Random Question

[88clone]

Does anyone know the author and origin (date written, etc.) of our fight song? I know it's random, but would appreciate the help. Thanks!

 

[RubyClone]

Yellow.

(random answer)

Sorry - no. Found a bit on the Bells of Iowa State. Nothing on the fight song.

 

[IowaStateClones]

Mozart

 

[ISUCubswin]

Lancelot and Elaine flew in with the lyrics in their mouth back in 1922. No one knows where they came from.

 

[ISUCubswin]

1920 - Fight, Ames, Fight

Fight Ames FightWords and Music by Charles F. Bassett, Class of 1921.
Arrangement by Marion Lucille Bassett.
Copyright 1920 by George S. Bassett.

We're a bunch of loyal boosters for our Alma Mater Ames,
Best college in the U.S.A., the one that wins its games,
We're here to help the Cyclones, with our yells and spirit too,
Just watch them while they buck the line, and see them go right thru.
Now a Cyclone's mighty dang'rous when it strikes a western field.
It tears up ev'rything in sight, what's in its way must yield!
Now watch OUR Cyclones "clean them up" in football, wrestling, track!
They do not know what it is to fail, for fight they NEVER lack.

Chorus:

Fight Ames, oh fight you warriors tried and true,
Fight Cyclones fight, we're proud of you,
For when you fellows take the field you start in right.
Before you're done the game is won for you can fight!
Fight Cyclones fight and we will win this game.
Fight fellows fight, fight all the time!
You're got the "rep" and "pep" boys, so keep on fighting,
Fight Ames! Fight all the time.Fight Ames Fight
Words by S. Minnich
Arranged by Rosalind K. CookFight Ames fight, fight Ames fight,
Fight for Ames with all your might,
For the glory of old I.S.C.
Swing along, sing a song,
With a spirit big and strong,
And our fighters will win victory.
Chorus:
For its fight, fight, fight for the good old I.S.C.,
Winning great glory and fame.
And where'er we go, they will always know,
That our fighters are fighting for Ames."Fight! Ames! Fight!" was used as a marching song by the Iowa State men who served in the 168th Infantry during World War I. The song inspired a 1917 Harvard graduate, Harold Williard Gleason to write the following poem:Fight Ames Fight

Fourth down, three, and the tension grows-
Stands are hushed-then the eager crowd
In the stadium, rows on rows,
Voice their war cry in cadence loud;
Crouching linemen react like springs;
Backs drive forward, the ball clutched tight
Nerved anew as the chorus rings
Over the chalk lines, "Fight! Ames! Fight!"​

​

​

Fog and mud and a cheerless dawn;
Whispers pass through the sullen rain-
"Two minutes more, boys! Pass it out!"
Then-a whistle shrills-ends the strain;
Rattle of stones from the parapet
As soldiers scrambled to left and right
Mounting; eyes flashing brighter yet
At the heart stirring slogan, "Fight! Ames! Fight!"​

​

​

Thus they answered when honor called,
Giving all to their country's needs;
Leaving their college stately walled-
Blazing her name with splendid deeds.
Heroes, late of the football field,
Doing battle for God and Right,
Shoulder to shoulder, never to yield,
​

​

​

With their glorious war cry, "Fight! Ames! Fight!"

 

[ISUCubswin]

1924, State College of Iowa emerged as the fight song

 

[bos]

I just assumed it came from the Old Testament.

 

[CtownCyclone]

I thought Meredith Wilson wrote it, but he wrote "For I, For S, Forever" for us.

 

[carvers4math]

Yea, may have been on the tablet as the 11th commandment.

Actually, very hard to find this info. Need a marching band member to enlighten us, although they probably haven't seen the music since day one on campus.

 

[NenoFone]

Contact the music department, they would know. I know a new arrangement was made in 1981 but games like EA sports NCAA still have copies of the old version, I always thought that was strange. For non-music people the difference is in the old version the trumpets play the melody all the way through, in the new arrangement the trombones take over the melody in the 2nd strain whilst the trumpets play little fanfares.

 

[ISUCubswin]

While looking, I discovered that Cy flew into a Homecoming game via helicopter in 1968. Pretty cool.

 

[ISUCubswin]

For those who like looking at Iowa State history, or want to look more into this, visit this site and search for whatever you want in the top right. Lots of Iowa State history

http://www.add.lib.iastate.edu/spcl/

 

[carvers4math]

I found some sheet music only where it usually puts composer and year, it just says "Traditional." :spinny:

 

[Spam]

It's an awesome fight song. Fred must have written it.

 

[CycoCyclone]

I can't believe this isn't known/readily available.

 

[NenoFone]

Here's what it reads on the sheet music that have:

Trumpet 1 ISU Fights '81a

That's it.

 

[ISUCubswin]

It was before 1949

 

[ISUCubswin]

My guess is that "Fight, Ames, Fight" has slowly been remastered into what we have today.

Most fight songs don't mention football. Fight, Ames, Fight and ISU Fight both mention football.

 

[88clone]

Thanks for all of the responses. I didn't know if this was well known, but I'd never heard it.

At least it's not like those boys from eastern Iowa that have "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas" for their fight song.

The song is mostly a contrafact to his hit, "It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas,"

Link

 

[carvers4math]

Seems like a good research project for Library Special Collections and the Music Department.