Welcome to “Friday Favorites” which highlight some of my favorite movie-related things.

The Muppets were an important part of my youth, as was Jim Henson’s work in general.  Sesame Street taught me to learn and to love learning.  Fraggle Rock taught me about how to relate to the people around me in love and harmony.  But the Muppets were maybe the most important, because they taught me to be different, and to love that I’m different.  So it makes sense that the Muppets would be the ones to make my theme song:

Obviously, I would never condone actual piracy.  Piracy is not a joke, and is very illegal.  However, I am “The Love Pirate,” a nickname I’ve had since college.  It relates to my love of the sea, and the Romantic version of pirates, of sailing the ocean with no masters to hold you back, of living by a code where loyalty is the highest law, of living a life without limits.  (It’s part of why I enjoy the Pirates of the Caribbean films so much.)  So this song, in as silly a way as possible, encapsulates the things I love about Romantic piracy.

Of course, “A Professional Pirate” has all of the hallmarks of a great Muppets song.  It is random, it breaks the fourth wall, it’s got pop culture references.  It’s unique and it’s different, both of which are things that mean a lot to me.

Did the Muppets teach you anything growing up?  Do you have a personal movie theme song?  What’s your favorite Muppets movie?  Let me know in the comments!

When I was just a lad looking for my true vocation

My father said “Now son, this choice deserves deliberation

Though you could be a doctor or perhaps a financier

My boy why not consider a more challenging career”

Hey ho ho

You’ll cruise to foreign shores

And you’ll keep your mind and body sound

By working out of doors

True friendship and adventure are what we can’t live without

And when you’re a professional pirate

That’s what the job’s about

Upstage, lads, this is my ONLY number!

Now take Sir Francis Drake, the Spanish all despise him

But to the British he’s a hero and they idolize him

It’s how you look at buccaneers that makes them bad or good

And I see us as members of a noble brotherhood

Hey ho ho

We’re honorable men

And before we lose our tempers we will always count to ten

On occasion there may be someone you have to execute

But when your a professional pirate

You don’t have to wear a suit….. what?

I could have been a surgeon

I like taking things apart

I could have been a lawyer

But I just had too much heart

I could have been in politics

Cause I’ve always been a big spender

And me…I could have been a contender

Some say that pirates steal and should be feared and hated

I say we’re victims of bad press it’s all exaggerated

We’d never stab you in the back, we’d never lie or cheat

We’re just about the nicest guys you’d ever want to meet

Hey ho ho

It’s one for all for one

And we’ll share and share alike with you and love you like a son

We’re gentlemen of fortune and that’s what we’re proud to be

And when you’re a professional pirate

You’ll be honest brave and free

The soul of decency

You’ll be loyal and fair and on the square

And most importantly

When you’re a professional pirate

You’re always in the best of company