Muppets -What is the history?

Submitted by NeilGoBlue on

Could someone explain the background/significance/history of the "muppets"

 

I enjoy them, but don't "get it".

 

Thanks!

bcsblue

March 5th, 2011 at 7:44 PM ^

Try staying after a Football game to watch the band. Drum line spins symbols and does whatnots. Plays the one. And the announcer says: "and because you can have one without the other".
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<br>If people really don't get this I am scared for traditions going forward in the Internet age. No offense to the op.
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<br>I am only 28 but the stadium and entire experience at the stadium is very different from that of my youth. Packed
<br>Canvas bags with hot cider and apples no mas.
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aaamichfan

March 5th, 2011 at 7:36 PM ^

I've been on this site for a while, and I still have no idea where the term "Muppets" came from to describe reaction to a win.

You should change the thread title to something more accurate, because I'd be interested in knowing as well.

enlightenedbum

March 5th, 2011 at 7:48 PM ^

The Muppet Show was an awesome variety show from the late 70s.  On said show, they happened to do skits with a lot of popular(ish) music.  Two of those skits were "Temptation" and "The Hawaiian War Chant."  Both of which are staples in the repertoire of the Michigan Marching Band.  "Temptation" is the third down stop song at football games/big saves at Yost and you can't have the one without the other in the actual MMB shows.  So Brian started posting them after big wins a few years ago.  I want to say it was during the last NCAA run two years ago, but I'm not 100% sure.

EDIT: Looks like the first appearance was the miracle Wisconsin win RichRod's first year and they appeared frequently for basketball wins that entire year (UCLA, Duke, the clutch wins to get into the tournament).

EDIT2: It's also why Carl Hagelin is BORK.

bwlag

March 5th, 2011 at 8:15 PM ^

As a former member of the MMB who is over 35, I really appreciate the muppet celebrations. The term "muppet" came from a combination of "marionette" and "puppet" and when I was a kid, the Muppet Show, as enlightenedbum pointed out, was awesome - they always got great celebrities to do the show.

Temptation and Hawaiian War Chant are, of course, staples of the MMB at football postgames.

Put them together and you get celebration music nerdvana for those over 30.

WolverineHistorian

March 5th, 2011 at 8:30 PM ^

Long story short, someone found clips on YouTube of the Muppets performing "Temptation" and "Hawaiian War Chant." 

Both of those songs, of course, have been a big part of the Michigan tradition with the fans since the 1950's...(You can't have one without the other.)   That's basically it.  It's characters from our childhood singing the songs of our team.  Me personally, I wasn't alive in the 70's when the Muppet Show was on the air but I remember watching the reruns when I was in pre-school.  When I was in 1st grade, Muppet Babies premiered and it was the highlight of Saturday morning cartoons. 

No big deal that you didn't understand the Muppet thing.  What's more disturbing to me is that many of the current students don't even know the name "Temptation."  They just call it "The You Suck Song." 

WolverineHistorian

March 5th, 2011 at 9:06 PM ^

I can't speak for the entire student section.  But when I go to games at the big house and I hear students yelling to the band, "Play the 'You Suck Song,'" it does start to make me wonder. 

I felt the same way during our coaching search when Channel 7 news went to Ann Arbor and interviewed students about who they thought would be our next coach.  They never referred to Jim Harbaugh by name.  They all called him "The Stanford coach."  That REALLY disturbed me. 

I hear stuff like this and I think maybe UM should have a required course on our football program and traditions.  I would gladly teach it for free. 

readyourguard

March 6th, 2011 at 10:21 AM ^

1) Visit Ulrichs or Mos and pick up a MMB CD

2) Insert CD into car stereo

3) Roll down windows

4) Turn up volume

5) Revel in the spirit of Temptation, The Victors, The Yellow and the Blue, and The Hawaiian War Chant

6) Repeat

 

If you were a neighbor of mine over the last 25 years or driving in a car near me during any Michigan football victory, you would be quite familiar with The Hawaiian War Chant.