The Fighting Gamecocks Lead the Way

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Fighting Gamecocks Lead the Way is the fight song of the University of South Carolina. It was adapted from the musical number Step to the Rear in the Broadway show How Now, Dow Jones and the lyrics were written by Gamecocks football coach Paul Dietzel.

Contents 1 History 2 Lyrics 3 References 4 External links

[edit] History

USC band director James Pritchard obtained a band arrangement of the song Step to the Rear from the Broadway musical How Now, Dow Jones in 1968 and the marching band played the song at the first game of the 1968 season. It caught the ear of Coach Paul Dietzel who contacted Prichard about making it the official fight song of the University to replace the original fight song, Carolina Let Your Voices Ring. Dietzel wrote the lyrics for the song, but asked that he remain anonymous because knowledge that the football coach wrote the lyrics might render it unacceptable to the basketball program. The song was officially introduced on November 16, 1968 prior to the football game against Virginia Tech.^[1]

[edit] Lyrics

Hey, Let's give a cheer, Carolina is here,

The Fighting Gamecocks lead the way.

Who gives a care, If the going gets tough,

And when it is rough, that's when the 'Cocks get going.

Hail to our colors of garnet and Black,

In Carolina pride have we.

So, Go Gamecocks Go - FIGHT!

Drive for the goal - FIGHT!

USC will win today - GO COCKS!

So, let's give a cheer, Carolina is here.

The Fighting Gamecocks All The Way!

[edit] References

1. ^ The Music Library at The University of South Carolina

[edit] External links

• University of South Carolina Fight Song Lyrics
• University of South Carolina Music Library Special Collection of Gamecock Fight Songs

v • d • e University of South Carolina Academics University of South Carolina School of Law • Moore School of Business • Palmetto Health Richland • University of South Carolina Press Athletics South Carolina Gamecocks • Carolina-Clemson Rivalry Men's Sports: Baseball • Basketball • Football • Soccer • Tennis • Track & Field Women's Sports: Basketball • Soccer • Softball • Tennis • Track & Field • Volleyball Facilities: Williams-Brice Stadium • Colonial Center • Sarge Frye Field • Stone Stadium • New South Carolina Ballpark People: Mark Berson • Curtis Frye • Darrin Horn • Steve Spurrier • Ray Tanner Campus The Horseshoe • Currell College • Melton Memorial Observatory • South Carolina Institute of Anthropology and Archaeology • W. Gordon Belser Arboretum • Koger Center for the Arts Student life Cocky • The Daily Gamecock • WUSC • The Fighting Gamecocks Lead the Way • We Hail Thee Carolina Miscellaneous Notable Gamecocks • Presidents • Board of Trustees • History of the University • Clariosophic • Euphradian • S.C.C. Cadets

v • d • e Official Fight Songs of the Southeastern Conference Eastern Division Orange and Blue (Florida) • Glory, Glory (Georgia) • On, On, U of K (Kentucky) • The Fighting Gamecocks Lead the Way (South Carolina) • Here's To Old Tennessee (Tennessee) • Dynamite (Vanderbilt) Western Division Yea Alabama (Alabama) • Arkansas Fight Song (Arkansas) • War Eagle (Auburn) • Fight for LSU (LSU) • Forward Rebels (Mississippi) • Hail State (Mississippi State)