2BBS0000HDPL Varsity Band Show Classics Transcript (2020)

- The following program is a PBS Wisconsin original production.

§ [UW-Madison Varsity Band playing] §

[crowd cheering excitedly]

- Mike Leckrone: On your feet, America! On your feet! It's time to do the chicken dance! Everybody, on your feet!
§ ["The Chicken Dance" accelerated] §

§ [triumphant melody] §

[Band drumming, crowd cheering]
§ §

- Announcer: Ladies and gentlemen, the University of Wisconsin Varsity Band!
[cheers and applause]

§ ["On, Wisconsin!"] §

- Funding for UW Varsity Band Classics is provided by Focus Fund for Wisconsin Programming and Friends of PBS Wisconsin.
§ ["On, Wisconsin Fanfare"] §

§ [continuing "On, Wisconsin!"] §
§ [Band plays "Hot Time"] §

[wild cheers and applause]
- Thank you, thank you!
Can you hear the trombones okay, lady?
[cheers and laughter]

This is the University of Wisconsin Band!
[cheers and applause]

And we're gonna play one of the big hits from a very little-known band. The guy's name is Bobby Sherwood. He was a trumpet player, too.
But Bobby Sherwood only had a couple of records that really sold a lot. He went on to do other things. He was a movie actor for a while, and he played on a lot of TV shows. He just did a lot of different things. Never had the big band, but he had one magnificent hit we're gonna play for you tonight. It's called "The Elks Parade."
§ [drum solo] §

§ §

§ §
[cheers and applause]

And that's John Vasudevan, John Vasudevan!
[cheers and applause]

Every good concert has peaks and valleys. We're gonna go into a valley now and do a tuba feature.
[crowd murmurs 'No']
[drum rimshot]

Somebody asked me once why you never see flies on a tuba player and it's because flies are filthy; they're not blind.
[drum rimshot, groans, laughter, applause]

Sing along with it!
One, two,
a one, two, three, four.
§ ["Beer Barrel Polka"] §

§ ["Beer Barrel Polka"] §

[cheers and applause]

About 16 years ago, when we first did this concert in the Fieldhouse, we set the band up in the floor, right in the middle of the floor. And the only audience we had was in those back bleachers. And on that occasion, I introduced a student at the University who was one of my very favorite singers and she still is...

And she decided to come back after all these years. I think you're really gonna enjoy her. She was on one of our very first concerts. I'd like to introduce to you Linda Franklin from Madison, Wisconsin. Linda.
[cheers and applause]

Whoo!
She is an alumnus.
[audience whistles]
Here's a tune I've heard Linda sing for a long time, and she does it better than anybody.
One, two...
§ ["Aggravatin' Papa"] §

- Linda: § I know
a triflin' man §
§ They call him Brideless Sam §
§ He lives in Birmingham §
§ Way down in Alabam' §
§ Now the other night §
§ Oooh, he had a fight §
§ With a gal named Mandy Brymm §
§ She plainly stated §
§ She was aggravated §
§ And she shouted out to him: §
§ Aggravatin' papa §
§ Don't you try to two-time me §
§ I said, don't two-time me §
§ Well aggravatin' papa §
§ Treat me kind or let me be §
§ I mean, just let me be §
§ Listen while I get you told §
§ Stop messin' round §
§ Sweet jelly roll §
§ If you step out §
§ With a high-class mama §
§ I'll smack you down §
§ And I don't mean maybe §
§ Aggravatin' papa §
§ I'll do anything you say §
§ Yes, anything you say §
§ But when you go struttin' §
§ Do your struttin'
round my way §
§ So papa,
just treat me pretty §
§ Be nice and sweet §
§ 'Cause I possess
a 44 that don't §
§ Repeat §
§ Aggravatin' papa §
§ Don't you try to two-time me §

Take it away, Band!

Whooo, you're smokin'!

§ I'll smack you down §
§ And I don't mean maybe §
§ Aggravatin' papa §
§ I'll do anything you say §
§ Anything you say, Honey! §
§ But when you go struttin' §
§ Do your struttin'
round my way §
§ Now papa, I fed you catfish §
§ 'Til you got fat §
§ Now where's
your appreciation §
§ Let me ask you that! §
§ Aggravatin' papa, §
§ Don't you try to two-time me §
§ Let me tell you somethin' about men, Honey... §
§ Round men are triflin' §
§ Thin men are worse §
§ I guess I'll get
a [inaudible] [inaudible] §
§ And please save 
your [inaudible] §
§ Aggravatin' papa §
§ Don't you try to two-time me [vocalizing] §
[cheers and applause]

- Mike: That's Linda Franklin!
[cheers and applause]

Now, this is a little tune called "Rock N' Roll #2" and we need your help.
We need your help. We need you at one point to say, "Hey!"
- Audience: Hey!
- Mike: Got that? All right, let's try it.
A one, two,
one, two, three, four...
§ §
- Audience: Hey!

Hey!

Hey!

Hey!
[booing]

I had in mind
a little more enthusiasm
Got one guy back there going...

