On, Wisconsin!
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"On, Wisconsin!" is the fight song of the Wisconsin Badgers athletic teams at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. It is also the state song of Wisconsin.
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[edit] History of the song
The tune was composed in 1909 by William T. Purdy, with the intention of entering it into a competition for a new fight song. Carl Beck, a former University of Wisconsin student, convinced him to allow his alma mater to use it instead. Beck went on to write the original, football-oriented lyrics, changing Purdy's "Minnesota, Minnesota" to "On, Wisconsin! On, Wisconsin!" (The eventual winner of the competition became known as the Minnesota Rouser).
"On, Wisconsin!" was regarded as "the finest of college marching songs" by John Philip Sousa.
The lyrics were rewritten for the state song in 1913 by Judge Charles D. Rosa and J. S. Hubbard. The song was widely recognized as the state song at that time, but was never officially designated. Finally in 1959, "On, Wisconsin!" was codified in Chapter 170, Section 1.10 of the statutes.
Although there are persistent rumors that the rights to the song are owned by Paul McCartney or Michael Jackson (this has even been reported by the Christian Science Monitor [1]), the song is actually in the public domain. [2]
[edit] Battle Cry
"On, Wisconsin!" was the cry that Arthur MacArthur, Jr. used in the Battle of Chattanooga at Missionary Ridge, in the Civil War. He seized the regimental colors, and rallied his regiment with "On, Wisconsin!", for which he was awarded the Medal of Honor.
[edit] University of Wisconsin lyrics
On, Wisconsin! On, Wisconsin!
Plunge right through that line!
Run the ball clear down the field, boys
[originally "Run the ball clear 'round Chicago"]
touchdown sure this time. (You rah rah)
On, Wisconsin! On, Wisconsin!
Fight on for her fame
Fight! Fellows! - fight, fight, fight!
We'll win this game.
On, Wisconsin! On, Wisconsin!
Stand up, Badgers, sing!
"Forward" is our driving spirit,
Loyal voices ring.
On, Wisconsin! On, Wisconsin!
Raise her glowing flame
Stand, Fellows, let us now
Salute her name!
[edit] State Lyrics
On, Wisconsin! On, Wisconsin!
Grand old badger state!
We, thy loyal sons and daughters,
Hail thee, good and great.
On, Wisconsin! On, Wisconsin!
Champion of the right,
"Forward", our motto -
God will give thee might!
[edit] "On, Roughriders!"
The tune was adapted by bandleader Dal Richards as a fight song for the Canadian Football League's Saskatchewan Roughriders, appearing on the 1968 album "Canadian Football Songs." [3]
[edit] External links
- Wisconsin State Song, from Wisconsin.gov
- History of song from UW-Madison Band website
- Article on "On Wisconsin!" from the Capital Times newspaper
- MP3 file of "On, Wisconsin!" played by the UW-Madison Marching Band
- On Wisconsin!. Original sheet music maintained at UW Mills Music Library Special Collections and presented online as part of the Wisconsin Sheet Music Database.
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