Posted on 08/09/2006 7:42:28 AM PDT by MAD-AS-HELL
Which school has the best fight song? The debate has been raging for years and will continue to rage long after any of us are alive. The truth is that the context in which the song is played is often more important than the song itself. For example, you're sitting in Michigan Stadium watching your beloved Wolverines face Ohio State in a tight game. With a minute remaining and Michigan up by three, the Buckeyes are marching down the field and threatening to score when Leon Hall intercepts a Troy Smith pass and returns it for a touchdown, sealing the victory. At that point, the Michigan fighting band could play Livin' la Vida Loca and, as Morgan Freeman said in Shawshank Redemption, it would sound "so beautiful it can't be expressed in words, and makes your heart ache because of it. it would sound like the greatest piece of music you've ever heard." In other words, the emotions of a moment can cloud your objectivity. That's where we come in. After spending the past week hunkered down in the SIOC listening studio, we’ve poured through hundreds of fight songs and have come out with our Top 5. 1. "The Victors," University of Michigan 2. "Anchors Aweigh," U.S. Naval Academy 3. "Boomer Sooner," University of Oklahoma. 4. "Rocky Top," University of Tennessee 5. "Notre Dame Victory March," Notre Dame Those are ours. Take a listen and give us your Top 5.
(Excerpt) Read more at sportsillustrated.cnn.com ...
RAMBLIN' WRECK
What a piece of biased fantasy crap! Last time I saw Troy Smith playing in Michigan, it was he who was pulling off the come-from-behind victory.
As fantasy-reporting goes, this is up there with Nina Totenberg hoping Jesse Helms gets AIDS.
Hail Whatsamatta, Hail!
Better we should be in jail.
Hey Whatsamatta U.
Garde la Foi, mes amis! Nous nous sommes les sauveurs de la République! Maintenant et Toujours!
(Keep the Faith, my friends! We are the saviors of the Republic! Now and Forever!)
LonePalm, le Républicain du verre cassé (The Broken Glass Republican)
The author wrote it for Minnesota. Sing it in your mind with the name Minnesota instead of Wisconsin and you'll find it works pretty good. Minnesota told the author they already had a very nice song thank you very much so he took it to Wisconsin. Wisconsin only has 3 syllables so he filled in with the word "ON" to make it scan. Wisconsin bought it.
As much as I despise Notre Dame, putting Rocky Top and Boomer Sooner above them is a crime.
And two other schools I don't care for but which should be included, in order:
Wisconsin (On Wisconsin)
Ohio State (Buckeye Battle Cry)
I'm glad someone posted Lehrer's song. A classic.
Fight fiercely, Harvard,
fight, fight, fight!
Demonstrate to them our skill.
Albeit they possess the might,
Nonetheless we have the will.
How we shall celebrate our victory,
We shall invite the whole team up for tea
(How jolly!)
Hurl that spheroid down the field, and
Fight, fight, fight!
Fight fiercely, Harvard,
fight, fight, fight!
Impress them with our prowess, do!
Oh, fellows, do not let the crimson down,
Be of stout heart and true.
Come on, chaps, fight for Harvard's glorious name,
Won't it be peachy if we win the game?
(Oh, goody!)
Let's try not to injure them, but
Fight, fight, fight!
And do fight fiercely!
Fight, fight, fight!
Doh!
it is an atrocity this did not make the top five...but you have to experiene the song live to appreciate it:
The Aggie War Hymn
Hullabaloo, Caneck! Caneck!
Hullabaloo, Caneck! Caneck!
First Verse
All hail to dear old Texas A&M,
Rally around Maroon and White,
Good luck to the dear old Texas Aggies,
They are the boys who show the 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' to beat you all to --
Chig-gar-roo-gar-rem!
Chig-gar-roo-gar-rem!
Rough! Tough!
Real stuff! Texas A&M!
Second Verse
Good-bye to Texas University.
So long to the Orange and White.
Good luck to the dear old Texas Aggies,
They are the boys who 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 goin' 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 (normally follows War Hymn)
Saw Varsity's Horns Off!
Saw Varsity's Horns Off!
Saw Varsity's Horns Off!
Short!
Varsity's Horns are Sawed Off!
Varsity's Horns are Sawed Off!
Varsity's Horns are Sawed Off!
Short!
Slight modification of Notre Dame's Fight Song (from Mad Magazine circa 1960something)
Cheer, cheer, for old Pivnec Tech
They're gonna get it right in the neck
Send a sound of taps on high, as our whole team lays down to die.
What tho the odds may be great or small
Ole Pivnec Tech will fumble the ball
As our undergrads get sick and transfer to USC.
TAMU Class of '88
What other college fight song features a barrel of rum?
The 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 we'll cheer her ever, Loyal to Notre Dame.
Chorus:
Cheer, cheer for Old Notre Dame Wake up the echoes cheering her name, Send the 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.
Rocky Top, you'll always be
Second in the SEC
While there is admittedly little to the song to spur on the university's athletic teams, you can't beat a song revolving around a student's expulsion on account of binge drinking. I give you the Cornell University fight song, with annotations:
Give my regards to Davy, (the registrar and secretary for the committee on student conduct)
Remember me to Tee Fee Crane. (Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences)
Tell all the pikers on the Hill (Pikers = Freshmen)
That I'll be back again.
Tell them just how I busted (failed out)
Lapping up the high highball.
We'll all have drinks at Theodore Zinck's (bar in downtown Ithaca)
When I get back next fall!
Bingo!
Can't believe Rocky Top bested that, in their list. It's a nice song, but a fight song!?
A most excellent choice, Frogjerk.
My oldest, my son, is auditioning for the Band of the Fighting Irish next week as an incoming freshman. I will happily renounce my allegance to the Buckeye Battle Cry and swear fealty to the Victory March if I get to see him playing it on the field. :)
This IS next year.
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