College Fight Songs: A Celebration of Tradition and Spirit
There's a special kind of energy that permeates a college campus on game day, and it’s often fueled by a powerful tradition: the fight song. These iconic anthems are more than just tunes; they are the heartbeats of university pride, rallying fans and athletes alike with a shared sense of identity and purpose. The college football fight song has existed for more than a century, so it's no wonder that a school's signature sound always rouses the crowd during a game. In honor of the sport's 150th anniversary, here are the best fight songs in the sport's history.
A fight song is a rousing short song associated with a sports team. The term is most common in the United States and Canada. In Australia, Mexico, and New Zealand, these songs are called the team anthem, team song, or games song. Some fight songs have a long history, connecting the fans who sing them to a time-honored tradition, frequently to music played by the institution's band.
Many songs were composed by students, alumni, or faculty of the institution; for example, Cole Porter wrote "Bulldog" for his alma mater Yale College. Hundreds of colleges have fight songs, most originating from the early 20th century in connection with football. The first collegiate fight song in the United States is Boston College's "For Boston", written and composed by T. J. Hurley in 1885.
The Hallmarks of a Great Fight Song
The best fight songs, as rated by experts in the field, have transcended their athletic origins to become integral parts of university tradition. Any list of “greatest college football fight songs” is subject to debate.
An analysis of 65 college fight songs by FiveThirtyEight identified words commonly used in the lyrics of these songs, including fight, win, and victory. Other common elements of fight song lyrics are mentioning the team's colors, spelling out the school's name, and using the words "hail" and "rah."
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A good fight song is an ear worm with victorious fans singing it all the way home and defeated fans hearing it ringing in their ears for days. Fight songs fire up, rally and unify a fan base like nothing else, leading the cheering effort around a common tune everyone knows and sings together. They are the best kind of sing-alongs.
Iconic Fight Songs
"The Victors" (University of Michigan): Who doesn’t hear “The Victors” without singing it, humming it, or whistling it for hours thereafter? It is probably the best known fight song in the nation. The fact that everyone refers to it as “Hail to the Victors” proves this - we all know the song (incorrectly) and we all sing it! If you are a college football fan, you know this song and you like it. If you don’t know this song, then you are not a college football fan. Written and composed by then-student Louis Elbel in 1898, a shortened variation of the nation’s best fight song is played every time the Wolverines score or make a major defensive play. “The Victors” is so bold and commanding that alumnus and past President Gerald R. Ford sometimes requested that The Victors be played at state functions.
"Notre Dame Victory March" (University of Notre Dame): I know, there is a lot of mystique behind the university and its football team, which naturally elevates this tune’s place in the canon of college fight songs. Widely regarded as one of-if not the-most recognizable college fight songs, “Victory March” was shoe-in for a spot on this list. The Notre Dame Victory March has eloquent lyrics: Wake up the echoes cheering her name … Shake down the thunder from the sky. Brothers Michael and John Shay, also alums, wrote the Notre Dame anthem. The song was first played on campus on Easter Sunday in 1909, perhaps a nod to the school’s Catholic faith.
"Rocky Top" (University of Tennessee): Although not the official fight song of the Volunteers, “Rocky Top” has become so ingrained within the culture of Tennessee football that it might as well be. First recorded by the Osborne Brothers in 1967, the University of Tennessee has a perpetual license to play the song as often as deemed necessary. The ability of “Rocky Top” to appeal to the masses is evident in its claim as the only college fight song to appear on the Country Top 100 Charts (Lynn Anderson’s version peaked at No. 17 in 1970).
"Boomer Sooner" (University of Oklahoma): Although the rhythmic trumpet and clashing symbols alone could have landed the Sooner state’s anthem on this list, it is also important to note that “Boomer Sooner” just might be the most frequently played fight song in college football. Derived from Yale University's “Boola Boola”, “Boomer Sooner” is played after every touchdown. Considering Oklahoma scored the most touchdowns per game in 2018 (6.1), the song is sure to garner significant airtime.
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"Fight On" (University of Southern California): A 1922 product of USC dental student Milo Sweet, “Fight On” is now played by the Spirit of Troy student band at sporting and recreational events throughout campus. Since its inception the phrase “Fight On!” has become the student battle cry and is often seen on merchandise and social media.
