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Sunday, May 26, 2013

COLLEGE FIGHT SONGS



COLLEGE FIGHT SONGS
USC 
"Fight On"
Fight on for ol' SC,
Our men fight on to victory.
Our Alma Mater dear
Looks up to you,
Fight on and win
For ol' SC
Fight on to victory
Fight on!
History: In 1922, USC dental student Milo Sweet composed the song and entered it in a school spirit contest. It was officially adopted in the mid-1920s. 

Factoid: If you’ve seen a USC fan raise what appears to be a peace sign and wondered why a war-torn Trojan would, the “V” is actually for “Victory.” Fans and alumni greet each other with the gesture. 

"Fight On USC", University of Southern California For a city that hates the NFL, Los Angeles has the market cornered on the college version, and one of the keenest rivalries in the nation. The bands and fight songs are right in there with the football teams. The tune "Salute To Troy" played between plays gets old quickly, but the fight song is simple, fresh and well written. It gives the casual Trojan observer a nice feel for USC, the reverse of what "Troy" does, which is drive you crazy at times if you aren't a USC fan. 

This song is usually played after first downs and touchdowns. The music for USC's fight song, "Fight On," was composed in 1922 by USC dental student Milo Sweet (with lyrics by Sweet and Glen Grant) as an entry in a Trojan spirit contest. In addition to inspiring generations of Trojan fans and players, the song has been used in numerous recordings and movies. Legend has it that during World War II in the Pacific, an American task force attacked an island held by the Japanese. As the Americans stormed the beach, "Fight On" blared from the deck of one of the transports. The U.S. men let out a tremendous roar and eventually won the island.



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UCLA
"Sons of Westwood"
We are Sons of Westwood
And we hail to Blue and Gold
True to thee our hearts will be
Our love will not grow old,
FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!
Bruins roam the hills of Westwood
By the blue Pacific shores
And if we chance to see
A man from USC
Every Bruin starts to roar.
U...C...L...A...
UCLA, fight, fight, fight!
(repeat verse)

"Sons of Westwood", UCLA This is one of the most nationally underrated fight songs in the USA, but should be recognized by a host of college football fans nationwide. The song has roots at UC-Berkeley, and was adopted by UCLA in 1969 after a copyright infringement lawsuit was settled between the two schools (yes, you guessed it, Wikipedia again). The song is noted for its chromatic beginning, and its rise and fall in volume after the first eight measures of the melody. High schools in California like this song also, and some have adopted it as their own.

"Mighty Bruins"
We are the mighty Bruins
The best team in the west!
We're fighting on to victory
To conquer all the rest.
We are the mighty Bruins,
Triumphant ever more,
And you can hear
From far and near
The mighty Bruins roar!

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NOTRE DAME
"Notre Dame Victory March"
Rally sons of Notre Dame
Sing her glory and sound her fame
Raise her Gold and Blue
And cheer with voices true:
Rah, rah, for Notre Dame
We will fight in every game,
Strong of heart and true to her name
We will ne'er forget her
And will cheer her ever
Loyal to Notre Dame.
Cheer, cheer for Old Notre Dame,
Wake up the echoes cheering her name,
Send a volley cheer on high,
Shake down the thunder from the sky!
What though the odds be great or small,
Old Notre Dame will win over all,
While her loyal sons are marching
Onward to victory!


History: Brothers Michael and John Shea, both ND alumni, wrote the song in 1908, and it was first played at Notre Dame on Easter Sunday in 1909. It became a football game standard 10 years later.

Factoid: The first performance of what is now a famous fight song was on the organ of the Second Congregational Church in Holyoke, Mass. Michael Shea debuted his composition there in 1908.

"Notre Dame Victory March", University of Notre Dame This one could top the list also. This is the other "most famous march in America". Any list of any repute would have to list Michigan and Notre Dame as one-two in either order. Anyone in America could recognize this famous tune, written by Rev. Michael J. Shea in the late 1920s. The Fighting Irish made it back to national prominence by making it to the BCS title game in 2012, but their fight song has always been right up there as one of the finest.
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 UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN
"On Wisconsin!"
On Wisconsin, On Wisconsin, plunge right through that line.
Run the ball clear down the field, touchdown sure this time.
On Wisconsin, On Wisconsin, fight on for her fame.
Fight, fellows, fight, fight, fight, we'll win this game.

