Listen to Cee Lo Green Feat. the Muppets, ‘All I Need Is Love’
As if Cee Lo Green didn't have enough goodies on his buffet holiday plate with 'The Voice,' the Goodie Mob reunion, his next solo record and the postponed Loberace residency in Vegas, he somehow managed to squeak out a holiday album, ‘Cee Lo’s Magic Moment,’ which will be released Oct. 30.
Hot on the reindeer heels of the video for the first single, 'Run Rudolph Run," comes the streaming audio debut of 'All I Need Is Love' featuring Disney's the Muppets. While billed as the album's sole original song, the track actually lifts its chorus from 'Mah Nà Mah Nà,' Piero Umiliani's 1968 novelty smash. 'Mah Nà Mah Nà' truly is old school Muppets; it was featured on the 14th episode of 'Sesame Street' and years later on the debut episode of 'The Muppet Show.'
The track kicks off with Kermit the Frog missing a golden opportunity to ask Cee Lo if he finds it any easier being green. After the intro, in swings Green crooning a brassy, swaggering, funky verse, one that meshes sweetly with Umiliani's trademark gibberish chorus. It's unclear which Muppet delivers the rap interlude, but he sounds a bit like Cheech Marin of Cheech & Chong.
Speaking of lovable old coots, Statler & Waldorf from 'The Muppet Show' balcony sum up the track best: "I think the Muppets hit a new low," Statler says. Waldorf replies, "Yeah, and his first name is Cee!"