"On Wisconsin" (University of Wisconsin): Here’s a big plot twist: “On Wisconsin” was originally “Minnesota, Minnesota,” with composer William T. Purdy planning to enter it in a competition to be the fight song of the state’s flagship-a big Badger rival. His roommate Carl Beck, a former Wisconsin student, was able to get Purdy to instead let the song be used for UW, with Beck writing new lyrics. The song has gone on to be a staple of Camp Randall ever since its first use in 1909.
"Bow Down to Washington" (University of Washington): What is the easiest way to judge a school’s fight song? By its ability to rouse a team to victory! Written by Lester Wilson in 1915, the Huskies went 7-0 in their first season with “Bow Down to Washington” playing from the sidelines. The first time the song was played at a game, the Huskies dominated Cal in a 72-0 victory…now that’s a good fight song.
"Aggie War Hymn" (Texas A&M University): In 1997, USA Today selected "Aggie War Hymn", the fight song of Texas A&M University, as the "No. More than half of the "Aggie War Hymn" talks about trying to beat Texas. There are also so many nonsensical words. That said, it is recognizable and identifiable with Texas A&M.
"Yea, Alabama" (University of Alabama): To celebrate the victory, a student magazine called The Rammer-Jammer held a contest to choose a fight song for the Alabama football team. Yea, Alabama, written by Ethelred Lundy Sykes (who happened to be the magazine’s editor) won. The last line in the song - “You’re Dixie’s football pride, Crimson Tide” - had considerable political and social meaning.
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"Texas Fight" (University of Texas): "Texas Fight" has the best attribute a fight song can have: It is instantly identifiable. Three notes in and you know. It is one of those songs that rings in the ears of opposing fans for days. The University of Texas plays Texas Fight (sung to an up-tempo version of Taps) and The Eyes of Texas (sung to the tune of I’ve Been Working on the Railroad) with equal enthusiasm.
"Anchors Aweigh" (United States Naval Academy): The Naval Academy’s “Anchors Aweigh” is everything you would expect from a federal service academy’s fight song. Patriotic and spirited, the 1906 product is a classic in all the right ways. The expression “anchors aweigh” (often seen misspelled as “anchors away”) means a ship has officially begun its journey, fitting for pre-game football performances. Charles Zimmermann, who had been bandmaster of the Naval Academy Band for nearly 30 years at the time, composed the song.
"Air Force Song" (United States Air Force Academy): In 1938, Liberty magazine sponsored a contest to choose an official song for what was then called the Army Air Corps. The winning entry was the work of a musician named Robert Crawford. In 1947, when the Air Force became a separate branch of the armed forces, the name of the song was changed from The Army Air Corps to The US Air Force. In 1955, when the United States Air Force Academy opened its doors and fielded a football team for the first time, its football fight song began with the familiar words, “Off we go into the wild blue yonder.”
"Ramblin' Wreck from Georgia Tech" (Georgia Institute of Technology): Words to I’m a Ramblin’ Wreck From Georgia Tech were written in 1908 but are sung to the melody of a drinking song written in 1895.
"Clemson Fight Song" (Clemson University): Also known as “the song that shakes the Southland,” its catchy “hold that Tiger!” melody is guaranteed to get stuck in your head if you’re on a visit to Memorial Stadium.
"FSU Fight Song" (Florida State University): Creatively named “FSU Fight Song” Florida State’s ballad originally appeared as a poem written by student Doug Alley; Professor Tommy Wright later based the composition off of the poem. An avid Seminoles football fan, Professor Wright gave up the rights to the song in exchange for a pair of season tickets.
Fight Songs with Intriguing Origins
"For Boston" (Boston College): Some college football fight songs emerged from song-writing contests. Fight On was written in 1922 by a USC dental student named Mike Sweet who entered the words and lyrics in a Trojan Spirit contest. All of them came after For Boston (the Boston College fight song) which was written in 1885 and is widely regarded as the first of the genre.
"Tiger Rag" (Clemson University): A handful of fight songs had popular music origins. Tiger Rag was written in 1917 by members of the Original Dixieland Jass Band. In 1942, an altered version became Clemson’s fight song.