On Wisconsin, On Wisconsin, stand up Badgers sing.
"Forward" is our driving spirit, loyal voices ring.
On Wisconsin, On Wisconsin, raise her glowing flame.
Stand, fellows, let us now salute her name.

History:  Two friends, William “W.T.” Purdy and Carl Beck (a UW student), wrote the tune in a Chicago boardinghouse parlor in 1909. Purdy had planned to enter the piece in a University of Minnesota contest with a $100 prize. Once they finished, however, Beck convinced his friend to send it Bucky’s way.
Factoid: More than 2,500 schools have adopted this fight song, and it is also the state’s official song.  The legislature and governor adopted it on July 11, 1959.

"On Wisconsin," University of Wisconsin Another underrated song, this tune is very recognizable and is limited only by the lack of national appeal of its university. The tune was composed by William Purdy in 1909. It is the official state song of Wisconsin. You've perhaps heard it in cheese commercials some years back. But it is a terrific song, known by many, and deserving of being one of the best in the nation. On a critical note, someone needs to tell their band director to stop playing the dotted quarter notes too staccato (ask a music teacher what all that means), as it takes away from the full impact of the march.
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 TEXAS AM
"The Aggie War Hymn"
Hullabaloo, Caneck! Caneck!
Hullabaloo, Caneck! Caneck!
All hail to dear old Texas A & M,
Rally around the Maroon and White,
Good luck to the dear old Texas Aggies,
They are the boys who show the real old fight.
That good old Aggie spirit thrills us
And makes us yell and yell and yell;
So let's fight for dear old Texas A & M,
We're goin' beat you all to--
Chig-gar-roo-gar-rem!
Chig-gar-roo-gar-rem!
Rough! Tough! Real Stuff! Texas A & M!

Hullabaloo, Caneck! Caneck!
Hullabaloo, Caneck! Caneck!
Good-bye to Texas University
So long to the Orange and the White
Good luck to the dear old Texas Aggies
They are the boys that show the real old fight
"The eyes of Texas are upon you..."
That is the song they sing so well
So good-bye to Texas University
We're going to beat you all to--
Chig-gar-roo-gar-rem
Chig-gar-roo-gar-rem
Rough Tough! Real Stuff! Texas A & M!

Saw Varsity's horns off!
Saw Varsity's horns off!
Saw Varsity's horns off!
SHORT! Ay!

Varsity's horns are sawed off!
Varsity's horns are sawed off!
Varsity's horns are sawed off!
SHORT! Ayyyyyy!
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 OKLAHOMA UNIVERSITY
 "Boomer Sooner"
Boomer Sooner, Boomer Sooner,
Boomer Sooner, Boomer Sooner,
Boomer Sooner, Boomer Sooner,
Boomer Sooner, O-K-U!

Oklahoma, Oklahoma,
Oklahoma, Oklahoma,
Oklahoma, Oklahoma,
Oklahoma, O-K-U!

I'm a Sooner born
And a Sooner bred,
And when I die
I'll be Sooner dead.

Rah, Oklahoma! Rah, Oklahoma!
Rah, Oklahoma! O-K-U!

History: Oklahoma’s song traces back to Yale’s “Boola Boola” and North Carolina’s “I’m a Tarheel Born.” In 1905, OU student Arthur M. Alden put Yale’s tune to new words. The next year, UNC’s lyrics were adapted.

Factoid: In the 1983 Oklahoma-Oklahoma State game, with the Sooners down 20-3 in the third quarter, the band played the fight song nonstop for an hour and five minutes. The Sooners won, 21-20, and the musicians got the game ball.

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 UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
"The Victors"
Now for a cheer they are here, triumphant!
Here they come with banners flying,
In stalwart step they're nighing,
With shouts of vict'ry crying,
We hurrah, hurrah, we greet you now, Hail!

Far we their praises sing
For the glory and fame they've brought us
Loud let the bells them ring
For here they come with banners flying
Far we their praises tell
For the glory and fame they've brought us
Loud let the bells them ring
For here they come with banners flying
Here they come, Hurrah!

Hail! to the victors valiant
Hail! to the conqu'ring heroes
Hail! Hail! to Michigan
The leaders and best!
Hail! to the victors valiant
Hail! to the conqu'ring heroes
Hail! Hail! to Michigan,
The champions of the West!

