The California Indian Song is a school fight song of the University of California, Berkeley, written by Harold Bingham in 1907 celebrating the rivalry between the California Golden Bears and the Stanford Cardinal. At that time, the mascot of Stanford University was the Stanford Indian, but the mascot was abandoned in 1972 because it was considered offensive. The California Indian Song was also abandoned, but has recently found a new fan base among Golden Bears fans.
The song is currently played by the Cal Band at athletic events or rallies against Stanford, but the band only plays the chorus as the other verses are yelled to mimic a Native American war chant. In addition, the lyrics are not regularly sung at official events due to the politically insensitive themes.[1] The "tomahawk" referenced in the chorus refers to the Stanford Axe.
Chorus
We're gonna scalp you, Stanford
We're going to scalp you blue;
We'll do it with your tomahawk
We took from you. Rah! Rah! Rah!
All 'round our belts we'll hang them
To show all our friends who's dead;
We're gonna carve some blockheads
Whose scalps are red.
We are fighting Californians
For the Gold and Blue
We are starting on a warpath
For a scalp or two.
Our blood's up and simply boiling,
What can Stanford do?
We are starting on the warpath
For a scalp or two. Soooooo
'repeat chorus'
We are hotfoot after Stanford,
Camping on her trail;
With our tomahawk before us
We can never fail.
Getting ready for the war dance,
All our warriors true;
We are putting on our war paint,
Royal Gold and Blue. Forrrrrrr...
'repeat chorus'
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