Eddie Mugavero: music

• MP3 play whole song, hi-fi (broadband)

This song started out as a joke when I saw the bumper sticker, "I'd rather be shooting Yankees"..It is a parody of the Phil Harris classic, written by Andy Razaff (Fats Waller's lyricist). I tried to get clearance and offer a 50/50 co-write, but his publishers said "No!". So being a true Yankee, I just thought, "Bite me" and wrote it anyway. lol

I'd write a couple of verses a week, just to see how far I could push it...it became by far our most requested song, and our most dangerous, as I was threatened with physical violence on many occasions..luckily, muskets are not that accurate! Every performance of this tune was different, and verses were added or subtracted depending on how many beers I've had, or the ratio of Yanks to Southerners in the crowd. I've often asked the audience to shout out hints to verses because there were so many I couldn't remember them all!

LynnMarie, an artist/accordianist from Cleveland recorded this after changing a few words to accomodate her regional audiences. She's re-released it on her latest album PARTY DRESS, and the CD has been nominated for a Grammy award!! It's also become one of her most requested tunes. (To hear her version, go to my links page)

I must've been out of my mind, performing this song in Georgia, Mississippi, Alabama, & Florida. I'm surprised that I'm alive to tell about it! I always thought the song worked best in Nashville, where there are many transplanted Yankees. Anyway, it is all in good fun..I really never meant to offend anyone. (Well, maybe that guy with the bumpersticker...)

I have written and performed hundreds of songs, but so far, this is the one with which I'm probably most associated. Could be worse! lol

THAT’S WHAT I LIKE ABOUT THE NORTH

THE GREAT LAKES UP IN MICHIGAN
FISH ALL DAY THEN FISH AGAIN
ON THAT NORTH STAR WISH AGAIN…AND THAT’S WHAT….

PIROGIES, HOAGIES, PRETZEL CARTS
CHEESESTEAKS, CLAMBAKES, REGGIE BARS
CAMDEN YARDS AND FENWAY PARK….

DINERS AND DELICATESSANS
STUFFING IS STUFFING IT AIN’T DRESSIN’
CATHOLIC CHURCHES FOR CONFESSIN’…..

COOPERSTOWN, NIAGARA FALLS
THE GARDEN AND CARNEGIE HALL
THE ART ON NY SUBWAY WALLS….

FOOTBALL IN TWO FEET OF SNOW
LAMBEAU FIELD IN TEN BELOW
IF FOLKS DON’T LIKE YOU YOU WILL KNOW…

HARLEM JAZZ CHICAGO BLUES
MOTOWN SOUL AND JERSEY BRUCE
PRINCE AND THE REVOLUTION…
THAT’S WHAT I LIKE ABOUT THE NORTH

WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!

SISKEL EBERT EL TRAINS
CHICAGO HOPE, O’HARE A’PLANES
THE TOAST OF ILLINOIS, CHAMPAIGN….

IOWA’S FIELD OF DREAMS
SODA FOUNTAINS EGG CREAMS
THE BRAVES AIN’T AMERICA’S TEAM…

CINCINNATI 3-WAY CHILI
CORNER DOO-WOP UP IN PHILLY
THE MICK THE DUKE AND “SAY HEY” WILLIE….

INDIANS IN OHIO
VIKINGS UP IN MINNESOTA
MARY TYLER MOORE AND RHODA….

UN, NYU
OTB AND LT TOO
NYPD BLUE…

BROOKLYN QUEENS AND MANHATTAN
ISLANDS, ELLIS, LONG AND STATEN
A LITTLE BIT OF THIS AND A LITTLE BIT OF THAT….

KNICKS RANGERS GIANTS YANKEES
NORTON, RALPH, ALFALFA, SPANKY
HOBOKEN, THE HOME OF FRANKIE…

DEVIL DOGS AND RINGDINGS
CAN’T GET ENOUGH OF THOSE BUFFALO WINGS
JOEY BUTTAFUOCO, BADABOOM BADABING….

GOTTIS AND THE CORLEONES
HARD SALAMI, PROVOLONE
WE DON’T EAT CHRISTMAS DINNER AT SHONEYS…

WE DON’T FIX TO DO WE JUST DO IT
WHEN IT SNOWS WE DRIVE RIGHT THROUGH IT
WE SMOKE TOBACCO, WE DON’T CHEW IT….

WE DRINK HEINEKEN AND BECKS
NOT BUDWEISER LONGNECKS
AND WE DON’T ASK FOR SEPARATE CHECKS…

WE EAT WALNUTS NOT PRALINES
MY MAMA DIDN’T HAVE ME AT 17
AND ALL MY NEIGHBORS HAVE DIFFERENT GENES…

NEW YORK’S HAYDEN PLANETARIUM
WE GIVE FOLKS RIDES, WE DON’T CARRY ‘EM
WE LOVE OUR COUSINS BUT WE DON’T MARRY ‘EM…

HAMPTONS AND HYANNISPORT
PATRICK EWING, MICHAEL JORDAN
AND NASCAR RACING AIN’T NO SPORT…

A SACK’S A SACK A BAG’S A BAG
WE WON THE WAR BUT WE DON’T BRAG
AND WE SALUTE JUST ONE FLAG…

WE’RE NOT SAYING THE NORTH IS BETTER
IT’S JUST COOLER, BRING A SWEATER
MEET A BROOKLYN CHICK AND YOU’LL NEVER FORGET HER…

PACK THAT UHAUL, Y’ALL COME SEE
BRING THE WHOLE FAMILY
BUT DON’T TELL NO ONE YOU KNOW ME…
AND THAT’S WHAT I LIKE ABOUT THE NORTH!