It's no secret that I'm a huge fan of the 1979 album, John Denver & The Muppets – A Christmas Together. It's long been a Christmas tradition… and we're even sharing the companion TV special online during the holiday season.

3 versions of Muppets/12 Days of Christmas

One of the hallmarks of both the album and the TV special was The Muppets performing "The 12 Days of Christmas". The TV special's execution in particular had a unique take on this familiar song, with different Muppets performing each day with a dash of comedy thrown in.

Last year, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon paid tribute to this original take — 30 years after the original was broadcast — by recreating the song and style. And I must say, they did a very nice job in their modern version.

For comparison, here's the original audio track (released October 1979), the TV special version (broadcast December 5, 1979), and Jimmy Fallon's take (broadcast December 23, 2009). This side-by-side comparison shows how close the remake version is, from the set to the mannerisms to even the comedy bits. If you are really looking for a fun challenge, try playing both the 1979 and 2009 videos at the same time and attempt to get them to sync up. It's fun!

For those paying close attention, there are some noticeable differences between all 3 versions, namely in which Muppet performs each part. Here's a "cheat sheet" to help you out:

1979 Album:

1. John Denver – "A partridge in a pear tree"
2. Fozzie Bear – "Two turtle doves"
3. Gonzo – "Three french hens"
4. Robin the Frog – "Four calling birds"
5. Miss Piggy – "Five gold rings"
6. Scooter – "Six geese a-laying"
7. Lew Zealand – "Seven swans a-swimming"
8. Rowlf the Dog – "Eight maids a-milking"
9. Dr. Bunsen Honeydew and Beaker – "Nine ladies dancing"
10. Statler and Waldorf – "Ten lords a-leaping"
11. Beauregard – "Eleven pipers piping"
12. Kermit — "Twelve drummers drumming"

1979 Television Special:

1. John Denver/All – "A partridge in a pear tree"
2. Kermit – "Two turtle doves"
3. Gonzo – "Three french hens"
4. Robin the Frog – "Four calling birds"
5. Miss Piggy – "Five gold rings"
6. Scooter – "Six geese a-laying"
7. Fozzie Bear – "Seven swans a-swimming"
8. Rowlf the Dog – "Eight maids a-milking"
9. Janice – "Nine ladies dancing"
10. Statler and Waldorf – "Ten lords a-leaping"
11. Floyd Pepper – "Eleven pipers piping"
12. Animal – "Twelve drummers drumming"

2009 Jimmy Fallon appearance:

1. John Denver/All – "A partridge in a pear tree"
2. Kermit – "Two turtle doves"
3. Gonzo – "Three french hens"
4. Robin the Frog – "Four calling birds"
5. Miss Piggy – "Five gold rings"
6. Scooter – "Six geese a-laying"
7. Fozzie Bear – "Seven swans a-swimming"
8. Rowlf the Dog – "Eight maids a-milking"
9. Pepe – "Nine ladies dancing"
10. Sam the Eagle – "Ten lords a-leaping"
11. Rizzo – "Eleven pipers piping"
12. Animal – "Twelve drummers drumming"

Ba-dum-bum-bum!

Enjoy and Merry Christmas!