There are few songbooks in popular culture as instantly recognizable as the music of the Muppets. For decades, the songs born from Jim Henson’s wonderfully strange universe have managed to be funny without being disposable, heartwarming without becoming syrupy, and sophisticated enough to exist in both the daytime and prime time. On Seth MacFarlane Sings The Muppets, MacFarlane gives that extraordinary catalog the full orchestral treatment.

Perfectly timed for The Muppet Show 50th anniversary, the 14-track collection nicely encapsulates the musical history of Henson’s creations. MacFarlane draws from the first three Muppet feature films, The Muppet Movie, The Great Muppet Caper, and The Muppets Take Manhattan, but also pulls from the beloved repertoire of Sesame Street and The Muppet Show.

The album is of course nostalgic, it’s impossible for something like this not to be. But it’s also a new look at songs that’ve always deserved to be taken seriously. MacFarlane sounds right at home through graceful waltzes, wistful ballads and Broadway-style showstoppers, bringing the kind of old-school vocal charm that’s become his signature. He doesn't attempt to imitate Kermit, Miss Piggy or the rest of the Muppet ensemble. That would be too easy for a man of as many voices as MacFarlane. Instead, he approaches these songs as a traditional pop and jazz singer, allowing the melodies and lyrics to take center stage.

That approach proves especially fitting for material written by some of the finest songwriters ever associated with Henson's world. The album features songs from Joe Raposo, Paul Williams and Jeff Moss, whose work helped give the Muppets their unusual ability to turn children's entertainment into something that touched viewers of any age. Spectacular arrangements by Andrew Cottee provide the musical architecture, with conductor John Wilson bringing the performances together with precision. The arrangements preserve the personality of the originals while giving them a new life as sophisticated orchestral pop.

At its heart, Seth MacFarlane Sings The Muppets is  as much a tribute as a reinterpretation. MacFarlane recognizes that the magic of these songs was never confined to felt and foam. Beneath the jokes were songs written to last, lyrics capable of disarming emotion and craftsmanship that could stand comfortably alongside the American popular songbook. Fifty years after The Muppet Show first invited audiences into its chaotic theater, MacFarlane makes a great case that the music still belongs in the spotlight.