I Gotta Be Clean
Sesame Street Lyrics


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(He's got to be clean
He's got to be clean, ahhhh!)

I wash my hands whenever I eat
And in the bath I wash my ears,
My elbows and feet

I gotta to be clean!
I gotta be clean!
It's healthy and keen!
I gotta be clean!
Yes sir!

I start each day
By brushing my teeth (brush, brush)
Gettin' the plaque and stuff off
The smile underneath
I gotta be clean (clean)
And I floss in between (tween)
Like a tree must be green (green)
I gotta be clean (he's got to be clean!)

Each day's a fight
With the forces of dirt (dirt, dirt, dirt)
Battling the smudge
And the smear and the squirt (squirt, squirt, squirt)
What do I do when spaghetti's all over my shirt? (shirt, shirt, shirt)
Huh?!
(Does he just wear it and wear it and wear it for weeks?)
No!
(Not Bert)
I wash it, THEN I wear it!

I may be sad
I may be beat
I may be cross or tired or mad
But I'll always be neat
I gotta be clean (he's got to be clean)
Like all pigeons I've seen
Or a fresh nectarine
Or some laundry's that's been
Through a washing machine
I gotta be clean!





Hey! Who took the soap?

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Sesame Street's song I Gotta Be Clean, emphasize the importance of hygiene and cleanliness in our daily lives. The singer, most probably a child, explains how he takes care of his personal hygiene. It starts with washing hands before every meal and washing various body parts like ears, elbows, feet, etc., during bath time. He expresses the importance of being clean by repeatedly saying "I gotta be clean" along with its benefits, "It's healthy and keen."


The song further explores the different ways of maintaining cleanliness throughout the day. The singer brushes his teeth every morning, followed by flossing, compared to a tree that must be green, to get rid of the plaque and food particles. The singer mentions battling dirt and smudges every day, referencing spaghetti stains on a shirt. But instead of wearing it for weeks, he washes it before wearing it again.


Ultimately, the singer expresses his desire to be clean no matter the emotional state he is in, comparing himself to clean pigeons, fresh nectarines, or laundry that has been washed through a washing machine. The song ends with a playful inquiry about who took the soap, encapsulating the essence of the song's importance.


Line by Line Meaning

I wash my hands whenever I eat
I clean my hands after meals to maintain hygiene.


And in the bath I wash my ears,
I ensure to clean my ears in the shower or bath for overall cleanliness.


My elbows and feet
I take care to wash my elbows and feet as part of my cleanliness routine.


I gotta to be clean!
I feel an absolute need to be clean and hygienic.


It's healthy and keen!
Keeping clean is essential for good health and personal well-being.


Yes sir!
I'm eagerly willing to keep myself clean and hygienic.


I start each day
I begin every day with a cleanliness routine.


By brushing my teeth (brush, brush)
I brush my teeth twice daily for dental hygiene.


Gettin' the plaque and stuff off
I remove plaque and bacteria for overall oral health.


The smile underneath
This helps to improve my overall smile and oral health.


I gotta be clean (clean)
I need to be clean and hygienic on a regular basis.


And I floss in between (tween)
I use floss to clean between teeth for better dental hygiene.


Like a tree must be green (green)
Just how a tree should be green, I feel that I must maintain cleanliness to be healthy and full of life.


Each day's a fight
Staying clean on a daily basis requires consistent effort and diligence.


With the forces of dirt (dirt, dirt, dirt)
Cleaning is a constant battle against dirt and filth.


Battling the smudge
I fight against smudges that appear on my clothes or other surfaces.


And the smear and the squirt (squirt, squirt, squirt)
I work to remove any smears or splatters caused by liquids or dirt.


What do I do when spaghetti's all over my shirt? (shirt, shirt, shirt)
When food spills on my shirt, I clean it right away.


Huh?!
I respond in shock to the suggestion that I would let the spill go uncleaned.


(Does he just wear it and wear it and wear it for weeks?)
The other person wonders if I would just keep wearing the shirt even if it's dirty.


No! (Not Bert)
I emphatically deny the accusation that I would neglect my cleanliness.


I wash it, THEN I wear it!
Before wearing a piece of clothing, I make sure to wash it clean.


I may be sad
Even if I'm feeling down or tired, cleanliness is still important to me.


I may be beat
Even if I'm exhausted from a long day, I still maintain cleanliness as a priority.


I may be cross or tired or mad
Regardless of my emotional state, cleanliness remains an important part of my daily routine.


But I'll always be neat
No matter my emotions, I make sure to stay clean and tidy.


Like all pigeons I've seen
As I observe the cleanliness of birds like pigeons, I feel inspired to maintain my own cleanliness.


Or a fresh nectarine
Just as a nectarine is clean and fresh, I aspire to maintain my own cleanliness and freshness.


Or some laundry's that's been
I ensure that my laundry is always clean and doesn't stay in a dirty state for long.


Through a washing machine
This helps to maintain tidiness and cleanliness of laundry items.


Hey! Who took the soap?
I realize that someone has taken the soap as I continue my cleaning routine.




Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group

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Megan


on Once Is Not Enough

I get it, it teaches kids you might not just have enough so you have to have more

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