:

You've got to hold on tight
Hold on tight
You've got to hold on tight
Hold on tight
You've got to hold on tight with all your Viking might.

Darin’s favorite bit is when they sing a limbo while trying to avoid the laser beams during a super-secret spy mission.

This show has reignited my love of musicals, which has been dormant for some time. (My insistence on musical-only writing music has been helped by the fact that I dug out our CD collection and ripped about 150 of them recently. Of course, I can’t find the one I’m looking for, Linie 1. Sigh.) I want to write a children’s musical, I’m so inspired by this show.

Anyhow: The Backyardigans is on Nick Jr. I highly recommend checking it out.

(Tyrone the moose is my favorite, by the way. In case you’re wondering.)

 

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Update 2/16/05: Wow, lots of comments here! This entry is listed pretty high on Google when you search for “The Backyardigans” so I’m going to assume someone from Nick Jr. has found it. (Hi there! More Backyardigans episodes, please!)

A number of people have posted asking about Backyardigans-themed birthday supplies and other merchandise. As far as I’ve been able to find on the Web, there isn’t any! It might not be licensed yet or might not have gotten to stories yet. All I can say is: Hurry it up! You’ve got lots of customers waiting. If anyone does know of legit Backyardigans stuff, let me know and I’ll put it on this page.

I found a number of Backyardigans songs on LimeWire. I don’t know where they’re from, since a few things tell me they’re not recorded right off of the show. If the production company wanted to put out a CD with each and every song from the show on it, they’d have a bestseller. I think there are plenty of parents out there who wouldn’t mind putting that music on for their kids, and I’d rather pay royalties to the songmakers!

Evidently a new bunch of episodes will start airing in a week or two. I can’t wait…and I think the kids are excited too. All I can say is, keep ’em coming! More! More!

Update 8/11/05: The Backyardigans’ eponymously named CD is now out! The Backyardigans has 19 great songs on it, although it doesn’t include my personal favorite, “You’ve got to hold on tight.” I had downloaded some of these songs from Limewire, but I’m much, much happier having the actual CD in my hot little hand now.

Update 1/28/06: Wow. This entry has 747 comments!

There are a couple of Backyardigan DVDs out now, which means you don’t have to keep every episode on your TiVo any more.

The Snow Fort: Contains “The Snow Fort”, “The Yeti”, “Knights Are Brave and Strong”, and “Secret Mission”.

It’s Great To Be A Ghost: Contains “It’s Great To Be A Ghost”, “Monster Detectives”, “Key to the Nile”, and “Pirate Adventure”.

Polka Palace Party: Contains “Polka Palace Party”, “Heart of the Jungle”, “Viking Voyage”, and one I haven’t seen before — having tea in the Gobi desert. (Maybe it hasn’t aired yet?)

 
Update 1/05/09: Yowsa. I am amazed at how lively this entry still is!

In response to many (many, many) comments on here: I came up with the idea that Uniqua is a ladybug from my then-4-year-old (who’s now about to be 9, but still loves the Backyardigans). I’m in complete agreement with everyone who says that Uniqua is just that: unique. I wasn’t paying a whole bunch of attention at the time, and I went with my 4-year-old’s assessment of Uniqua’s identity, ‘kay?

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Comments

  2. OH MY GOSH!! we are in LOVE with the BACKYARDIGANS
    it is the best show ever! We are 15 and 13 but this show is soo funny that age doesn’t matter!We have even got our friends into it.One morning we woke up,started watching,and now we never miss an episode and we know all the songs by heart.Our first and favorite episode is “Riding the Range”,hahahaha!Although we love each Backyardigan, Uniqua and Pablo are by far the best! We are so suprised and also relieved to see the number people over the age 8 actually intrested in this fantastic show! Ever since we started watching our mom and grandmother have been making fun of us, and now we can show them all of the Backyardigan fans!!! We cant wait for some new episodes to come out and we are definetly going to buy the CD! Until next time,”your backyard friends the backyardigans, together in the backyard again!”

    P.S. We want to say thanks to Mia for “setting us straight” on the whole Austin and Uniqua thing.

  3. Actually my cousin plays the singing voice for Tyrone in the Backyardigans. i love the show so much! It’s like watching an African American Barney or something. The show incorporated regaee music and is very fun to watch by anybody. The producer definitly did a good job.

