SNL Transcripts: Mardi Gras Special: 02/20/77: The Antler Dance

 Saturday Night Live Transcripts


  Season 2: Mardi Gras Special

Mardi Gras Special

The Antler Dance

…..Randy Newman
…..Paul Shaffer
…..Michael o’Donoghue

[ open on interior, Theater of the Performing Arts ]

Randy Newman: And now, another time-honored New Orleans tradition — Paul Shaffer, joined by Howard Shore and the NBC Video Orchestra, will perform “The Antler Dance.”

[ zoom past Randy to reveal the full SNL band playing ]

Paul Shaffer: [ singing ]“Ahhh, let me tell you a story about what happened to me just the other night, whoo!
A man in a mask walked into my room, late last Saturday night
I said, ‘Hey, Mr. Mask, what you doin’ in here?’
He said, ‘There ain’t no cause for fri-i-ight!
Well, I got a dance that’ll beat the bump, the hustle and the hoochie-coo!’
And then he took off his pants, and did the Antler Dance
It’s so easy, you can do it, too!

Put your hands on your head, like a big ol’ moose
Keep your elbows high, and your legs real loose
Groove around the floor, kinda leap and prance
Shake your middle just a little, and you’re doing the Antler Dance!
Well, well, well, the Antler Dance!
Aaaaaaaaahhhhhhh!!

Paul Shaffer: [ spoken ]New Orleans Mardi Gras 1977! Yes, that’s how it started, way back in 1917, and, since then, once every ten years, that man in the mask returns, to lead ALL of Mardi Gras in a dance so wild in abandon, that they call it the Antler Dance! Well, listen — tonight is the night, so let’s go LIVE, right now, to New Orleans’ famed Antler Street —

[ dissolve to a crowd of revelers surrounding a fictictious street sign that reads “Rue d’ Antler – Antler St.” ]

Paul Shaffer V/O: — where an estimated half-a-million revelers are gathered to count off the last remaining seconds – 4! 3! 2! 1!

[ suddenly, Mr. Mike appears dancing, with a mask over his eyes and his hands posed above his head like antlers. As he prances about, the crowd gleefully tosses various objects at Mr. Mike, who soon realizes he’s gotten himself into more than he bargained for. ]

And.. there he is! The man in the mask! Alright, there’s no stopping this crowd now! Whoo!

[ singing ]“A UFO, came out of the sky, and landed in L.A.!
The top blew off, and a thing crawled out, that flashed with a purple ray-ay.
It ate concrete, and it had nine feet, and a face like an overshoe.
And then it took off its pants, and did the Antler Dance
Well, it’s so easy, you can do it, too!

Put your hands on your head, like a big ol’ moose
Keep your elbows high, and your legs real loose
Groove around the floor, kinda leap and prance
Shake your middle just a little, and you’re doing the Antler Dance!
Well, well, well, the Antler Dance!”

[ spoken ] Listen, there’s one more thing I’ve gotta tell you about right now:

[ singing ]“Old Nate Hale was a-standin’ there, just a-waitin’, to be hung!
He said, ‘I’m going down, in the history books, as a cat who really swu-ung!’Well, I’ve got to say, if I had my way, I’d give another life or two.
And then he took off his pants, and did the Antler Dance
Well, he did it for the Red, White and Blue!

Put your hands on your head, like a big ol’ moose
Keep your elbows high, and your legs real loose
Groove around the floor, kinda leap and prance
Shake your middle just a little, and you’re doing the Antler Dance!
Oh yeah, the Antler Dance!
Well, well, well!”

[ the crowd cheers ] [ overhead shot of the crowd, with caption: “Coming up Next… The South Will Fall Again” ] [ fade ]

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