I want you to stand up,
throw your arms in the air,
and shout, "HEY!"

- crowd: Hey!

- Mike: Let's try that again,
Let's try it again!
One, two,
one, two, three, four...
§ §

- Hey!

- Mike: Get 'em in the air!
Hey!

Hey!

- Leckrone: You got the idea! This is "Rock N' Roll #2!"
One, two,
one, two, three, four...
§ [percussion] §
§ [horns] §
[rolling beat]

[stadium anthem music]

§ [Band stomping feet] §
Hey!

Hey!

Hey!

Hey!

Hey!

Hey!

- Band: One, two,
you know what to do!

Hey!

Hey!

Hey!

[cheers and applause]

§ ["Space Badgers"] §

[cymbal gongs]

§ [victorious melody] §

[cheers and applause]

This building was the site for many years of one of the most important string festivals in the United States.
Strings! Yeah, like violins and violas and...
- Band: Ohhh...

- And I thought one of the things that I'd like to do tonight is to present sort of a reminiscence of that string tradition and so I thought, let's have a violinist. And once I got the idea of a violinist, I thought not just get a violinist. Let's just get the very best violinist we can possibly get and one of those very best violinists in the world happens to live here in Madison. I'd like to present to you Mr. Vartan Manoogian.
[cheers and applause]
- Band: Ssss... Boom... ahhh... [skyrocket whistle]
Vartan.

§ ["Mendelssohn Violin Concerto"] §
§ §

§ §

§ §

§ §
[cheers and applause]

Leckrone: Professor Vartan Manoogian.
[cheers and applause]

Mike: This is "Sing, Sing, Sing."
[percussion, cheers]
§ ["Sing, Sing, Sing" by the Benny Goodman Orchestra] §

§ [big band jazz, swing] §

§ §

§ [drum solo] §

§ §

§ [percussion solo] §

§ §

§ §

[cheers and applause]
Ben Endres back there on the drum!
Oh, it's Fifth Quarter time!
Hit me up!
One, two,
a one, two, three, four.
§ ["Wipeout"] §

[Bucky Badger plays electric guitar]

[cheers and applause]
Leckrone: Bucky Badger, guitar virtuoso.
[cheers and applause]
One, two,
one, two, three, four.

§ ["Tequila"] §

[fireworks pop]

[fireworks pop]

- Band: Tequila!
- Okay, everybody on your feet! On your feet! Everybody, on your feet!
[audience murmuring]
Here's a little thing we introduced last year. It's the Fifth Quarter. It goes...
[audience chatters excitedly]

[people clap in unison]
Now, you think got it?
One, two, three,
flap, flap, flap,
twist, twist, twist.
clap, clap, clap.
[audience chatters excitedly]
We're using a lot of bars
since last year.
Well, here we go, here we go.
Not too fast!

["The Chicken Dance"]

[clap, clap, clap]

[clap, clap, clap]

[clap, clap, clap]

[clap, clap, clap]
§ [clapping along to polka] §

[clap, clap, clap]

[clap, clap, clap]

[clap, clap, clap]

[clap, clap, clap]
[clapping along]

[cheers and applause]
- Leckrone: Last night's audience did the Chicken Dance in a Fieldhouse record: 
18 and 5/10ths seconds! 
24.2 seconds!
21.5!
23.4!
21.9!
25.2!
22 seconds flat.
Now, I wanted to try to break that record tonight, but the people here at the Kohl Center said that because of the shaking that was going on, it might be structurally damaging so they asked me not to try to break the record tonight.
[audience boos]
You you wanna go against the wishes of the good people who run the Kohl Center?
- Audience: Yeah!
- Leckrone: You wanna try to break-- You wanna try to break the record?
- Audience: Yeah!
- Leckrone: Okay, but I can't be responsible.
One, two, a one, two, three...
§ [playing "The Chicken Dance" at break-neck speed] §

§ [fast oom-pah music] §

§ [playing low notes] §
21.9!
Amazing!
[cheers and applause]

18.5!
I get 18.5!
[cheering]
§ ["You've Said It All"] §

§ §

§ When you say Wis-con-sin §
§ You've Said It All! §
§ [triumphant closing notes] §
[cheers and applause]

[cheers and applause]
- Leckrone: One of the joys I get out of this concert is to bring in some people who are professionals and who get a chance to work with the students here for a week. You have seen this next gentleman a number of-- if you stay up late, if you watch the Conan O 'Brien Show, you see, with The Max Weinberg 7, you see this next gentleman. He's been a delight for us this week. He's been here since Tuesday and we just had a great time and I know you're gonna enjoy him. Ladies and gentlemen, he's played with Diana Ross, Bruce Springsteen, Bon Jovi. Anybody you can name, he's been there. And he's got ten platinum records out. It's just a great joy! Ladies and gentlemen, this is Mark Pender. [cheers and applause] Mark "The Loveman" Pender!
[wild cheers and applause]
[Band cheers]
[clicking drumsticks]

- Mark Pender: Boy,
do I love these guys!
Hey, Wisconsin,
let's go, baby!
[audience cheering "Whoo!"]
- Leckrone: One, two, three...
§ ["Get It On"] §
§ §