  4. We love the Backyardigans!!! When the show come on my 20 month old daughter is just glued to the tv. I would like to have a backyardigans birthday party for her.. Maybe they will come with it soon.. WE LOVE THEM!! monica

  5. How do u know Uniqua is a freakin Ladybug? The spots dont mean anything I thought they named her Uniqua cause she was a unique creature that was made up but thats just what we thought. A LAdybug hahahahaha!!! Im 19 my cuz is 15 and my brother is 11 and there are no kids here we just watch on our own and we know every song and dance move on the show especially the episode “Secret Mission”. Well Uniqua and Pablo r our faves we dont like Tasha but we just wanna say thanx to whomever created this beautiful interesting exciting show. Thanx again and again…. Say wassup to Uniqua and Pablo 4 us!!!!!

  6. I am 55 and almost never miss this Saturday morning show on our local CBS station and I tape them all. What an outstanding teaching/learning tool – not just for an appreciation of music and dance. “The Key to the Nile,” has a lead-in to learn about Egyptian culture and also an environmental message – “I Want My River Back” – when the Nile dries up (it really is happening by the way). And, there are many others.

    I am glad to see that there are so many who are not “preschoolers” watching this show. Get in there and watch with your children, your neices, nephews.

    We are the “Backyardigan” neighborhood. Good TV makes an impression – OUTSTANDING!!!!

    I can’t wait for the CD!!

  7. I want to know if anyone has heard of a backyardigans (sp) video yet?? My 7 month old loves them. thanks so much

    Leiann

  8. Hey im 12 years old and i am in love with the backyardigans. my 13year old sister vicky loves to watch it to. i am the youndest in the family so no little kids watch the show. i think its kinda funny that the older kids are watching this. i love the super hero episode to the tower of power and the tarzan episode. those are my favorites. they need to make some new episodes though. BACKYARDIGANS ROCK. my favorite one is uniqua the ladybug.Backyardigans is the best television show EVER!!

  9. If your intrested in a copy of the backyardians DVD with 10 episodes and don’t want to pay $30.00 on ebay for them I have a copy. The episodes that are on this dvd are:

    Great to be a ghost,
    Knights are Brave & Strong,
    Pirate Treasure,
    Riding the Range,
    Secret Mission,
    Snow Fort,
    Heart of the Jungle,
    key to the nile,
    The Yeti,
    Viking Voyage,

    You can email me at thebackyardigans@hotmail.com

  10. The five high-spirited neighbors who make up The Backyardigans are: Pablo, an energetic, enthusiastic and excitable penguin; Pablo’s best friend Tyrone, an easy-going, confident young moose; Uniqua, a one-of-a-kind character with an adventurous nature; Tasha, a deceptively sweet and girlish hippo; and Austin, a resourceful, but shy, kangaroo.

    This information is from a search I did on the creator Janice Burgess. I don’t remember anything being said about Austin being a dog and I have watched them all and have them tevo’d. My one year old daughter loves this show. We returned from Ireland after 2 weeks and when I turned it on she couldn’t get to the tv fast enough. It is the one show that keeps her interested for 30 mins. Like all of you my husband and I find ourselves singing the songs.
    It appears that each episode will be it’s own dvd..just keep checking nickjr.com.

  11. Hey I’m 13 and I love….Yes I LOVE!! the Backyardigans. Some of my friends think I’m crazy for this but I ask you: How can you not love them? My favorite is Uniqua. My younger siblings and I have picked our favorite characters and we say that we are them. I am Uniqua. My 5 year old brother is Austin. My 9 year old sister is Pablo(She likes him better than Tasha). My 11 year old brother is Tyrone. We act them out, quote them, and sing and dance with them. It’s SO much fun. If there are other kids or parents who want to do the same I highly suggest it. You’ll have a ball.

    Also does anyone know where to get lyrics to the songs?

