Where's My Shadow?

This fun tune celebrates Groundhog Day - from the groundhog's point of view! We've mixed facts about the furry creatures with silliness and movement to create a tune your students will love.

The style of this piece is "quirky rock," and that's because in our experience, groundhogs are quirky critters. To that end, we've written a funky bass line with some quirky synth parts above it. Electric guitar rounds off that sound, playing the oddly spaced effects. And of course, our groundhog "soloists" do an exemplary job of conveying the way a groundhog might say things. You'll want to add your own soloists for live performances. Groundhog masks or costumes are a plus.

While there is a good amount of repetition in this piece, some rhythms may prove challenging for younger singers, so be sure to rehearse any spots that are problematic. (And let them sing along with our singers on the CD.) Fortunately, the song is sung in unison, and as we've discovered with our studio singers, there is strength in numbers - we catch on faster when singing with others.

It should be noted that while we in the United States celebrate Groundhog Day through the antics and predictions of Punxsutawney Phil, our Canadian neighbors to the north have their own weather forecaster - an albino groundhog called Wiarton Willie. It has been suggested that Phil and Willie are cousins, which would no doubt explain why their track records for predicting the arrival of spring are so similar. It must run in the family! To our Canadian friends, feel free to change "Uncle Phil" to "Uncle Willie" in the spoken lines.

Note: The spoken lines and movement suggestions are included with the lyrics on page 50.