“we are cc”: a ‘fight song’ for colorado college by daniel
TRANSCRIPT
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“We are CC”: A ‘Fight Song’ for Colorado College
by Daniel F. Morris
A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the
requirements for the degree, Bachelor of Arts
(Music)
The Colorado College
2/17/16
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“We are CC”: A ‘Fight Song’ for Colorado College
Sections:
1. Music History at CC
a. Provides a timeline of music history at Colorado College. Introduces the idea
of communal singing and its diminishing presence on campus over time.
2. Fight Songs across the U.S.
a. Defines three categories of fight songs across the U.S. and highlights a few
examples of these categories. Relates aspects of these songs back to a fight
song at CC.
3. “We Are CC”
a. The fight song lyrics, chords, and description. Highlighted in the lyrics are all
the keywords or phrases that can be supported by research in the “CC as it is”
subsection.
4. The CC Community
a. Identifies and analyzes key ideals, symbols, and commonalities within the CC
community. Addresses the fact that there are different micro-communities
within the larger CC community that would all have varying perspectives on
the fight song.
Acknowledgements: Thank you to those people who helped in the completion of this capstone
project, including those who were interviewed, responded to surveys, or
assisted in the research in any way. Furthermore, thank you to my advisors,
Ryan Bañagale and Ofer Ben-Amots, for their advice and support.
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Introduction
Pasadena, California’s year-round climate made for a sunny New Year’s Day when the
University of Wisconsin Badgers faced off against the Stanford Cardinals for the 99th
annual
Rose Bowl. It was a clash of two giants in the college football world: The Big-Ten Conference
champions versus the PAC-12 Conference champions, respectively--two number one teams, each
from a highly competitive conference. With an attendance of over 93,000 fans and a viewership
of over seventeen million, the atmosphere was ecstatic. Suspense of knowing who will come out
on top filled the air of the stadium as fans found their seats—although these are not very
important because they will be standing for most of the game—and took in the sounds of the
stadium in anticipation of the first kick-off.
When in attendance at a game like this, or any game in college football, the energy
around the stadium is overwhelming. The Rose Bowl can be likened to a modern-day
Colosseum; bringing the fiercest competition to the field for the entertainment of the masses. The
fans are divided between the two competitors, singing and chanting in support of their side.
Depending on the events of the game, you and everyone around you might chant in support of
your team’s defensive line or grimace at the sight of the opposing team scoring a touchdown.
Throughout the game there is a sense of community engagement for what is happening on the
field. Team mascots, logos, and school colors all worn by supporting fans create this sense of
community. However, one of the hallmarks of college football that ties in all of these elements,
one of the key unifying elements that create this community engagement, is the fight song.
Imagining the scene at the 2013 Rose Bowl, you probably did not specifically hear the
tunes for “On, Wisconsin” or Stanford’s adaptation of the hit single “All Right Now” by the
English rock band Free—unless, of course, you have some familiarity with the traditions around
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Wisconsin or Stanford athletics. What you most likely did imagine, however, is the presence of a
marching band, or two, playing from opposite sides of the stadium, producing powerful, brassy,
and percussive music that seems to take control over everyone around you as they begin belting
lyrics in support of their team. To an outsider, this may seem a bit intimidating. It is as if
someone flips a switch and everyone begins chanting the same ritualistic words in devotion to
something larger than themselves. Or, they begin to sing in unison, the same song, repeatedly,
entranced by the music. This is the effect fight songs can have at colleges and universities all
across the United States.
Most colleges and universities across the United States have an official fight song, but
this not the case for Colorado College (henceforth also referred to as “CC”). Although, this may
not be all that surprising given that CC does not have a football team, is only 2,000 students
strong, and is a privately funded liberal arts college. None of these attributes come comparatively
close to either of the teams in the 2013 Rose Bowl or any school that has a Division I football
team. The current CC community simply does not embody the ‘Rah-Rah’ mentality around
sports.1 However, from 1885 until 2009 there was a Division III football team at CC and, even
more, the school still boasts having two Division I sports (Men’s Ice Hockey and Women’s
soccer). As expected, the football tradition at CC was accompanied by a fight song for many
years, titled “Colorado C Men.” There are records of the song being sung at football games,
reunions, and homecoming going back to the 1940s, but it fell out of use during the 1970s.2 The
song existed and was sung within the community going back to at least 1924 when it was
1 2014 Knowledge Development Team Research. Personal Communication with Colorado College Office of
Communications. https://www.coloradocollege.edu/offices/communications/ (last accessed February 17, 2016) 2 Special Collections at Colorado College, Colorado Springs, CO: CC Publications folder.
