Yes, of course she performed the song on Sesame Street, adding that working with the Muppets was a career highlight.

Born in in Nova Scotia in 1976, but with a truly western upraising in Alberta and Saskatchewan, singer/musician/songwriter Leslie Feist has used the stage name, Fesit, since launching her solo career in 1999.  A poster child for the Indie pop and folk scene, it was her third album in 2007, “The Reminder” that sold over a million copies and earned her international recognition, mainly on the strength of this song that was co-written by the Australian singer-songwriter whose band opened for her during a cross-Canada tour.  

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“After meeting Feist, I started to wonder whether she might like to do a cover of “1234 (One, Two, Three, Four),” recalled Sally Seltmann of New Buffalo, “but I was too shy to tell her about it. At the [final show] I plucked up the courage to tell her that I had written a song, which I thought she might like to use. We went onto the tour bus, and I recorded a simple version…into her laptop, with guitar and vocals. To my surprise, she loved the song, and started playing it live.”

With lyrics that differed from Seltmann’s original, Feist’s commercial version was digitally released as a single through iTunes, becoming an instant hit after it was used in an iPod nano commercial.  Reaching Number 8 on the Billboard Charts and Number 8 in the UK, it was a rare feat for an indie rock musician, especially as its sales were based on downloads alone.

The Sesame Street appearance occurred the following year and not only did Feist perform a special version of “1234” to help preschoolers learn to count, she also got to sing with Elmo later in the episode.

1234 (One, Two, Three, Four)

 One, two, three, four

Tell me that you love me more

Sleepless long nights

That is what my youth was for

Old teenage hopes are alive at your door

Left you with nothing but they want some more

 Oh, you’re changing your heart

Oh, You know who you are

 Sweetheart bitter heart now I can’t tell you apart

Cozy and cold, put the horse before the cart

Those teenage hopes who have tears in their eyes

Too scared to own up to one little lie

 Oh, you’re changing your heart

Oh, you know who you are

 One, two, three, four, five, six, nine, or ten

Money can’t buy you back the love that you had then

One, two, three, four, five, six, nine, or ten

Money can’t buy you back the love that you had then

 Oh, you’re changing your heart

Oh, you know who you are

Oh, you’re changing your heart

Oh, you know who you are

Oh, who you are

 For the teenage boys

They’re breaking your heart

For the teenage boys

They’re breaking your heart