Schoolhouse Rock! Special 30th Anniversary Edition

First broadcast in 1973, the Schoolhouse Rock animated songs have taught and entertained several generations of viewers who tuned in to the Saturday morning series. The first disc of the double-disc Schoolhouse Rock! Special 30th Anniversary Edition DVD set compiles all 46 tunes, grouped into subject areas: grammar (9), science (8), money (8), multiplication (11) and America (10). With animated menus, "play all," and "Top 10 Jukebox" options, finding your favorite familiar "rock" jingle is a snap. Blasts from the past like "Lolly, Lolly, Lolly, Get Your Adverbs Here," "Conjunction, Junction," "Electricity, Electricity," "Three is a Magic Number," and "I'm Just a Bill," still stand head and shoulders above the one new song, "I'm Gonna Send Your Vote to College" about the electoral college. Combining colorful imagery, logical lyrics, and light cartoon humor, the Schoolhouse Rock collection teaches young viewers about topics such as investing, food groups, digestion, math, debt, inventions, women's suffrage, interjections, planets, energy consumption and more. While some of the songs are definitely better than others, the formula of factual information, repetition, kid-friendly analogies, and charm found throughout make this an excellent program that will appeal to new kids on the block as well as nostalgic thirty- and twentysomethings. The second disc is loaded with extra features, including a "Top 20 Shuffle" (for random play), brief Emmy Awards featurette (contributors discuss going up against Sesame Street--and winning!), the making of "I'm Gonna Send Your Vote to College," games (song and word puzzles and quizzes), and music videos from the Schoolhouse Rock Rocks rendition compilation CD with bands including Better than Ezra, the Lemonheads and a live action video from Goodness. Highly recommended. Editor's Choice. Aud: K, E, P. (J. Williams)