Linfield (in
Oregon) is uncommon. Why does it have a common fight song (from Wisconsin)?
Linfield
is uncommon. Why does it have a common fight song?
“On
Wisconsin!” (with a different title, “On Linfield!” and slightly difference
lyrics) is Linfield’s fight song.
“On
Wisconsin!” was composed in 1909. The University of Wisconsin-Madison marching
band website says ‘On Wisconsin!’ is not only the university’s fight song, it’s
also the official State Song of Wisconsin. “It is undoubtedly one of the most
popular school songs in the country and has been adopted by thousands of high
school bands. It is rare to attend a
high school football game anywhere in the United States and not hear ‘On,
Wisconsin!’ performed by at least one school band.”
( Several
years ago Maxwell Field at Memorial Stadium/Catdome was the site of an NCAA D3
football playoff game. Linfield played a university from Wisconsin. In games
that season Linfield played a recording on its public address system of “On
Wisconsin!” since it’s Linfield’s fight song. But, in this game it was not
played because the opponent school’s players, coaches, staff and fans attending
the game would have thought Linfield was playing it for them, not Linfield.)
Esther
Wright of Linfield College’s Class of 1925 wrote the Linfield Alma Mater music
and lyrics during the school year (1921-1922) when McMinnville College became
Linfield College.
Shouldn’t
a Linfield University student or students write the New Linfield Fight Song
music and lyrics?
Linfield
need to stop using a common fight song. Stop being common. Have an uncommon Linfield
Fight Song.
=According
to the University of Wisconsin March Band website, ‘On, Wisconsin!’ is not only
the University’s ‘fight song,’ but it has also been designated as the official
State Song of Wisconsin. It is
undoubtedly one of the most popular school songs in the country and has been
adopted by thousands of high school bands.
It is rare to attend a high school football game anywhere in the United
States and not hear ‘On, Wisconsin!’ performed by at least one school band.
“The
melody of this famous song was composed in 1909 by W. T. Purdy, a corporation
clerk who, prior to that time, had never set foot in Wisconsin. The words were supplied by Carl Beck, a
former University of Wisconsin student.
In one day, these two young men produced the song that John Philip Sousa
called ‘the finest of college marching songs.’ ”
Additional
reading (there will be a quiz):
=Will a time come when Linfielders will sing the
college fight song at the drop of a hat? (Wildcatville blog Nov 27, 2017)
https://wildcatville.blogspot.com/2017/11/every-college-university-and-school-has.html
=Linfield sports related fight songs (Wildcatville
blog June 12, 2017)
https://wildcatville.blogspot.com/2017/06/linfield-sports-related-fight-songs.html
=“Go Get ‘em, Wildcats” should be Linfield fight
song (Wildcatville blog March 29, 2010)
https://wildcatville.blogspot.com/2008/10/go-get-em-wildcats-should-be-linfield.html
POSTSCRIPT
=Linfield (in Oregon) is uncommon. Why does it have a common fight song (from Wisconsin)?
https://wildcatville.blogspot.com/2022/06/linfield-in-oregon-is-uncommon-why-does.html
