In honor of Marlo Thomas’ 84th birthday, here are some songs from “Free to Be … You and Me”
Marlo Thomas, who turns 84 today, has done many remarkable things in her life from starring in the classic sitcom That Girl to winning an Emmy for her unforgettable performance in Nobody’s Child.
But perhaps her most important achievement – and something that really impacted me as a kid – was the recording and the 1974 TV special Free to Be … You and Me.
The basic concept was to encourage post-1960s gender neutrality, saluting values such as individuality, tolerance, and comfort with one’s identity. A major thematic message is that anyone—whether a boy or a girl—can achieve anything.
Here are a trio of videos from the TV special including an adorable duet by Roberta Flack and Michael Jackson.
Enjoy!
Comments
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Joe says:
I remember being in the 7th grade when this record came out. Our progressive Choir teacher played this album for us and we actually learned to sing some of the songs from it.