I got you babe I got you babe I got you babe

December 3, 2018 9:56 AM

My band is playing a show on Groundhog Day. What can we do to make it extra awesome?

Without actually playing the same song over and over, can you think of a way we could add some Groundhog Day fun to a set list or show in general to change things up a little? We have a group of people who come to our shows regularly and would like to please them. For context, we are a four piece, semi-acoustic band of not so young people playing 60's-00's tunes, mainly what one might call classic rock.

posted by wellred to Media & Arts (26 answers total)

Forgot to mention, the venue is pretty low tech.
posted by wellred at 9:59 AM on December 3, 2018

Could you start every song with a small 'clip' of the same song? Maybe even "I got you babe" to call out the movie?

Or what about saying the same thing to the audience between each/every few songs asking how they are, they're a great crowd, the next song is probably their favorite.
posted by CoffeeHikeNapWine at 10:15 AM on December 3, 2018

I am not a serious musician, so I don't know how hard this would be to do.

Could you do songs that were played by multiple bands in the different styles of those bands? Mr. Tambourine Man comes to mind (Byrds, Bob Dylan). Layla (Derek and the Dominoes, Eric Clapton [yes, I know they're both Eric Clapton, but they're very different]).
posted by FencingGal at 10:17 AM on December 3, 2018

You could make noises like a chipmunk, if you get real excited (or advise the audience to do so).
posted by The Bellman at 10:23 AM on December 3, 2018

You could play something like Summertime, where there are different versions of it (Gershwin, Janis Joplin) and maybe mix them together?
posted by Weeping_angel at 10:35 AM on December 3, 2018

One of my favorite childhood memories is Buffy Sainte-Marie singing Groundhog on a mouthbow, on Sesame Street.
posted by Melismata at 10:42 AM on December 3, 2018

The other piece of music I associate with "Groundhog Day" is the 18th variation from Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini. Ideal if you have a keyboard player, but that's not required--there's got to be some way to work it in. Interpolate it into a solo. Play it and have a contest to see if anyone can name it, or name the composer. Wikipedia notes there's a song that uses it, "If I Had You" by the Korgis.

It crops up throughout the movie, but here it is in the finale.
posted by bfields at 10:51 AM on December 3, 2018

There are hundreds of songs (and versions of songs) about ground hogs. My favorite is Doc Watson's Groundhog, which does nicely with acoustic instruments.
posted by ubiquity at 10:53 AM on December 3, 2018

I love these ideas so far. We actually do the thing FencingGal and Weeping_angel suggest in a couple of songs, you are Very Smart.

Regarding new material: I'd say we could learn one new song, maybe two by then but not more than that due to limited rehearsal time.
posted by wellred at 10:58 AM on December 3, 2018

Begin every song with "This one is dedicated to our friend Phil."

End every song with the same exact rock and roll ending.

End every guitar solo with the da diddle da diddle da diddle... da diddle da SQUEEEEE part of the Stairway to Heaven solo.

Say "We're gonna do one more song for you" before every song.

I've always thought an acoustic cover of Primus' Groundhog's Day would be really amazing.
posted by bondcliff at 11:04 AM on December 3, 2018

And for what it's worth the melody from the 18th variation is simple and distinctive, no need to learn more than that. In fact if you just try to sound it out between songs and get a little closer to nailing it each time, that would follow the movie pretty well....
posted by bfields at 11:08 AM on December 3, 2018

I've done this: Preface every song with, "This one's about life on the road..."
posted by AJaffe at 11:36 AM on December 3, 2018

Someone could wear a tutu. (2/2)
posted by mochapickle at 11:46 AM on December 3, 2018

I have snorted and LOLled so many times I had to tell my deskmate what was going on.
posted by wellred at 11:56 AM on December 3, 2018

Do your intro, play your first song, say your thanks and good-byes, run off the stage... and then right back on the stage, do your intro, play a different song, say entirely different thanks and good-byes, rinse, repeat.
posted by Etrigan at 12:13 PM on December 3, 2018

Have a Bill Murray lookalike on piano, but only for the last song.
posted by w0mbat at 12:14 PM on December 3, 2018

When you sign off remind everyone "Don't Drive Angry"
posted by ShakeyJake at 12:30 PM on December 3, 2018

You should have some series of visual and audio events, unrelated to your set list, that happen over and over. Like, have an unknown accomplice walk on stage after first song, take your drink order, sneeze, blow their nose, take another order, walk away. Maybe next song, come back with a glass of water, tell them they were out of drink X. Then after the next song, they start over with the drink+sneeze bit. You shouldn't act surprised, just keep going with it as if it's normal.
posted by Pig Tail Orchestra at 12:47 PM on December 3, 2018

That movie is just stealing from the groundhog. It's all about the groundhog! And the shadow! Make sure someone sees his shadow (or doesn't). Predict 6 more songs! No shadow? The show's over!
posted by irisclara at 1:08 PM on December 3, 2018

Thank you for a ton of laughs and good ideas. There are things in the works already. Woot!
posted by wellred at 3:54 PM on December 3, 2018

Dedicate a song to Ned Ryerson.
posted by the duck by the oboe at 7:46 PM on December 3, 2018

You definitely need to say that at least one (if not all) of the songs is a doozy!
posted by h00py at 2:14 AM on December 4, 2018

Have a Bill Murray lookalike on piano, but only for the last song.

I'm now thinking the piano player should play like a beginner on the first song, then be able to play really well by the end of the night.
posted by w0mbat at 12:08 PM on December 4, 2018

That's asking a lot, w0mbat.

We are totally learning I Got You Babe on Saturday and will be using it for only the slightest of evil.
posted by wellred at 1:21 PM on December 4, 2018

Two words: "Pennsylvania Polka."
posted by zaixfeep at 11:39 AM on December 6, 2018

LOL. We have only guitar, bass, vocals, and classroom instruments style percussion (tambourines, shaker, blocks...we do have a cowbell, yo).

We learned I Got You Babe and it is terrible in a good way. There are plans. Thanks y'all!!
posted by wellred at 4:06 PM on December 9, 2018