We cheer them again
We cheer and cheer again
For Michigan, we cheer for Michigan
We cheer with might and main
We cheer, cheer, cheer
With might and main we cheer!

Hail! to the victors valiant
Hail! to the conqu'ring heroes
Hail! Hail! to Michigan,
The champions of the West!

History: Music student Louis Elbel wrote and composed the song in November 1898 in the wake of
a 12-11 victory over rival Chicago and the school’s first Western Conference football championship.

Factoid: John Philip Sousa’s band debuted the song in May 1899 in Ann Arbor. Sousa once called
it “the best college march ever written,” according to the school.

"The Victors", University of Michigan This is why this list is presented in ABC order. In fairness, this writer is a degree holder from this university. But like Michigan or not, this song is one of the two most famous collegiate songs ever written. Louis Elbel gets the credit for this one, writing it in 1898 after a win by Michigan over the University of Chicago. Few college football fans can listen to this song and not know which university it represents. This writer will not reveal if this march would have been at number one if the list were ordered. Why? Because…

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YALE
"Down The Field" 
March, march on down the field,
Fighting for Eli.
Break through that crimson line,
Their strength to defy.
We'll give a long cheer for Eli's men.
We're here to win again.
Harvard's team may fight to the end,
But Yale will win!

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INDIANA UNIVERSITY
"Indiana, Our Indiana"
Indiana, our Indiana
Indiana, we're all for you!
We will fight for the cream and crimson
For the glory of old IU
Never daunted, we cannot falter
In the battle, we're tried and true
Indiana, our Indiana,
Indiana we're all for you! I-U!

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 UNITED STATES NAVAL ACADEMY
"Anchors Away"
Stand Navy down the field,
Sails set to the sky,
We'll never change our course,
So Army you steer shy - y - y - y
Roll up the score Navy,
Anchors Aweigh,
Stand Navy down the field,
And SINK the Army, SINK the Army grey!
N...A...V...Y...Gooooo Navy!

LINKS
http://www.1122productions.com/fightsongs/n.html
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 OHIO STATE
"Fight The Team Across the Field"
Fight the team across the field
Show them Ohio's here,
Set the earth reverberating
With a mighty cheer,
Rah! Rah! Rah!
Hit them hard and see how they fall,
Never let that team get the ball,
Hail, hail, the gang's all here,
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 NORTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY 
"Huskie Fight Song"


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 UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS
"Texas Fight"
Texas Fight! Texas Fight!
And it's goodbye to A & M.
Texas Fight! Texas Fight!
And we'll put over one more win.
Texas Fight! Texas Fight!
For it's Texas that we love best.
Hail, Hail, the gang's all here,
And it's goodbye to all the rest!

Yea, Orange! Yea, White!
Yea, Longhorns! Fight! Fight! Fight!
Texas Fight! Texas Fight!
Yea, Texas Fight!
Texas Fight! Texas Fight!
Yea, Texas Fight!
The 'Eyes of Texas' are upon you,
All the live long day!
The 'Eyes of Texas' are upon you,
You cannot get away!
Texas Fight! Texas Fight!
For it's Texas that we love best!
Hail, Hail, the gang's all here!
And it's goodbye to all the rest!

"Texas Fight", University of Texas Most people think "The Eyes of Texas Are Upon You" is the Longhorn fight song. Instead, it's this one which requires a top notch trombone section to pull it off correctly. The exact date of composition is unclear, but it was written by Col. Walter Hunnicutt and James King in response to a similar song written by cross-state rival Texas A&M (you're hot tonight, Wikipedia). The march resembles a bugle call, but the finish by the smears of the trombone section give it its unique appeal.
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 "Eyes of Texas"
The eyes of Texas are upon you,
All the live long day.
The eyes of Texas are upon you,
You cannot get away.
Do not think you can escape them,
At night, or early in the morn.
The eyes of Texas are upon you,
'Till Gabriel blows his horn!

LINKS
http://www.1122productions.com/fightsongs/t.html
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UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA
"Hail to Georgia" 
(with verse 2)

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 UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE
"Rocky Top"
Wish that I was on old Rocky Top
Down in the Tennessee hills.
Ain't no smoggy smoke on Rocky Top
Ain't no telephone bills.
Once I had a girl on Rocky Top
Half bear, the other half cat,
Wild as a mink, but sweet as soda-pop
I still dream about that.