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mentioned in this first-hand account that describes a “serenade” (campus gathering for singing as
a group) outside of Bemis Hall:
The first all college serenade in the history of the college was given Friday night.
The serenade took place in the quadrangle, and was well received by the C.C.
coeds… Art Gow's orchestra furnished the music for the affair. A few of the latest
jazz numbers were given by the orchestra. This was followed by 'Colorado C.
Men'…3
Interestingly enough, the song belonged to another institution, Washington and Lee University.
The tune of “Washington and Lee Swing” received words that were altered to fit CC (see section
2: Fight Songs across the United States).
No official fight song currently exists at Colorado College. The goal of this project is to
produce a fight song that represents CC in the present day, while incorporating research from the
musical history of CC as well as the origins and use of fight songs at other institutions. In recent
years (2013-present), CC president Jill Tiefenthaler developed and began the implementation of
the new Colorado College Plan: Building on the Block. One aspect of this plan includes a master
communications plan designed to present CC in a way that “reflect[s] the nuances of our
distinctive curricula and programs and our special place, signifying who we are as an academic
community.”4 The goal of the communications plan is to build a stronger identity for CC that can
then be presented and branded to extend beyond the immediate campus community. The current
capstone project is an extension of this plan as it attempts to capture qualities of CC, including its
history and ideals of the current community, and translate this research into a fight song that can
both be enjoyed by the on-campus community as well as branded and presented beyond the
immediate campus community. The research included in this project, incidentally, includes some
of the same research that is being used by the Knowledge Development Team responsible for the
3 https://www.coloradocollege.edu/aapps/tours/walkingtour/bemis.php (last accessed February 17, 2016).
4 https://www.coloradocollege.edu/other/strategicplan/progress/implementing.dot (last accessed February 17, 2016).
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redesign of the CC logo (part of the master communications plan). In this way, surveys and
interviews of members of the CC community are used to identify the themes and symbols that
are incorporated into the lyrics of the new Colorado College fight song.
Given that CC does not have a football team and is a small liberal arts college, does it
even need a fight song? As will be shown in this paper, a fight song is based in the tradition of
athletics and serves as a rallying point when large groups of the school community are together
to support one another. The CC community gets together for formal college affairs
(commencement, baccalaureate, and convocation) as well as annual campus events such as Blues
and Shoes and Llamapalooza. None of these events are typical venues for which a traditional
fight song would be used. Again, imagine the 2013 Rose Bowl as a setting for a traditional fight
song. At face-value, it may seem that CC does not need a fight song because we do not have
sporting events on any scale comparable to the epic clash between Wisconsin and Stanford.
However, a fight song would fill such a role perfectly in a CC hockey game at the World Arena
before 7,000 dedicated fans.5 How can a single song balance these opposing needs? We need a
song that can be adapted and arranged for both a campus community setting-- Blues and Shoes
or Llamapalooza--and an arrangement that can be played over the loud speakers at sporting
events: one arrangement for the campus, and the other for sporting events and school advertising.
This would balance the values and practicality of a fight song on-campus while still recognizing
the athletics department’s desire for a traditional fight song, as might fit better with the presence
music had on campus early on in CC history.
5 http://www.uscho.com/stats/attendance/division-i-men/2013-2014/ (last accessed February 17, 2016).
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Music History at CC
There is a long and eclectic history of music at Colorado College. The school’s unique
musical past includes the ‘de facto’ fight song—“Colorado College C Men” (see appendix D)—
taken from another university but containing words written for CC, many adapted popular tunes
from the early twentieth century, and a few original compositions written specifically for the
college. The earliest piece of music in the archives at Colorado College is a song printed in the
1905 yearbook titled “The Invocation of the Tiger Spirit” with words and music written by B. B.