  13. Let me start by saying my whole family loves the show. I have a 4 year old and a 14 month old. They love singing the songs and dancing whenever the show comes on. I think my daughters first words will be “a pirate says argh” If you ask her what a pirate says, she replies “aahh”, close enough. I would like to address a few issues that have been raised and raise some of my own. The number of episodes seen depends on where in the world you live, in the U.S., we haven’t had as many aired yet. Also, Uniqua is without a doubt a chameleon. I refer to an episode of 64 Zoo Lane, that discusses casper the chameleon. It is the same looking creature with the antennas and spots. Now, to raise an issue. I have only seen about 10 episodes that have been released in the U.S., but nobody can deny that there is something going on racially in the show. Austin and Tasha represent the two non-ethnic kids in the mix. Their homes are seperated from the other three by fences. They never show them going to Austin or Tasha’s house for snacks at the end of the show. One episode does have them say they are going to Tasha’s, but they leave around the front of Pablo’s house. It is the same three minority characters in every episode, plus one or both of the white kids. I think that it is too much to be cooincidence. Any thoughts.

  14. I just finished watching “The Race to the Tower of Power!” I think this is one of the best ones yet! I enoyed how they made Pablo and Tyrone the Supervillans!Muhahaha! I liked how their powers were all used at least 5 times in the show too. FYI: AUSTIN IS THE BEST ONE! Pablo can shoot yucky stuff, Tyrone can shrink and Austin can build anything with his hammer. Uniqua can do anything with the weather! Go backyardigans!

    Ace

  15. i luv the backyardigans!!! i am in 9th grade, my cuzin is in 7th grade, and my brother is in 6th grade and we watch the backyardigans every day!![except sunday when its not on! :'( ] my cuzin and i discovered this AWESOME show at camp and ever since we have loved it!!!! when are they coming out with backyardigans t-shirts and stuff?? cuz when they do.. my bro, cuz and i are totally there!!!!!
    ~RAPbuddy

  16. Okay I think the Backyardigans are sooo cute I have an 18 month old brother he loves them as much as I do and I sit there and sing to them and everything they really need to come up with a new season for it rather than a new episode here and a new one there.

  17. hey if anyone is interested in who the kids are that play the voices of our backyard friends go to this link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0439349/
    some of them show pix but some dont…. hope this helps!!!
    ~high skool backyardigan hey if anyone is interested in who the kids are that play the voices of our backyard friends go to this link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0439349/
    some of them show pix but some dont…. hope this helps!!!
    ~high skool backyardigan
    some of them show pix but some dont…. hope this helps!!!
    ~high skool backyardigan
    some of them show pix but some dont…. hope this helps!!!
    ~high skool backyardigan
    some of them show pix but some dont…. hope this helps!!!
    ~high skool backyardigan

  18. i love the backyardigans too alot i think they’re cute when they sing they’re songs but i can’t get the lyrics to the theme song but the show i love it

  19. Gee i am 55 years old and I am mesmerized by those little creatures. I sit there with my mouth open and dance along with them, while sitting on the couch. They are the cutest things.

  20. im fourteen and I LOVE the backyardigans, its my new favorite show.. i love the singing but its the dance moves that crack me up… i highly recomend this t.v show. i also have all the episodes saved on TVo

  21. So we just downloaded the new Backyardigans CD off of iTunes…my daughter is beyond excited!! Also, they do have a DVD out…I think it’s “It’s Great to be a Ghost” Check out Amazon.com.

    And

    I’m so glad I’m not the only dorky 32 year old that enjoys this show (oh, yeah, and my daughter who’s 5 does, too…and so does my husband, but he’s not completely ready to admit it.)

  22. I’m 14 and i love the backyardagins. i know the shows for little kids but it so awsome i can’t wait till its 10:00am every morning just to watch them. i even watch the rerun at 1:00pm. there is no other kid show that beats the backyardagins. i could watch it all day. and i just love their theme song its like the hotest theme song known to mankind. Everything is awsome about this show. my friend has got me hooked on it. i’d have to say my fav character would have to be uniqua. she always uses her smarts to great out of any situation. she was my fav super hero on the super hero episode. she rocks i love the backyardagins!!!