§ I need your lovin' §
§ I said
I want your lovin' §
§ I need you
every minute of the day now §
§ Girl, listen
what I say §
§ Get it on
in the morning now §
§ §
§ I want you
when the moon shines bright §
§ I want you
when the time is right §
§ I need you
all through the night now girl §
§ Feelin' outta sight §
§ Get it on
in the morning now §
§ §
§ I'm wanna tell you
just what I wanna do §
§ §
§ I wanna make love
to you §
§ I got, got a feeling
that just won't quit §
§ §
§ Come on, girl,
now this is it §
§ Get it on
in the morning now §
§ §

§ Gonna be,
the feelin's gonna be §
§ It's gonna be
just you and me §

§ [Mark Pender
plays trumpet solo] §

§ I got, yeah §
§ I got to get it on
I got to get it on §
§ I gotta get it on, gotta get it on, gotta get it on, gotta §
§ I wanna tell you
what I wanna do §

§ I want to make love to you §

§ I got this kinda feeling
that just won't quit §
§ Now come on, girl,
now this is it §
§ Get it on
the morning now §

§ That feelin's
gonna be §
§ That feelin's gonna be §
§ It's gonna be
just you and me... §
§ §

§ [percussion] §
§ [horns play finale] §
(exhilarated
cheers and applause)
Thank you, Wisconsin!
- Leckrone: Mark Pender!
[rousing cheers and applause]

§ [dramatic percussion
building] §
§ [jolting music] §

§ [jolting music] §

§ [jolting music] §

§ [jolting music] §

§ [jolting music] §
§ ["Look Down"] §
§ [ominous music] §

§ [dramatic music
in a minor key] §

§ [dramatic sustained note] §
§ ["At the End of the Day"] §

§ §

§ ["At the End of the Day" continues] §

§ [drum solo] §
§ ["Empty Chairs
at Empty Tables"] §

[battle sounds]

§ ["Do You Hear
the People Sing?"] §

§ §

§ §
[cheers and applause]
§ ["Bring him Home"] §

§ [dramatic percussion
building] §
§ §

§ [David Jones plays trumpet solo] §

§ [sustained trumpet note] §
§ §
[cheers and applause]

§ ["Songs to Thee, Wisconsin"] §

Leckrone: Thank you for being here. I hope you don't forget this night.

We close here for the last time as we always close, with songs of our university.

And if you're not a Badger fan, [chuckles] boy, are you in the wrong place tonight!

These are Songs to Thee, Wisconsin.

§ ["Songs to Thee, Wisconsin"] §

§ Songs to thee, Wisconsin §
§ Ever let us sing §
§ Praise to alma mater §
§ Ever let us bring §
§ Queen of all the West §
§ College we love best §
§ Queen of all the West §
§ College we §
§ Love best §
[drumroll]

§ ["If You Want
to be a Badger"] §

§ §

[drumroll]
- Band: Ah...
How do you like me now?
[cheers and applause, [fireworks]
[tubas play very low bass notes]
§ Var-sity!
§ Var-sity!
§ U-rah-rah!
§ Wisconsin!
§ Praise to thee we sing §
[echoing]
§ We sing §
§ Praise to thee,
our Alma Mater
§ U-rah-rah
§ Wisconsin!
[drumroll]
[cheers and applause]
§ [fanfare of trumpets] §

Hey!

§ Praise to thee,
our Alma Mater
§ §

[chanting]
U-rah-rah! Wisconsin!
U-rah-rah! Wisconsin!
U-rah-rah! Wisconsin!
- Band: Hey... up!
[drumming]
- Mike Leckrone: One, two,
one, two, three, four.
§ §

Thank you so much for being a part of this night. I can't thank you enough for all the years. Thank you.
§ ["On, Wisconsin"] §

§ §

I’ve always said here, "We never say goodbye," but we've got a couple of goodbyes. One of which is a very special group of people. The seniors, I'd like for you to stand. This is their last concert.
[cheers and applause]

And as for me, [with sentimental emotion] you've made this... an unbelievable--[getting choked up]
[cheers and applause]

Thank you. It's-- Multiply that by 10 times what this place is holding, and-- Well, it's not enough. Thank you so much for what you've meant to these kids and to me. I won't say goodbye, but we'll see you real soon...
[cheers and applause]
...and 'On, Wisconsin!'
...and 'On, Wisconsin!'
...and 'On, Wisconsin!'
[yelling]
...and 'On, Wisconsin!'
...and 'On, Wisconsin!'
Two, three, four.
§ ["On, Wisconsin"] §

[firecracker whistling]

[cheers and applause]
§ [slow, elegant rendition of "You've Said It All!"] §

§ [rousing performance of "You've Said It All!"] §

- Leckrone: Let's hear you now!

- Band: § When you say Wis-con-sin §
§ You've said it all! §
§ [triumphant closing notes] §
[jubilant cheers and applause]

- Funding for UW Varsity Band Classics is provided by Focus Fund for Wisconsin Programming and Friends of PBS Wisconsin.