Strock, who graduated in that year.6 However, music had a presence on campus prior to this time
as some songs from the early twentieth century were written by alumni as early as 1902,
meaning that music had a strong presence on campus even before “The Invocation of the Tiger
Spirit” was written. The strong musical presence on campus has helped garner a sense of
community at CC since a very early time in the college’s history. Over time, however, the large
number of campus songs has fallen out of use.
Campus songs are an example of something that brings a community together. The
bonding of a community through communal action has been called Communitas. Coined in 1967
by anthropologist Victor Turner, communitas describes the emotional state people attain when
performing group activities.7 This emotional state is thought to create a stronger bond within the
community. Music, undeniably tied with emotion, facilitates this sense of communitas. In the
early twentieth century CC fostered a strong sense of communitas through the music that was
sung in groups. Songs such as “Colorado College,” or “Colorado, hail!” were sung at gatherings
on-campus including football games, dinners, and as in the above example, all-college
6 “Invocation of the Tiger Spirit.” Special Collections at Colorado College, Colorado Springs, CO: CC Publications
folder. 7 Turner, Victor. Forest of Symbols. 1967.
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serenades.8 People knew these songs, in part because of how often they were sung at social
gatherings and sporting events, but also, because they were written down in pamphlets and given
to the students for their reference. Some of these pamphlets still exist in the CC archives today
and are excellent examples of how prevalent group singing was on CC campus in the early
twentieth century. Regardless, as further investigation into the history of song at CC reveals, this
manifestation of communitas began to diminish as the school moved further into the middle of
the twentieth century.
The next item found on the timeline of CC’s musical past is a collection of lyrics to songs
written by CC alumni, published in the yearbook of 1907.9 A few of these songs reappear in later
items such as “Colorado College” to the tune of “Gaudeamus Igitur” and words by Marion
McGregor Noyes; “In Sunny Colorado,” an original tune with no musical record in the CC
archives except the lyrics written by J. H. Nash, 1904 and harmonized by C. W. Bowers; and
“Colorado, Hail!” to the tune of the march-like English folk song “March of the Men of Harlech”
with words by Mildred H. Humphrey, 190710
. A final example exists in “The Colorado Mascot”
to the tune of “Mister Dooley” and words by Donald DeWitt 1903 with a chorus that may have
been adapted for “Our Colorado,” a different Colorado College song published in 1915 that will
be discussed later. Notably, “In Sunny Colorado” is the only song in this collection with original
music. The rest have all been adapted from existing melodies. The adaptation of preexisting
songs and changing the lyrics to better fit CC continues to be a trend as we move through CC’s
8 https://www.coloradocollege.edu/aapps/tours/walkingtour/bemis.php (last accessed February 17, 2016).
9 All contributors are alumni with the exception of Marion McGregor Noyes and C. W. Bowers whose names are not
followed by a class year. 10
There were no materials in the Colorado College archives that contain these harmonies. No further information on
these harmonies existed.
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musical history. Former CC professor and choir director, Don Jenkins, has deemed this as “their
music, our words.”11
Around 1909, a pamphlet was printed by Donald DeWitt 1903 and Robert M. Work 1903
in order to “encourage the delightful custom of singing on the campus and the athletic field.”12
This pamphlet, along with two other collections printed circa 1912 and 1917, respectively,
includes the largest collection of songs and yells used at CC from this early time in its history.
More than twenty songs are included within these collections. Many of these songs follow the
trend of taking an existing folk or popular melody and applying new lyrics related to CC. The
lyrics to most of these adapted songs were written by Donald DeWitt, 1903. DeWitt graduated
from the college in 1903 and became an instructor in public speaking at CC by 1906.13
The songs
in the pamphlet are presented with the title, the key, the name of the original tune, and the CC
adaptation of the lyrics. The large number of songs included in the pamphlet provides evidence
for the prevalent place that song and communal singing held on campus at this time.
Furthermore, official student singing groups existed, such as, the Colorado College Glee Club as
evidenced by a single publication from 1915 called “Colorado Rose”. 14
Members of the CC
community at this time were aware of the popular tunes that each song was adapted from. The
familiarity of the music made it easier for the community to learn the adapted lyrics. This
communal singing aspect of CC culture began to diminish as the school moves away from
traditions of the nineteenth century and further into those the middle of the 20th
century; most
notably, with the lack of an official fight song.