  23. My children are 1 1/2 & 9 months they love the Backyardigans. I am trying to give them a theme party of the backyardigans. My son even yell’s bye every time the show goes off. ( As for my husband & I we like them to)

  24. The username and password to get the songs don’t work 🙁 can someone send me the hush little mermaid song file?

  25. Excuse me but I i have something to say here.
    I was reading these comments and I got really insulted with all these people saying that Austin is Ugly and ‘Austins face is screwed up’
    Thanks. Also, AUSTIN IS NOT A DOG he is a kangaroo.
    Please tell me exactly WHAT episode Austin says he’s a DOG in.
    If that episode does exist, I obviously haven’t seen it. Austin is cute. I like his eyes. What part of his face is screwed up?!
    If you haven’t noticed, I’m an Austin fan.
    I don’t like Tasha at all, i like Tyrone 2nd, Pablo 3rd then Uniqua. I seriously doubt that Uniqua is a charmeleon. I thought she was an ant.
    Anyway. Whoever wrote in that they think Uniqua and Tyrone should get together— Great imagination!!! That would be funny, how awesome!
    Congrats to Janice Burgess and I can’t wait to get the CD. Mum probably won’t let me get it. She hates the Backyardigans. Mum has problems! Luv me

  26. I think the backyardigans is the best show ever. I have seen every episode that came out except for the race to the tower of power episode. I like the secret agent episode and the monster detective episode the most because only three of the characters are in it. I hope they have more episodes before i get bored of the same episodes repeating over and over again. My favorite song is the soccer monster song and the skating song because those are my two favorite sports.

  28. i love the backyardigans they make me want to get up and dance and sing when they do!! i watch the show everyday wit my cousins they enjoy the show too!! my lil’ cousin came into the room where me and my cousins were watching the backyardigans and my lil’ cousin came into the room and said there was some stupid , silly show on the tv in the other room we went into the other room and saw that the backyardigans was on the tv we got so mad that we didn’t want to speak to her after her coment!!i am in 7th grade and i watch the backyardigans and i sometimes think of them during school so i ask my friends if they heard of the show all of my friends love the show too and we talk about them a lot during lunch.me and my cousins watch the show so much that we made ourselves caracters i like peguins so i named myself pablo, him and uniqua are my favorite caracters. uniqua is my older cousin and tyrone is my younger cousin (not the one mention before)my cousins and me all agree that tasha has a bad attitude and that austin is a kangaroo i have reason to believe that austin is a kangaroo by his tail and his ears and his name is austin, isn’t there a city called austin in austrailia where there are a bunch of kangaroos, come on think hes not a dog he can’t be i am just saying well this message is long enough so i guess i’ll stop

    P.S. i think they should have more shows with austin in them so we can find out what he is

    ba byez

  29. soooo in love right now.
    My fav songs are a pirate says arrr, castaways, and… every other song they’ve ever sung.
    Go to nickjr radio to hear most of the songs: All songs from: It’s great to be a ghost, Quest to the flying rock, The secret of the nile, a pirate says arrr, knights are brave and strong, the yeti, ski patrol to the rescue, the heart of the jungle, and a variety of other songs from other episodes. (www.nickjr.com, go into the backyardigans and click on videos, then go into radio instead. Yes, there are also videos here too, for those who don’t know!)
    Ps) luv luv luv Austin then Tyrone.

  31. My little boy loves the Backyardigans.. we’re actually watching them write now! I love the songs that they sing and those little characters have rythym! They dance and I think it’s so cute! I’ve downloaded there songs on the computer and my favorite is The Pirate song and the Mermaid Lullaby. I hope they keep the shows going!

  32. i love pablo!!!!! stomp stomp stomp i’m stomppin that yeti stomp stomp stomp stomp on the yeti doin that yeti stomp i just bought the cd for my cousin and for myself my cousin, matthew, and i always sing the song together and he watches it eveyday it’s his and his dads show and i recently just got added to that

  33. Hi everyone!
    It’s great that so many people love the backyardigans cos I do too.
    It was my dad who introduced them to me, He was sitting there and he said, backyardigans is on next and they’re the cutest show on earth.
    I was sitting there trying to imagine what the show would be like when it came on and I agree.
    It was castawauys. I saw that then Flying rock then later, race around the world. I don’t have cable at mums so I can only watch it at dads, and he’s sick of now so he doesn’t watch it.
    Lucky I have internet and can listen to the songs on nickjr radio!!! Austin is awesome. Also on nick jr radio: every song from secret mission.
    Luv tam

  34. Hi there.. Now it won’t be so long, till the show aires in Sweden, norway and denmark in europe. I am currently recording the danish voices for the show, and I totally love it.. I hope it will be a hit, since there isn’t that much quality TV for the kids to watch. I don’t have any my self, but if I had Had I would strongl advice them to watch it. Being a musician I can only be happy, that the soundtrack for once is actually (well) played by real musicians, which pleases me. And they are catchy aren’t they?? (You gotta hold on tight.. Hold tight) 🙂 Love it. Take care in the states..

