GROUNDHOG DAY
Music by Lawrence Goldberg
Lyrics by Jack Lechner
Adapted from the motion picture Groundhog Day
After Jack and I finished writing Sylvia for our 1st-year BMI project, we decided to continue working together, and chose the popular movie Groundhog Day as our 2nd-year project. Even though it was worthwhile as a class project, we had high hopes that we could obtain the rights, but alas that did not happen. We wrote almost a complete score before letting it drop. We only demoed three songs in a studio, but eventually I'd like to get clean recordings of much of the rest of the material for archival purposes. I'm proud of the work and still like to share it with people.
(All material © 2002 - 2004 by Lawrence Goldberg & Jack Lechner)
Music by Lawrence Goldberg
Lyrics by Jack Lechner
Adapted from the motion picture Groundhog Day
After Jack and I finished writing Sylvia for our 1st-year BMI project, we decided to continue working together, and chose the popular movie Groundhog Day as our 2nd-year project. Even though it was worthwhile as a class project, we had high hopes that we could obtain the rights, but alas that did not happen. We wrote almost a complete score before letting it drop. We only demoed three songs in a studio, but eventually I'd like to get clean recordings of much of the rest of the material for archival purposes. I'm proud of the work and still like to share it with people.
(All material © 2002 - 2004 by Lawrence Goldberg & Jack Lechner)
Another Wonderful Day Stephen Tewksbury
Phil Connors is an unhappy, womanizing local weatherman on a Pittsburgh TV station. Our opening number establishes his typical daily routine and his sarcastic attitude. He hasn't yet been able to win over his smart, attractive producer Rita, but they both get to go to Punxsutawny to cover the annual Groundhog Day festivities, and Phil is gunning for her. I tried to foreshadow the impending time warp by constantly repeating the "It's another" phrase in an off-kilter rhythm. |
Punxsutawny, Pennsylvania S. Tewksbury & Leslie Henstock
Phil and Rita make it to Punxsutawny. It's just the kind of charming small town that Rita adores. Phil has other opinions. Pennsylvania is not an easy word to rhyme! |
The Groundhog Polka Ensemble
For some reason that I never quite understood, this song was the big hit from our score. The BMI folks loved it, and kept having us perform the song at their occasional presentations. Granted, Jack's idea of singing the dance moves is clever and amusing, especially when you get singers actually doing the moves as they sing. Musically, it's every polka cliché rolled into one. Unfortunately I only have a crude cassette recording with four voices, recorded in the basement of some theatre I was playing on the road with Les Miz. Thanks to Michael Hayward-Jones, Amanda Huddleston, and Leslie Henstock for helping me sing this one. |
No Tomorrow Stephen Tewksbury, Scott Hunt, Stephen Colella
Phil's getting the idea that he's reliving the same day over and over again, and finally realizes that means there's no consequences. In the movie he picks up two drunkards at the bar and takes them for a drive on the railroad tracks. We decided to have them drink in and subsequently trash a bowling alley. It has nothing to do with the song really, but it gives it a place to happen. |