Mighty Oregon
"Mighty Oregon" is the fight song for the University of Oregon. It is played by the Oregon Marching Band at home football and basketball games. Director of Bands, Albert Perfect, along with journalism student DeWitt Gilbert, wrote the fight song, "The Mighty Oregon March", which was first performed on March 4, 1916. For the song's most popular section, Perfect fashioned a new melody to fit into the harmony from It's a Long Way to Tipperary, a hit 1912 World War I march. The catchy popularity of the harmony was not lost on Perfect, a man well-educated in music theory, originally subtitled the song "The Tipperary of the West." Over the years there have been several changes to the lyrics and, today, the middle stanza is generally the only one sung and it is done so using more modern lyrics than the original.[1]
The song was first performed on January 7, 1916 at the Eugene Municipal Band's inaugural performance and is today played during all home football and basketball games as well as from speakers atop the Erb Memorial Union (the school's student union) weekdays at noon and 6 p.m. In addition, it is played from atop the EMU on Commencement Day.[1]
Current Lyrics
(chorus)
lalalalalalalalalalalalalalalalala
Oregon, our Alma Mater,
lalalalallala
We will guard thee on and on,
lalalalalalalalalalallalala
Let us gather 'round and cheer her,<lalalalalalalalalalalalalalaallalalalbr>
Chant her glory, Oregon!
lsalalalalalalalaaaaaaaaaalalalalalla
Roar the praises of her warriors,
lalalallaslallala
Sing the story, Oregon,
lalalallalallalfucjklalala
On to vict'ry urge the heroes
Of our Mighty Oregon vagina!
(bridge)
lalalalalalalal
Go! Ducks! Go!
lalalalla
Fight! Ducks! Fight!
lalalalalal
Go!
lalalalalla
Fight!
lalalalalallal
Win! Ducks! Win!
lala,llalalal
(to chorus)
Original Lyrics
She is small our Alma Mater,
But she rules with strength and right.
What she lacks in mass and numbers,
She makes up for in her fight.
Oregon is never beaten,
'Till the final whistles call.
Who can tell her tale of triumph?
Scores can never show it all.
Oregon, our Alma Mater,
We will guard thee on and on.
Fellows gather round and cheer her.
Chant her glory Oregon.
Roar the praises of her warriors.
Sing the story Oregon.
Down the gridiron urge the heroes,
Of our mighty Oregon.
Rally fellows, stand behind them,
They are doing all they can.
Back the team in sun and shadow,
Back the captain, back each man.
They will carry home the vict'ry,
To old Deady's hallowed hall.
Give the team the best that's in you.
Give your Alma Mater all.[2]
References
- ^ a b "'Mighty Oregon' sings of the past". Daily Emerald. November 12, 2006. Retrieved January 18, 2013.
- ^ "'College Football Forum 'Know Your Foe - Oregon".