2/2/10 - George & Gerry Armstrong

One of my favorite movies is Groundhog Day. I can watch that thing over and over again. But just so you know, if you see this post again tomorrow, then I'm in an eternal loop of groundhog dayness so please don't come and take my shoes.

I don't think a lot of people in the world today think about eating groundhogs. In fact, until I started doing some research about them, I didn't either. Most people think of cute Punxsutawney Phil driving the car with Bill Murray making silly beaver teeth behind him telling him not to drive angry after forecasting another long winter (much like he did today.) I used to think it was a joke that Bill Murray said, "A thousand people freezing their butts off, waiting to worship a rat. What a hype. Groundhog Day used to mean something in this town. They used to pull the hog out and eat it! You're hypocrites, all of you!" I don't know if they used to eat Phil, but apparently Groundhog hunting is a time-honored quest for dinner.

George & Gerry Armstrong sing this song about hunting a groundhog in Mountain View, Arkansas back on April 20, 1963. It is a rough recording, but I thought it was appropriate, today being Groundhog Day and all. So here they are singing, "The Groundhog Song":



If you want to buy the 1961 album by George & Gerry Armstrong, or just read a little about them, you can find it here

Lyrics
Driftwood: “You know, I’ve met a lot of fine people who are recording artists. These two people, same as were the . . . family who was with you a while ago. No, we don’t hold that against ‘em, no . . .”
Gerry Armstrong: “Okay, we're going to sing a song about going out to hunt the groundhog.”
George Armstrong: “You have groundhogs down here, don’t you, Jimmy?”
Mr. Driftwood: “Yeah. I had groundhog for breakfast.”
George Armstrong: “This is a dulcimer I’m going to play right here, with a turkey feather.”

Load up your gun and whistle up your dog.
Load up your gun and whistle up your dog.
We’re off to the woods to hunt groundhogs,
Groundhog.

Too many rocks and too many logs,
Too many rocks and too many logs,
Too much trouble to hunt groundhogs,
Groundhog.

He's in here, boys, the hole's wore slick.
He's in here, boys, the hole's wore slick.
Come on, Sam, with your forked stick.
Groundhog.

Here comes Sam with a ten-foot pole.
Here comes Sam with a ten-foot pole.
Gonna rock that groundhog out of his hole,
Groundhog.

Work, boys, work, just as hard as you can tear.
Work, boys, work, just as hard as you can tear.
The meat’ll do to eat, and the hide’ll do to wear,
Groundhog.

Out he comes all in a whirl,
Out he comes all in a whirl,
The biggest old groundhog in this world,
Groundhog.

They put him in a pot, and the younguns start to smile.
Put him in a pot, and the younguns start to smile.
They et that groundhog ‘fore he . . . a while,
Groundhog.

Up comes Sal with a snicker and a grin,
Up comes Sal with a snicker and a grin,
Groundhog grease all over her chin,
Groundhog.

Oh, the children screamed, and the children cried.
The children screamed and the children cried,
“I want that groundhog cooked and fried,”
Groundhog.