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 Z

Differing versions and other notes

Alabama: A couple of minor differences...the line used is "and if a man starts to weaken, that's a shame" is also sung "that's his shame". Also, the line "Go, roll to victory," has many different versions. Some people include a "So!" or "Hey!" beforehand. Others say "roll on to victory." However, according to the University's own athletics site, these are the official words.

BYU: the line "Loyal, strong, and true" is a PC correction. It used to be "Stalwart men, and true".

Drake: the version on my site, according to some, is a PC version. This is the other, non-PC version--

Here's to the man who wears the 'D',
Fights for victory and varsity.
Here's to the man, whose fought and won,
Showed his real worth as a true Drake son.
Here's to the man whose brave and bold,
Ready to battle as knights of old.
Fights like a bulldog for victory,
Oh, here's to the man who wears the 'D'.

Georgia: In "Glory", a common ending instead of the spell-out version, is "and to hell with Georgia Tech".

Kansas: Instead of "bill", some say "beak". However, the University's own site has the official word as "bill".

Luther: In 1988, due to political correctness, the song was changed from "our boys go in" to "our teams go in".

Massachusetts: I've heard both "Fight, fight" and "Fight, fight, fight" on each line with "Fight, ..." on it.

Michigan State: The line "Go right through for MSU" was originally written, "Go right through that line of blue", a reference to Michigan.

North Carolina: the ending "rah rah rah" of the first song is usually substituted with "Go to hell, (opponent)". However, the words listed are the official words.

N.C. State: instead of the words "Come over the hill, Carolina" most people sing "Go to hell, Carolina". However, the words listed are the official words.

Ohio: the line that states "And they are bound to win the fray" is mostly sung "and we are bound to win this game". Also, "boys" has been changed to "team" in the name of political correctness.

RPI: Another change due to PC times. This is the original version--

Hail, dear old Rensselaer, the college of our heart.
For dear old Rensselaer, each man must do his part.
Fight! Fight! Fight!
True sons of Rensselaer, we'll always strive to be.
Now, dear old Rensselaer, hail to thee!

Hear the tramp, tramp, tramp of marching feet.
Hear the rat-tat-tat of drums that beat.
Hear the voices ringing loud and sweet.
Hear that mighty shout of...
Hail, dear old Rensselaer, the college of our heart.
For dear old Rensselaer, each man must do his part.
Fight! Fight! Fight!
True sons of Rensselaer, we'll always strive to be.
Now, dear old Rensselaer, hail to thee!

Texas: this is surely the one that I've gotten the most mail and guestbook messages about. Most people have told me that the line that I have on the page as "Hail, hail, the gang's all here," is actually sang as "Give 'em hell, give 'em hell, go Horns go". I've actually heard this watching Texas games. Some have also sent in another rendition of the same line. In addition, the second stanza (the one using lines from "Eyes of Texas") is relatively unknown. However, the actual song lyrics are the ones that I have posted. The Showband of the Southwest uses these lyrics.

Texas A&M: after the line "That is the song they sing so well..." most Aggies sing "Sounds like hell". However, the official Aggie Songbook, from which I found the lyrics, does not include these words.

Toledo: the traditional line states "Men of the varsity". It was changed to make it the PC "Teams of the varsity".

Washington: From Toby Nelson--
Lyrical differences in 'Bow Down to Washington' ...

Lyricist Lester Wilson wrote the first phrase of the chorus as "Dobie, Dobie Pride of Washington", instead of "Heaven Help the Foes of Washington". The ASUW enacted an amendment to change the lyrics after Gilmore Dobie resigned as football coach in 1918.

The very rarely used, and now almost completely forgot, first verse of 'Bow' replaces everything in the intro after the first two lines with--

"From across the land they send their teams of great renown,
But on the field of battle they are trampled into the ground,
Pull the Golden Bear,
From his mighty lair,
And we'll drag his carcass with us to the Northland."

and the last two lines of the chorus with--

"And when we snare that Golden Bear,
You'll never carry him back to California."

as 'Bow' was originally written as specifically an anti-UC, Berkeley song.

Western Michigan: The line that states "Onward for the brown and gold" is sometimes sung "Fight on for the brown and gold".

Wisconsin: The line "run the ball clear down the field" has three alternatives that I know of. These are "Run the ball clear down the field boys", "Run the ball clear 'round Chicago", and "Run the ball 'round Minnesota". The first version was the "clear 'round Chicago" version; however, since Chicago and Wisconsin do not play against each other anymore, the song was updated to the version on the page.