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Conjunctionjunction

Conjunction Junction is the most popular "Schoolhouse Rock" song, and it was featured in "Grammar Rock". Its lead vocals are sung by Jack Sheldon. This song marked Sheldon's debut in the series. In a 20th century-themed railyard, a train conductor shows us how conjunctions work by hooking up boxcars with one of his three conjunction cars: AND (a boxcar), BUT (a tank car) and OR (a coal hopper car).

Lyrics[]

[sung] Conjunction Junction, what's your function?
Hooking up words and phrases and clauses.
Conjunction Junction, how's that function?
I got three favorite cars
That get most of my job done.
Conjunction Junction, what's their function?
I got "and", "but", and "or",
They'll get you pretty far.

[spoken] "And": That's an additive, like "this and that".
"But": That's sort of the opposite, "Not this but that".
And then there's "or": O-R, when you have a choice like
"This or that".
"And", "but", and "or"
Get you pretty far.

[sung] Conjunction Junction, what's your function?
Hooking up two boxcars and making 'em run right.
Milk and honey, bread and butter, peas and rice.
Hey that's nice!
Dirty but happy, digging and scratching,
Losing your shoe and a button or two.
He's poor but honest, sad but true,
Boo-hoo-hoo-hoo-hoo!

Conjunction Junction, what's your function?
Hooking up two cars to one
When you say something like this choice:
"Either now or later"
Or no choice:
"Neither now nor ever"
Hey, that's clever!
Eat this or that, grow thin or fat,
Never mind, I wouldn't do that, I'm fat enough now!

Conjunction Junction, what's your function?
Hooking up phrases and clauses that balance, like: [spoken]
Out of the frying pan and into the fire.
He cut loose the sandbags,
But the balloon wouldn't go any higher.
Let's go up to the mountains,
Or down to the seas.
You should always say "thank you",
Or at least say "please".

Conjunction Junction, what's your function?
Hooking up words and phrases and clauses
In complex sentences like: [spoken]
In the mornings, when I'm usually wide awake,
I love to take a walk through the gardens and down by the lake,
where I often see a duck and a drake, and
I wonder, as I walk by, just what they'd say
if they could speak, although I know that's an absurd thought.

[sung] Conjunction Junction, what's your function?
Hooking up cars and making 'em function.
Conjunction Junction, how's that function?
I like tying up words and phrases and clauses.
Conjunction Junction, watch that function.
I'm going to get you there if you're very careful.
Conjunction Junction, what's your function?
I'm going to get you there if you're very careful.
Conjunction Junction, what's your function?
I'm going to get you there if you're very careful...

"Schoolhouse Rock! Rocks" Cover[]

On the 1990s-released album Schoolhouse Rock! Rocks, the song is covered by Better Than Ezra and is on track 4. The music video, being featured at the end of the Science Rock videotape, is the only one to have clips outside Grammar Rock, the beginning having a clip from "I Got Six" (Multiplication Rock) and one from "Elbow Room" (America Rock). Additionally, the audio version has a longer ending than in the music video.

Trivia[]

  • The song was rewritten in the theme music of the show.
  • The song was featured in a comic strip of FoxTrot in which Paige asks her father Roger what a conjunction is, and he sings part of the song.
  • The song is also sung on "The Substitute", an episode of FOX's musical television series Glee, but in acapella.
  • The song references The Perils of Pauline when the engineer gets a kidnapped lady off the track.
  • The song is also a Wheel of Fortune answer in the Classic TV category on the second episode of the 36th season in Round 2 (Mystery) on September 11, 2018.
  • The two hobos are supposed to be parodies of George and Lennie from Of Mice and Men.

Schoolhouse Rock: Math Rock (constellation cameo appearance)[]

  • The Conjunction Junction Railroad Conductor appears as a constellation.
Conjunction Junction Railroad Conductor constellation
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