Premiering in 1969, this educational television show aimed at preschoolers … Read Full Bio ↴Premiering in 1969, this educational television show aimed at preschoolers has charmed generations of youngsters ever since. The show - featuring a lovable cast of characters including Big Bird, Bert and Ernie, Oscar the Grouch, Elmo, Snuffy, Grover and many others - has delighted and educated children and adults alike, with its collection of songs, skits, and celebrity guest appearances.

What Can I Do
Sesame Street Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

[La, La, La, La, La, La. Oh hello there. This is your old pal Grover here.
Oh I am so glad you are here. I was just here all by myself you know.
Oh, but that's okay. I can do lots of things when I'm alone.]

What do I do when I'm alone?
Well, sometimes I sing a little song.
La, La, La, La, La, La.
That is the song I sing.

What do I do when I'm alone?
Well, sometimes I do a little dance.
I jump and I hop, hop, hop.
That is my little dance.

And sometimes when I'm all alone,
I pretend that I can fly.
And I touch all the clouds and
I wave to the birdies as they pass by.

But, sometimes when I am all alone,
Well sometimes I feel a little sad.
'Cause there's no one to share my song,
No one to fly with me.

So, sometimes when I am all alone,
I think of how happy I would be
If I wasn't alone and you were here with me.

[You know there are lots of things you can do when you're alone.
Yeah, you can write yourself a little poem. Or throw a ball up against a wall.
Yeah, yeah, lots of things but you know what...
I think that lots of times it is nicer to be with somebody else than all alone by yourself.]

So, sometimes when I am all alone,
I think of how happy I would be
If I wasn't alone and you were here with me.

(And you are here with me, so I am not alone and I am happy.)

Overall Meaning

The Sesame Street song "What Do I Do When I'm Alone?" sung by Grover, explores the concept of being alone and the different activities one can do to entertain themselves. The song opens with Grover acknowledging that he is alone but continues to state that it is okay, as he can do lots of activities in solitude. The first two verses show Grover singing and dancing to the tune of "La, La, La," the primary melody of the song.

The third verse shows Grover's imaginative side, whereby he pretends he can fly and touches clouds while waving to the birdies. However, the fourth verse brings in some conflicting emotions, where Grover confesses that being alone sometimes makes him feel sad because he has no one to share his song or to fly with. Grover further implies the importance of spending time with someone rather than alone by ending the fourth verse. When he is alone, he thinks of how happy he would be when he is not alone but with somebody else.

In the last verse, Grover expresses how happy he is that the listener is present, making him not alone and therefore happy.

Line by Line Meaning

What do I do when I'm alone?
Grover wonders what he can do by himself.

Well, sometimes I sing a little song.
Grover loves to sing when he is alone.

What do I do when I'm alone?
Grover reiterates his question about things he can do by himself.

Well, sometimes I do a little dance.
Grover also likes to dance when he is by himself.

And sometimes when I'm all alone,
Grover shares another activity he does when he is alone.

I pretend that I can fly.
Grover uses his imagination to pretend that he can fly.

But, sometimes when I am all alone,
Grover explains a downside of being alone.

Well sometimes I feel a little sad.
Grover admits that he can feel sad without someone else to share things with.

So, sometimes when I am all alone,
Grover shares a coping mechanism for feeling lonely.

I think of how happy I would be
Grover imagines how happy he would be if he wasn't alone.

If I wasn't alone and you were here with me.
Grover expresses a desire for companionship and someone to spend time with.

You know there are lots of things you can do when you're alone.
Grover acknowledges that there are many things one can do when they are by themselves.

I think that lots of times it is nicer to be with somebody else than all alone by yourself.
Grover concludes that while there are things to do alone, it is often better to have someone else to spend time with.

So, sometimes when I am all alone,
Grover repeats his previous statement.

I think of how happy I would be
Grover again imagines how much happier he would be with someone else around.

If I wasn't alone and you were here with me.
Grover repeats his desire for companionship and the happiness it would bring.

Lyrics © FESTIVAL ATTRACTIONS INC
Written by: JEFFREY A MOSS

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind

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