Posted on 12/19/2004 7:16:17 PM PST by Dan from Michigan
U.P. sticker still a hit after 20 years
Published Tuesday, December 7, 2004 1:03:45 PM Central Time
The Associated Press
MARQUETTE, Mich. (AP) -- Since their inception 20 years ago, "Say Yah to Da U.P., Eh!" bumper stickers have been sold in the thousands and are seen from Los Angeles to New York.
Creator Jack Bowers said the idea came from a spoof of the state's 1982 "Say Yes to Michigan" campaign.
"The Kerry/Edwards and Bush/Cheney stickers will be gone long before our sticker," said Bowers, a 58-year-old Marquette resident. "I mean, what other bumper sticker has lasted this long?"
In 1984, Bowers brought a rough draft of the sticker to Brad Veley, who owned Sir Speedy Printing. According to Veley, the initial 1,000 copies sold fast.
"Of course the 'Say Yes to Michigan' campaign was being promoted ad nauseam back then," Veley said. "Jack's a real talented artist. He had all of the artwork done. We just printed it."
Bowers regularly is approached by area residents who've seen his sticker while traveling to other parts of the country.
"Usually the story's the same, but the place is different. Somebody's honking like crazy at you while you're driving and when they pass, you see the sticker," Bowers said. "It's like our own Yooper inside joke."
Bowers is one of a multitude of Yoopers who take pride in their distinctive accents and quirky colloquialisms.
The spoof has been spoofed itself.
The late Rep. Dominic Jacobetti of Ishpeming used the slogan to promote his political career, creating "Say Yah to Da U.P. and Jacobetti too" bumper stickers. Republicans also spoofed the slogan when Chuck Yob ran for Congress, passing out "Say Yob to Da U.P., Eh!" stickers.
Bowers himself spoofs the saying, creating "Say Yah to Da Pub, Eh!" stickers for the Village Pub on Third Street in Marquette.
The slogan also can be found on mugs and T-shirts.
Upper Peninsula, I presume, with a Canadian "Eh" thrown in?
Alright, I'm going to ask the stupid question, just what the hell is the U.P.? Union Pacific railroad?
ping
In the interest of advancing discourse on the subject of the upper peninsula of Michigan (and some would include portions of northern Wisconsin), I direct your attention to the following website:
found at: http://www.dayoopers.com/
As a tantalizer, here are the lyrics from one of their (local) hit songs (although there is considerably more than music at that website).
found at: http://www.dayoopers.com/Lyric1o3.html
BEER BEER BEER
From Da Yoopers 1987 release,
"Culture Shock"
I WAS BORN A YOOPER WITH BEER IN MY VEINS
I DRINK IT EVERY DAY TO TRY TO EASE THE PAIN
OF ELEVEN MONTHS OF WINTER AND 30 DAYS OF RAIN
AND IF I DIDN’T HAVE MY BEER I THINK I’D GO INSANE
I DRINK IT WHEN ITS FORTY BELOW, I DRINK IT WHEN IT’S HOT
I DRINK IT WHEN IM HAPPY, I DRINK IT WHEN IM NOT
I DRINK IT IN THE SAUNA, I DRINK IT IN MY TRUCK
I DRINK IT OUT AT THE DEER CAMP WHEN I’M CHASING THEM BIG BUCKS
GIVE THIS BOY A BEER MAN, GIVE THIS BOY A BEER
I LOVE THE STUFF, I CAN’T GET ENOUGH BEER BEER BEER
YOU CAN KEEP YOUR WHISKEY YOU CAN KEEP YOUR WINE
I’LL TAKE A COLD BEER ANY OLD TIME
BEER BEER BEER BEER BEER BEER
I LOVE THE STUFF, CAN’T GET ENOUGH BEER BEER BEER
MY DADDY WAS A MINER MY MOTHER WAS THE BOSS
SHE BEAT HIM ALMOST EVERY NIGHT FOR DRINKING TOO MUCH SAUCE
MOTHER WAS AS HARD AS NAILS SHE NEVER SHED A TEAR
WHEN DADDY TOOK AWAY MY MILK AND HANDED ME A BEER
I DRINK IT UP IN HOUGHTON AND OVER IN THE S00
DOWN IN ESCANABA I DRINK THAT GOLDEN BREW
I DRINK IT IN NEGAUNEE AND OVER IN MARQUETTE
I WENT TO A BASH IN NEWBERRY I AIN’T GOT OVER YET
GIVE THIS BOY A BEER MAN GIVE THIS BOY A BEER
I LOVE THE STUFF, I CAN’T GET ENOUGH BEER BEER BEER
YOU CAN KEEP YOUR WHISKEY, YOU CAN KEEP YOUR WINE
I’LL TAKE A COLD BEER ANY OLD TIME
BEER BEER BEER BEER BEER BEER
I LOVE THE STUFF, CANT GET ENOUGH BEER BEER BEER
Copyright 1991 You Guys Records • 490 N. Steel St., lshpeming, Ml 49849 (906) 485-5595 Fax (906) 485-5039
Yep.
with a Canadian "Eh" thrown in?
Sort of. Yoopers use "eh?" as much as Canadians, but that's where the influence came from.
Michigan north of the Mackinac Bridge. Those north of the bridge are "Yoopers". Those south like me - "Trolls".
I have never seen this in my life.... nor do I have any idea what it means. I have lived in Southern california and have driven 300000 miles on the freeways here and I have never seen this bumper sticker.
That's because you can't get to Southern California from the Upper Penninsula.... ;-)
In honor of da season:
Rusty Chevrolet by Da Yoopers
Dashing through the snow
In my rusty Chevrolet
Down the road I go
Sliding all the way
I need new piston rings
I need some new snow tires
My car is held together
By a piece of chicken wire
Chorus:
Oh! Rust and smoke, the heater's broke
The door just blew away
I light a match to see the dash
And then I start to pray, hey!
The frame is bent, the muffler went
The radio it's ok
Oh what fun it is to drive
This rusty Chevrolet
I went to the IGA
To get some Christmas cheer
I just passed up my left front tire
And it's getting hard to steer
Skidding down the highway
Right past the Negaunee cops
I had to drag my swampers
To get the car to stop
(repeat chorus)
Bouncing through the snowdrifts
In a big blue cloud of smoke
People laugh as I drive by
I wonder, "What's the joke?"
I got to get to Shopko
To pick up the layaway
'Cause Santa Claus is coming soon
In his big old rusty sleigh
(repeat chorus)
Pretty much. My late mother in law was a Finn from the UP, but wound up living outside of Ann Arbor when she got married. I used to send my son up to Michigan in the summer to stay w/the grandparents. They would always drive up to the UP, where her family had a farm w/the obligatory Finnish sauna. It was the same way his father used to spend part of his summer, so there was some nice family continuity to it.
I think they were great experiences for my otherwise very urban son to have.
My mother-in-law had an accent very close to the ones in the movie Fargo. Just throw in a lot of 'ehs.'
I lived in Michigan ( The thumb area) for 41 years. Then in Illinois for 6 years. This is the first time I have seen that sticker.
Forgive me... an upper penninsula of... What? And why is it being pointed out?
I urge everyone interested enough to view this thread to rent or buy "Escanaba in da Moonlight" with Jeff Daniels. It's a little crude in parts, but it makes me laugh so hard I hurt. Perhaps the funniest huntin' camp movie ever made.
Oh, no beer. My mother-in-law's people were Finnish Apostolic Lutheran. No drinking, no smoking, no card playing, no nothing - except coed saunas, lutfiske (sp?), and a lotta cheese.
First time I ever heard of this and I probably will forget it as soon as I move to another thread.
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