List of University of Illinois songs

This is a list of songs written about, dedicated to, or commonly associated with the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Most of the songs have been composed before 1940, and many were originally submitted in campus songwriting contests.

Front cover of "The Illinois Loyalty Song."

The following songs still see regular performance at the university, specifically through the Marching Illini. Other organizations, such as the Varsity Men's Glee Club, will also perform these songs. They are strongly recognized as university songs.

Title Composer Lyricist Written Ref(s)
Cheer Illini Harold Vater Hill '11a Howard Ruggles Green '12 1910 [1][2][3]
Hail to the Orange Harold Vater Hill '11 Howard Ruggles Green '12 1910 [1][3]
Illini Fantasy James Curnow N/A 1970 [4]
"Illinois (state song)"b Charles H. Chamberlain Archibald Johnston 1870-93 [1][2][3][5]
Illinois Loyalty Thacher Howland Guild 1905-06 [1][2][3][6]
Illinois March Edwin Franko Goldman Guy Maxwell Duker 1953 [7]
March of the Illini Harold LaForrest Alford N/A 1928 [7]
Oskee Wow-Wow Harold Vater Hill '11 Howard Ruggles Green '12 1910 [1][2][3]
Pride of the Illini Karl Lawrence King Raymond Francis Dvorak '22 '26 1928 [7]

Performed in the past

The following songs used to see regular performance through the university band or orchestra, campus glee clubs, or other means. As of recent history, they are no longer performed regularly.

Front cover of "Fight Illini."
Front cover of "Have Courage, Illinois."
Front cover of "University of Illinois March."
Front cover of "Where the Boneyard Flows."
Title Composer Lyricist Written Ref(s)
Academic Professional Lloyd Morey '11 1955 [1]
Alma Mater Arthur Everett Holch Sr. '13 Ralph Edgar Holch '10 1912 [1][2]
Back Illinois Vernon Thompson Stevens '15 '17 1914 [1]
Come, All Ye Loyal Rooters!
(Illinois Field Song)		 Edward George Oldefest '06 1907 [2]
Fight Illini
(The Stadium Song)		 Rose Josephine Oltusky Edelson '22 Sampson Miles Raphaelson '17 1921 [1][3]
For Good Old Illinois Vernon Thompson Stevens '15 '17 1914 [1][2][3]
Grand Illinois Frederick Locke Lawrence Samuel Alexander Bullard '78 1903 [2]
Hail Illinois! Richard Eugene Kent '21 Edmund DeForest Swanberg '18 1917–18 [2]
Have Courage, Illinois Lewis Daly '20 Earl Francis Swaim ex-'18 1917–18 [1][2]
Illini Fight Song Floyd John Hirth '30 1938 [1][8]
Illini Overture John Stanley Crandell 1933 [1][8]
Illinois Albert Emmett Marien '33 1962 [9]
Illinois Battle Call Ruth Kelso '08 1907 [1]
Illinois Celebration Song Thacher Howland Guild 1909 [1][6]
Illinois Forever Vernon Thompson Stevens '15 '17 1914 [1]
Illinois Holabaloo Rosa Lee Gaut '12 1915–16 [2]
"Illinois Pep." Allen Edwin Stearn '17 '19 1914–17 [2]
Illinois Seniors' Greeting Adelle Elizabeth McClure '18 1918 [1][2]
Illinois Sunset Song Francis Keese Wynkoop Drury '05,
Otto William Schreiber '10		 Stephen Sheldon Colvin 1910 [2]
Illinois We Love You Vernon Thompson Stevens '15 '17 1916 [1][2]
Illinois, We're All Behind You Allen Edwin Stearn '17 '19 1917–18 [1]
It's the System (That
They Have at Illinois)		 Lewis Daly '20,
Vernon Thompson Stevens '15 '17		 Vernon Thompson Stevens '15 '17 1917 [2]
Let's Go Illinois Vernon Thompson Stevens '15 '17 Arthur Leo Little ex-'14 1912 [1]
Lights Out March Earl Ellison McCoy ex-'08 N/A 1902 [1]
Loyal Sons of Illinois
(The Homecoming Song)		 William Dale Donahue '23 George Victor Buchanan, Jr. '22 1921 [1]
O Illinois John Stanley Crandell 1928 [1]
On Forever, Illinois John Lawrence Erb William Chauncy Langdon 1917 [2]
Our University Mary Elizabeth Mann '09 1907 [2]
Siren Song Thacher Howland Guild 1908 [1][6]
Song of Illinois A. Leffingwell William Abbott Oldfather 1924 [1][8]
Song of the Illini Braves John Stanley Crandell 1929 [1]
Sons of Loyalty Ralph Armond Carlsen '20 Walter Elliott Hayne '18,
Harold J. Orr ex-'20 ex-'22		 1917–18 [2]
Take Me Back to Illinois Herald Bratt Fites '17 John Eugene Davis '18 1917–18 [2]
That's the Way at Illinois Lucia Alzina Stevens '03 1900–03 [1]
Those Good Old Songs
They Sing at Illinois		 Vernon Thompson Stevens '15 '17 1914 [1][2]
A Toast to the Orange and Blue Daniel Homer Rich '07 1903–07 [2]
University of Illinois March John Philip Sousa N/A 1929 [1][10][7][8]
Where the Boneyard Flows Herald Bratt Fites '17 Cyrus Van Ness Clark ex-'18 1915 [1]
Wide Stand Our Gates Richard Eugene Kent '21 Theodore Preston Bourland '23 1921 [1]

Notes
^a The applicable years of graduation from the University of Illinois are listed after a person's name.
^b While "Illinois" is about the State of Illinois, rather than the University of Illinois, it is commonly associated with both.

References
  1. "Illinois Songs and Music, 1903-1958". University of Illinois Archives. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. n.d. Retrieved March 23, 2020. Record series 0/1/804
  2. University of Illinois Songbook (PDF) (3rd ed.). New York City, NY: Hinds, Noble & Eldredge (under the auspices of the Women's League). 1926.
  3. Illini Songbook (1926 ed.). Champaign, IL: Illinois Union. 1926.
  4. "Illini Fantasy, for band". AllMusic. Netaktion LLC. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  5. "State Song". Illinois.gov. State of Illinois. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  6. Guild, Thacher Howland (1919). The Power of a God, and Other One-act Plays. Menasha, WI: George Banta Publishing Co. ISBN 1330463250.
  7. Neuenschwander, Daniel Paul (2019). Raymond Francis Dvorak: His life and career in music (Ed.D.). University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. hdl:2142/106235.
  8. Hash, Phillip M. (October 1, 2008). "History of the Illinois School Band Association: 1924–1941". Journal of Historical Research in Music Education. 30 (1): 4–20. doi:10.1177/153660060803000103.
  9. "Give Carillon Concert Sunday". Daily Illini. Urbana, IL. June 21, 1965. p. 18. Retrieved March 23, 2020.
  10. Danner, Phyllis (September 1998). "John Philip Sousa: The Illinois Collection". Notes. 55 (1): 9–25. doi:10.2307/900344. JSTOR 900344.

See also
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