Here's an archive of past Happy Hour songs - enjoy!
Look at the first Happy Hour songs (before Fall 2004)
Songs by Michael Friesner
Thursday, 14th Oct 2004, parodying ??
NORTHERN CITIES SHIFT
I heard a fronted /ae/, oh oh woah...
then the /o/ moved among Burnouts
from a place in the back where /ae/ moved out of, oh oh woah...
Now the Jocks are called "Jacks"
This could cause a big rift, yeah
Oh, here in the chain shift
A circumstance beyond our control, oh oh woah...
When we're talking about change from below
/oh/ got where the /o/ was like "caught" became "cot," oh oh woah...
though even the Jocks still don't rhyme "talks" with "socks"
The vowels get a face lift, yeah
Oh, here in the chain shift
The vowels we had
that change their F1's and F2's
make "said" ? "sud" or "sad"
from Buffalo to Saint Lou
But I'll die as I stand here today
knowing the "bus" is my "boss"
if the NCS is complete this day
is this a great loss?
I heard a fronted /ae/, oh oh woah...
as far away as in Iowa
now instead of soda or pop, it's "pap," oh oh woah...
in rural areas it's fillin' the map
We can't even be miffed, yeah
Oh, here with the chain shift
Songs by Jonathan D. Wright
Thursday, 7th Oct 2004, parodying `Gimme Shelter' by The Rolling Stones
oh, a thirst is threatening,
happy hour today,
if I don't get some yuengling
oh yeah, I'm gonna waste away
beer, linguists, it's just a pint away
it's just a pint away
beer, linguists, it's just a pint away
it's just a pint away
ooh, see the linguists sweeping
our very street today
gojjo like a sweet oasis
just don't lose your way
beer, linguists, it's just a pint away
it's just a pint away.
beer, linguists, it's just a pint away
it's just a pint away.
the drought is threatening
my very life today
gimme, gimme, yuengling,
or I'm gonna waste away.
I tell you love, sister, it's just a kiss away,
it's just a kiss away...
Thursday, 29th Sept 2004, parodying `Jeremy' by Pearl Jam.
in 418
drawing pictures
of syntax trees
with C on top
double object fun
verb raised to a V
heads lay in shells of VP below
Joshi didn't use adjunction
on the tree that Tony didn't share
Noam Chomsky the wicked
ruled the words
Marjorie put the books away
Marjorie put the books away
clearly how I remember
drawing out the trees
seemed I couldn't give a fuck
but I unleashed the latex
grit my teeth
and did the stupid midterm test
how could I forget
and he got me with a movement left
my trace left hanging
left all alone
just like the way
oh like the way I felt
Joshi didn't use adjunction
and the tree was something that Tony couldn't care
Noam Chomsky the wicked
ruled the words
Marjorie put the books away
Marjorie put the books away
try to move this
try to raise this
from the island.
Thursday, 23th Sept 2004, parodying `Fell In Love With A Girl' by The White Stripes
fell in love with a rule
the rule applied once and almost completely
it's in love with the word
but sometimes these orderings
can be so misleading
it turns and says "can you derive?"
I said it must derive cause my rule's still bleeding
it says "come and use me for opacity
Buckley says it's fine he don't considering it cheating", now
no good with a star
sympathy for the flower
and the hand for pointing
can't keep away from the rule,
these two ways of deriving,
need to have a meeting
can't think of anything to do
my left brain knows that
all rules are feeding
I'm just using something cyclical
I used it once before
but it bears repeating
Thursday, 16th Sept 2004
SONG ONE, parodying `Black Dog' by Led Zeppelin
hey vocal tract, think the way you move
gonna be no sweat, gonna OT prove,
mm mm cords, way you shake and sing,
gonna feel you burn, gonna feel you sting,
oh yeah nasal, when you speak that way,
watch your velum dip, can't stay away.
have to roll, can't stay still,
got a flapping start, can't stop my trill,
eyes cant see, but formants said,
resonate all through my head
didn't take long, to sound it out,
those rounded vowels, lips stick way out,
sounds so funny, to say car,
when you and your friends lack a final r,
I don't think, but some been told,
a phonological foot aint got no sole.
what I wish for every day,
steady flowing yuengling gonna come our way,
at happy hour with a beer in my hand,
and the linguists around, I'm a happy man.
SONG TWO, parodying `White Room' by Cream
at the white dog, near the black cat, down on sansom,
local grad-scene, no good stipends, tired students,
half price lagers, flow down beer-streams, in your drunk eyes,
the dawn smiles, when we're leaving, our debasement
I'll drink, in this place, where the fun never wanes
wait, in this place, where the linguists drink to themselves
you said no specials, could entice you, down to sansom
late night hours, restless people, goodbye homework,
I ran into, such a glad time, down on sansom,
when I walked in, felt my good mood, just beginning.
I'll wait in the line, when the drinks come back,
chat with you where the linguists drink to themselves.
at happy hour, there was kindness, in the rough crowd,
resolution, for the old thirst, now remembered,
flying fishes, poured in glasses, in your drunk eyes.
we're just drinking, goodbye homework, tired students.
I'll sleep, in this bar, with the straggling crowd,
lie on the floor, where the linguists drink to themselves.