(Chorus)
Rocky Top, you'll always be
Home sweet home to me.
Good old Rocky Top,
Rocky Top, Tennessee.
Rocky Top, Tennessee.

Once two strangers climbed old Rocky Top
Lookin' for a moonshine still.
Strangers ain't come down from Rocky Top,
Reckon they never will.
Corn won't grow at all on Rocky Top
Dirt's too rocky by far.
That's why all the folks on Rocky Top
Get their corn from a jar.

(Repeat Chorus)

I've had years of cooped up city life,
Trapped like a dog in a pen.
All I know is it's a pity life
Can't be simple again.

(Repeat Chorus)

Rocky Top, Tennessee!

"Rocky Top", University of Tennessee This song is fun to listen to, if you can forget that Peyton Manning went here. Based on the recognizable Bluegrass tune made famous by, among others, the Osborne Brothers, the huge crowds at Neyland Stadium go crazy when they hear it. The Bluegrass element is what gives it national recognition. It is interesting to note that this song, written in 1967 and first performed by the UT Band in 1972, is not the "official" fight song of the Volunteers (thanks still again, Wikipedia). But schools like Ohio State, Illinois and Iowa have more than one song they play atgames for scoring plays and first downs, so "Rocky Top" counts on this list.

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UNIVERSITY OF WEST VIRGINIA
"Hail West Virginia"

Let's give a rah for West Virginia

And let us pledge to her anew,

Others may be black or crimson,

but for us it's Gold and Blue.

Let all our troubles be forgotten,
Let college spirit rule,
We'll join and give our loyal efforts
For the good of our old school.

It's West Virginia, It's West Virginia
The Pride of every Mountaineer.
Come on you old grads, join with us young lads,
It's West Virginia now we cheer!
Now is the time, boys, to make a big noise
No matter what the people say,
For there is naught to fear; the gang's all here,
So hail to West Virginia, Hail!

History: Grads Earl Miller and Ed McWhorter collaborated on the melody in 1915, and Fred B. Deem penned the lyrics. The lyric “black or crimson” refers to former rival Washington and Jefferson College.
Factoid: Some alumni insist that “Fight Mountaineers” is the true fight song, but the debate is fruitless
because both songs are played at games.
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UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA

"The Cavalier Song"

Come and sing dear old Virginia's name

And make the Blue Ridge roar

For the world yields honor to her name

Who knew her deads yore

Then make each heart a flowing bowl
And pour our pledges strong
As down the ages still we roll
Virginia's triumph song

Once more our might has won the fight
We gain the victor's due
And all men raise their voice to praise
The orange and blue
So, through the years, like Cavaliers
We'll shout Virginia's name
It e'er shall be on land and sea
A sign of might and fame.




"The Good Old Song"


The Good Old Song of Wahoo Wah!

We'll sing it O'er and O'er!

It cheers our hearts and warms our blood

To hear them shout and roar.

We come from Old Vir-Gin-I-A,
Where all is bright and gay.
Let's all join hands and give a yell
For dear old U-V-A!
(Chant)
Wahoowa, Wahoowa
Uni-V-Virginia
Hoo ra ray
Hoo ra ray
Ray ray
U-V-A!



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BOSTON COLLEGE
"For Boston"

For Boston, for Boston, We sing our proud refrain!

For Boston, for Boston, 'Tis Wisdon's earthly fane

For here we are one and our hearts are true,

And the towers on the Heights reach to Heav'n's own blue.

For Boston, for Boston, Till the echoes ring again.


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UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA
"Yea, Alabama!"

Yea, Alabama! Drown 'em Tide!
Every 'Bama man's behind you;
Hit your stride!
Go teach the Bulldogs to behave,
Send the Yellow Jackets to a watery grave!
And if a man starts to weaken,
That's a shame!
For 'Bama's pluck and grit
Have writ her name in crimson flame!
Fight on, fight on, fight on, men!
Remember the Rose Bowl we'll win then!
Go, roll to victory,
Hit your stride,
You're Dixie's football pride, Crimson Tide!

LINKS
http://www.1122productions.com/fightsongs/a.html
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HARVARD
"Fair Harvard"
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