Other Notable Fight Songs
"Boola Boola" (Yale University): Oklahoma’s choice of Boomer Sooner as its fight song is thought by some to evince a lack of originality. The lyrics consist of repeating “boomer sooner” seven times followed by “OKU”. And more to the point, the original words and music were written by several Yale students in 1901 under the title Boola Boola, which consists in large measure of repeating “boola boola” multiple times.
"Bulldog" (Yale University): Cole Porter was president of the Yale Glee Club and wrote an estimated three hundred songs (including Bulldog) before graduating in 1913. Later, he crafted popular treasures like You’re the Top, I’ve Got You Under My Skin and In the Still of the Night.
"Ten Thousand Men of Harvard" (Harvard University): Other Ivy League schools are also well represented musically on the football field. Ten Thousand Men of Harvard (written in 1918 by a student listed as “A Putnam”) and The Princeton Cannon Song (written in 1906 by 1907 graduates Joseph Frederick Hewitt and Arthur Herbert Osborn) are autumn classics.
"The Princeton Cannon Song" (Princeton University): Other Ivy League schools are also well represented musically on the football field. Ten Thousand Men of Harvard (written in 1918 by a student listed as “A Putnam”) and The Princeton Cannon Song (written in 1906 by 1907 graduates Joseph Frederick Hewitt and Arthur Herbert Osborn) are autumn classics.
"Roar, Lion, Roar" (Columbia University): When I enrolled at Columbia many years ago, I learned the words and music to Roar, Lion, Roar - Columbia’s fight song. Originally entitled Bold Buccaneers, it was written with lyrics by Corey Ford (class of 1923) and set to music by Roy Webb (1910) and Morris Watkins (1924) for a 1923 student variety show. Later that year, the Columbia Alumni Federation offered a prize for a new football song. Properly incentivized, Ford rewrote the lyrics, and Roar, Lion, Roar was born.
"Far Above the Cayuga's Wasters" (Cornell University): This is really an alma mater rather than a fight song, but is such a collegiate classic, how can one overlook it?
"Our Director March" (Harvard University, Rice University, Furman University): These three universities all use this excellent tune, but not always as a fight song; if the melody had a clearer institutional identify, it would be in the top fifteen.
The Bottom Three (According to One Opinion)
"The Good Old Song" (University of Virginia): Instead of “The Cav Song,” I have been hearing “The Good Old Song” at VT-UVa games for decades (fortunately not nearly as often as I’ve heard “Tech Triumph” in those games). Instead of playing this one in games, the Hoos sing a tune that is set to “For Auld Lang Syne.” Yeah, that sappy New Year’s Eve song, they sing it every time they score a touchdown. Where is the excitement in that? Where is the adrenaline? When I hear the New Year's Eve song, I think of Dan Fogelberg. I’d rather drown my sorrows than think about football.
"Texas Fight/The Eyes of Texas" (University of Texas): The first half of this song is solid and has no business being anywhere near the “worst” list. However, midway through the song, it shifts to “The Eyes of Texas,” which is basically a rendition of “I’ve Been Working on the Railroad.” Really? Every time you score a touchdown you’re working on the railroad? What the heck? This feels like an unfortunate missed opportunity to fire up some sort of Clint Eastwood-esque tune that celebrates cowboys instead of trains.
(Dis)Honorable Mention: “Down the Field” (University of Tennessee): You are probably reading this and saying, wait, where is “Rocky Top”? Well, “Down the Field” is the official fight song of the University of Tennessee, and that is why this gets mention here. “Rocky Top” should unequivocally be the official fight song. If it were, then the Vols are moving down the list to Honorable Mention.
Other College Fight Songs
- "Fight! Fight! "B.W.
- "C. U.
- "Hail!
- "C.C.S.U.
- "Fight!
- "E.C.
- "Go E-L-M-I-R-A !
- "March On!
- "Hail!
- "Go! Tigers!
- *"R.U.
- "St.
- "St.
- "Fight For Old St.
- "St.
- "St.
- "Go! Southern!
- "T for Temple U" and "Fight!
- "Fly High!
- "Go! St.
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