18A - The Michigan Daily - Thursday, September 16, 2004
'Victors'1i
SCHICK
Continued from page 12A
No. 7: Iowa
The Hawkeyes definitely have the
"Boy Scout-approved" fight song
of the Big Ten. "On Iowa" not only
cheers the team,
but also declares
why they are the
best citizens as
well ("Love of
family, love of
friend / Love
of country,
too"). Why
stop there?
Why not
pledge alle-
giance to the
flag? Iowa also
has the best fight
song for New Year's,
too ("Ev'ry loyal son
will give / A Rousing
toast to you").
No. 6: Wisconsin
"On Wisconsin" is a
great fight song for foot-
ball, but, for any other
sport, Badger fans have
to feel pretty stupid
("Run the ball clear
down the field /
Touchdown sure
this time"). "Woo-
hoo! We just hit
a three-pointer!
On Wisconsin!
Touchdown ...
jump shot ... umm
... " However, their stupidity aside,
no line better captures the drama of
football like "plunge right through
that line."
No. 5: Northwestern
People in Evanston are really
smart, and their fight song reflects
the lack of athletic prowess. "Go
U Northwestern" copies Wisconsin
with the weaker version of "plunge
right through that line" with "break
right through that line." North-
western always needs
to remind fans
that they're still
a Big Ten school
by encouraging
their fans to "spread
far the fame of our fair name."
No. 4: Indiana
Hoosier faithful are one of the
seven schools in the Big Ten to.
declare their allegiance to colors
"we will fight for the cream and
crimson" ("Yeah, I cheer for Indi-
ana - not for the players, but the
COLORS!"). "Our Indiana"shows
that Hoosiers all have served their
tour of duty in the army ("In a
battle, we're tried and true"). But
while they have the record for the
s class of Big Ten
most references to their school
name (eight times), they get points
for using solid SAT words ("Never
daunted, we never falter").
No. 3: Purdue
Michigan isn't the only school
to use "Hail" in their fight song
"Hail Purdue"
reminds stu-
dents that
they've been
in West
Lafayette
too long
("Thus we
raise our
song anew
/ of the
days we've
spent with
you"). Pur-
due students
don't love
their school, but
just like it ("our
friendship may she
never lack"). But
the pace of the song
creates a feeling of
emotion, but not near
the use of Michigan's
"hails."
No. 2: Ohio
State
As much as it
\ pains me to
say it, Ohio
State does
have catchy fight songs. The Buck-
eyes use two different songs dur-
ing games, one after a touchdown
("Fight the Team") and one after an
extra point ("Buckeye Battle Cry").
I've always had a problem with
Ohio State referring to itself as just
"Ohio" when that school exists in
Athens, Ohio. When the Horseshoe
gets rocking, Buckeye fans can
nearly "send the Earth reverberat-
ing." The tempo evokes big-time
emotion as "the gang's all here" and
might be enough to help the Buck-
eyes "win that old conference now."
No. 1: Michigan
C'mon. Did you expect anything
less? I mean, I'm from Saline and
I was born at University of Michi-
gan hospital. School loyalty aside,
"The Victors" is usually battling
Notre Dame's "Victory March" as
the best fight song in all the land.
It's catchy, it's easy to learn and it
really gets the blood flowing; the
fist punch is the cherry on the top.
"Champions of the West" seems a
little outdated since Michigan has
left the northwest territory. "The
Victors" also has the most quotable
phrases of any fight song I know:
"Victors valiant," "conqu'ring
heroes" and "leaders and the best."
Despite what it might seem, I
have respect for all fight songs, as
they all have certain meaning for
college fans. But as VH1 has shown
us, you can make any-
thing into a list.
Brian Schick
will gladly sing
any of the above
fight songs for you,
off tune of course.
He can be reached
at bschick@umich.
edu.
Fight! Fight! Go team go!
Decide for yourself what's your second-favorite Big Ten fight song from
the conference's other 10 school songs below. Selections below are the
chorus of each song.
Os-kee Wow-Wow Illinois,
Our eyes Irall on you.
Oskeoe'w-W *41linois.
Wave yotr Ombah~ndgour Blue.
When the atn utbefore you,
Every n n apind yell.
Back the dt6 victory,
Back the team to gain a victory,
Os-kee Wow-Wow Illinois!
On Iowa, proudly at the fore,
On Iowa, on for evermore.
Ev'ry loyal son will give
A Rousing toast to you,
Ev'ry loyal daughter loves you true.
On Iowa, with your wealth untold,
A heritage to us you did unfold.
Love of family, love of friend,
Love of country, too,
Makes us proud for what you stand
Our Dear Old Gold.
Minnesota, hats off to thee,
To thy colors true we shall ever be,
Firm and strong, united are we.
Rahl Rah! Rahl for Ski-U-Mah,
RAHI RAH! RAH
Rah for the U. of M.
M-1-N-N-E-S-0-T-A!
Minnesota!
Minnesota!
Yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah GOPHERSI
Fight the team across the field,
Show them tOhio's here.
Set the Earth reverberating,
With(,a mighty cheer.
RA H RAHI AH!
Hit them hardbnd see how they fall,
Never let that team get the ball.
Haill Hail! The gang's all here,
So let's win that old conference now!
Fight on State, Fight on State,
Strike your and win,
Victory pre d thee,
We're ever true t ite and Blue.
OnaSae, O nwrdSate
We'll hit tha p the score,
Fight on to victory evermore,
Fight on, on,
Fight on, on Penn State!
Indiana, our Indiana
Indiana, we're all for you.
theCeam'And Crir n,
Frthe glor f fd'W,
Never ddctd, ;+ ~ot falter,
in a battle, we're tried and true.
Indiana, our Indiana,
Indiana, we're all for you.
Indiana, we're all for you!
On the banks of the Red Cedar,
is a school that's known to all,
Its specialty is winning,
And those Spartans play good ball.
Spartan Teams are never beaten,
All through the game they fight,
Fight for the only colors,
Green and White.
Go right through for M.S.U.,
Watch the points keep growing,
Spartan teams are bound to win,
they're fighting with a vim, Rahl Rahl Rahl
See their team is weakening,
We're going to win the game,
Fight! Fight! Rahl Team Fight!
Victory for M.S.U.!
Go U Northwestern,
break right throu that line,
With outr coldrs flying
we will cheer you all the time,
?U Rah, Rah,
Go U Northwestern, fight for victory
Spread far the fame of our fair name,
Go Northwestern win that game.
Hall, hal to old Purduel
All hail to our o Gold and Black!
Hail, hall d Purdue!
Our friendshe never lack.
Ever otrue,
Thus we ra ong anew;
Of the days we'v pent with you,
All hall our own Purduel
', ' ,
t
4
TONY DING/Daily
Minnesota's mascot Goldy the
Gopher, top, and Michigan
State's mascot Sparty,
left, may know their own
school's fight songs,
but probably don't
know all 11 Big
\ Ten fight songs.
On Wisc
Plunge nj
Run the balfic
sconsin
;hat line,
e field, boys
time..
On Wis nsi Wisconsin
Figh n for her fame,
Fight, fellows, fight, fight, fight
We'll win this game!
;1 .. ell EOR ApR #Il .. ' E
I................-
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