    -Jonas

  35. It is a fantastic show but I don’t think Uniqua is a ladybug, I don’t think she is anything. She is unique, like special.

  36. I have two kids, 7 year old daughter & 2 year old son. they never agree on any TV show except The Backyardigans. I also enjoy the songs & the characters. We sing it together while watching the show.

    Backyardigans have reached Asia already. & we love them here!

  37. Our family also loves the Backyardigans and my husband, who is Canadian, guessed the production company early on.

    I’ve posted the lyrics to Yeti Stomp!, if you are interested. They are on the Nick Jr. site but you can only print them.

    Cheers,
    dina

  38. WE L0VE THE BACKYARDIGANS!! MY DAUGHTER IS 6 MONTHS AND SHE ALREADY HAS A FAVORITE TV SH0W! THE BACKYARDIGANS! EVERY TIME SHE HEARS IT COME ON TV THE RADIO WHERE EVER… SHE LOOKS AROUND AND STARTS SMILING AN KICKS HER FEET TO SHOW EXCITEMENT!!!

    DOES ANYONE KNOW IF THEY WILL BE SELLING IT ON DVD???? I HAVE SEARCH AROUND AND ON SOME SITE I THINK SOMEONE HAD MENTION THAT IT SHOULD BE COMING OUT IN AUGUST. ANYONE KNOW?? THNX

  39. I really love The Backyardigans because they use their imagination. I love Tyrone because he has a great act for being a viking on their viking trip. especially when he was tarzan. but I really love them all, especially their adventure (it’s great being a ghost). I love their theme song (you’re backyard friends the backyardigans…) that they sing before their show. Please give me a copy of that song. Please send it on my email address. Thank You!

  40. I love the Backyardigans. My children watch it all the time and tell me when I have missed a new episode and what it was about. I have even bought their cd. What can I say they are cute and I love to hear them sing and see them dance.

  41. Does asia includ Japan?
    I’m in Australia and I hav a penfriend in Japan!
    I wonder if she knows them?
    (don’t worry, I’ll ask my gography teacher)
    Lov Tyrone and Austin
    heeeheee

  42. I LOVE THE BACKYARDIGANS!!!Same with my friend…They’re awesome!!Tyrones my favourite..and Pablo is my friend’s favourite..!!!Welove them!!!ya ……”We’re ur backyard friends…the backyardigans”

  44. I love The Backyardigans especially the Superhero episode. I think shows are starting to lose the originallity but this one just brings it back.

  45. i am 27 years old and my daughter is 13 months she loves to dance with the backyardigans…i watch it even if she is asleep!!!

  46. you can print birthday invitaions on nick jr web site. It is a cowboy/cowgirl theme. They also tell how to make a Pablo cake.

  47. hey it’s us again and we just wanted to say we went to walmart today and got the backyardigans cd and it’s so cute and funny we love it but we are kinda upset that our fave ridin the range isn’t on there! we’ll check in later! KEEP POSTING!!!!

  48. We love the Backyardigans. We just got the CD and are eagerly awaiting the DVD. My 4 year old son loves the show as well as my husband and I. My parents who are in their 60’s love it and talk about it with their friends. My favorite is tyrone, but my husband likes Pablo. I love It’s Great to Be a Ghost! My son loves the Stinky Swamp Song and we have all the words memorized! More! More! More!

  49. My name is actually Tasha. My friends and fam are freaked out in a way because of the show. Although we all think it’s adorable, since I was 14 (I’m 19 now), my nickname has been Hippo Wrinkles, and I love hippos. As well, my fav colour is yellow…and c’mon, of all names, the hippo’s name is TASHA! I can’t find that ANYWHERE! So everyone thinks the makers of the show have been secretly spying on me. I know I sound crazy, but isn’t that the weirdest “coincidence” you’ve ever heard of?

  50. The Backyardigans are the only cartoons that really “catch” my attention. Music has given a new insight in the world of education. Students love music, and what better way to educate them. Fascinating…..I love it! The music, the dancing, and the characters are fun. How nice it is to see and hear the upbeat excitement of these fun loving characters.