Fight song

In U.S. and Canadian sports, a fight song is a song associated with a team. In both professional and amateur sports, fight songs are a popular way for fans to cheer for their team, and are also laden with history; in singing a fight song, fans feel part of a large, time-honored tradition.[1] Although the term "fight song" is primarily used in the United States, the use of fight songs is commonplace around the world, but they may also be referred to as team anthems, team songs or games songs in other countries, even such as Australia, Mexico and New Zealand. Fight songs differ from stadium anthems, used for similar purposes, in that they are usually written specifically for the purposes of the team, whereas stadium anthems are not.

This article is about the type of song used in sports. For the 2007 Eurovision Song Contest entry, see Fight (song). For other uses, see Fight Song (disambiguation).

Hundreds of colleges have fight songs, some of which are over a century old. The oldest collegiate fight song in the United States is Boston College's "For Boston", composed by T.J. Hurley in 1885.[2]

One of the oldest games songs in Australia is Melbourne Grammar's 'Play Together, Dark Blue Twenty', which is sung to the tune of 'The March of the Men of Harlech'.[3][4] It was composed by Ambrose John Wilson who was principal of the school from 1885-1893.[5] This is not to be confused with the school hymn 'Ora et Labora' which is now sung to the tune of 'Jerusalem'.[6]

List of professional sports team fight songs

AFL

A-League

NRL

Canada

Japan

Taiwan

United States

List of college fight songs

Notes:

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

J

K

L

M

N

O

P

Q

R

S

T

U

V

W

X

Y

See also

References
  1. "High School Fight Songs | LoveToKnow". LoveToKnow. Retrieved 2017-11-26.
  2. "@BC » Feature Archive » Beyond "For Boston"". At.bc.edu. 2008-04-29. Retrieved 2012-08-06.
  3. The Melbourne Grammar games song comprises verses from the school's three main sports at the time, Australian rules football, cricket and rowing. For example the Australian rules verse is:
     'Play together, Dark Blue Twenty,
     Long and little marks in plenty;
     Get your kick, let none prevent ye,
     Make the leather roll.
     Mark your men, keen effort straining,
     On the ball and show your training;
     Still though short the time remaining,
     Get another goal.'
     
     The chorus between each verse is:
     'None our ranks shall sunder.
     Who will shirk or blunder?
     If all are true
     To our Dark Blue,
     Our foemen must go under.
     Honour ye the old School’s story,
     Those who played and won before ye,
     Bear the Dark Blue flag to glory,
     Grammar to the fore.'
     
     The cricket verse:
     Bat with patience unremitting,
     Yorker, shooter, break outwitting,
     All the loose ones freely hitting,
     That’s the game to play.
     Skill the bat and ball in wielding,
     Smartness, judgement in the fielding,
     Iron nerve and pluck unyielding,
     Scarce can lose the day.
     
     The rowing verse:
     Row the race, boys swing together,
     Sinews tough as cords of leather,
     Strong, yet light upon the feather,
     Lift her, make her go!
     Get the catch at the beginning,
     Churn the tide in eddies spinning,
     Now a spurt, you gain! you’re winning!
     Melbourne Grammar, row!
     
     A fourth verse with its own chorus was added in the early 20th century with imperial connotations:
     'Some, in strife of sterner omen,
     Faced the Empire’s stubborn foemen;
     Fought, as erst their sires - her yeomen;
     Won the deathless name.
     Praise ye these who stood for Britain,
     These by foreign marksmen smitten;
     Praise them, for their names are written
     High in storied fame.
     None their ranks could sunder;
     Who could shirk or blunder?
     So stood they true
     To the old Dark Blue,
     And all their foes went under.
     Honour ye the old School’s story,
     Heroes who - her sons before ye -
     Died or lived, but fought for glory,
     Honoured evermore.'
     While it is not officially discontinued, this addition is no longer sung.
  4. Eagle, Chester (1986). Play together, dark blue twenty. Melbourne: Trojan Press.
  5. Senyard, June (May 2002). "From Gentleman to the Manly: A Large Step for the Amateur" (PDF). Sporting Traditions. 18. Retrieved 7 February 2016.
  6. "The song book of the Church of England Grammar School, Melbourne". handle.slv.vic.gov.au. Retrieved 2016-02-06.
  7. Smith, Gordon P. (June 6, 2017). "A scientific breakdown of the best AFL team songs". The Roar. Retrieved December 16, 2020.
  8. "The Baltimore Fight Song". Archived from the original on 21 March 2013. Retrieved 19 February 2013.
  9. "Pantera – Puck Off (Dallas Stars Fight Song)" on YouTube
  10. "Alumni Spirit Zone". Franklin College. Archived from the original on May 27, 2010. Retrieved June 30, 2010.
  11. See Marching 97 Website
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