11
Jenkins, Don. Personal Interview. 4 September 2015. 12
Special Collections at Colorado College, Colorado Springs, CO: CC Publications folder. These are the same
author as “The Colorado Mascot”. 13
The Nugget, 1907: 40/284. Special Collections at Colorado College, Colorado Springs, CO; Colorado Springs,
CO. 14
Special Collections at Colorado College, Colorado Springs, CO.
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Each newly compiled pamphlet includes slight changes to the college repertoire,
demonstrating a gradually changing culture of communal singing on campus. In 1912, another
pamphlet titled “Tiger Club” was printed to consolidate the various songs used at the time. Many
of these same songs were in the pamphlet printed in 1909, with words written to a pre-existing
tune. In this new collection, however, a new song was added, entitled “Colorado College,” with
words by Lois Virginia Stoddard ’02 and music by Robert Berryhill ’13. Both the words and
music were written by members of the CC community: words by an alumnus and music by a
contemporary third year student. This song was printed as a supplement to the former college
newspaper The Tiger on May 9, 1912. Presumably, the printed version on May 9 predated the
lyrics that were printed in the same year in “Tiger Club.” This song is one of the few, at this
point in CC history, that has original music written for the college.
In 1915, however, three original songs were published by two CC alumni: words by
Allison T. French, 1910, and music by Earl W. Hille, 1911. 15
These songs were “Our
Colorado,”16
“The Black and the Gold,” and “The Bruin Inn” (see appendices A, B, and C). All
reflecting different aspects of CC, “Our Colorado” served as an unofficial alma mater for the
college, along with aforementioned “Colorado College,” “The Black and the Gold” represented
school pride and was potentially used in the athletic realm. “The Bruin Inn” pays homage to a
place that was special to the CC community that used to exist in Cheyenne canyon, but later
burned down some time in the 1940s. “Our Colorado” is in a major tonality and follows a
strophic form. The verse hints at nostalgic ideas by describing the meaningful places around
campus and using a melody that almost borders on an alma mater. Interestingly, the chorus of
15
Although these three songs were published in 1915, lyrics to “Our Colorado” appear in the 1912 Tiger Club
collection of songs and yells. In the CC archives this collection has written on it “1912?” by hand. It is possible that
either, the song was written and used at CC before its publication in 1915, or that the hand-written date is incorrect
as found in the archives.
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“Our Colorado” sounds remarkably similar to the chorus of “Mr. Dooley.”17
“Mister Dooley” is
a song from the 1902 production of The Wizard of Oz on Broadway, popularized by Edward M.
Favor who recorded it for Columbia Records in that same year.1 The song was popular at CC, as
is evidenced by its inclusion in the pamphlets and may have influenced the composers for the
chorus of “Our Colorado.” Both choruses are quite similar melodically, although the verses vary
greatly. The legacy of these three songs is remarkable. They have stood the test of time and are
still performed by the Colorado College Tour Choir. Their publication in 1915 may be further
evidence of the importance group singing had on campus in 1915.
Due to the prominence of community singing at Colorado College, it may not have felt
necessary to have any song (or songs) be deemed ‘official’ by the college. As previously
mentioned, at this point in 1915, the college had neither an official alma mater nor an official
fight song. The community on campus seems to have strongly encouraged group song and
therefore had a large repertoire of material to sing. The practice of having an official fight song
at an institution was still relatively new at this time (Notre Dame’s classic “Notre Dame Victory
March” was not written until 1917). Despite these three uniquely CC songs having been
published in 1915, the culture of unofficial community singing was still present in 1917 when yet
another collection of songs and yells was printed. This collection still included some of the same
“our words, their music” tunes from the 1909 collection.
Out of all the music that is a part of CC history, one unexpected piece still remains to be
mentioned: “America, the beautiful.” The song that has become an unofficial hymn for the
college was first sung at the 1946 commencement ceremony and since 1976 it has become an
annual musical tradition at every commencement ceremony. This iconic national song was
17
According to this recording done in 1902 taken off of youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9IZeoxn7BQ.
(last accessed February 17, 2016)
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written by Katherine Lee Bates in the summer of 1893 while teaching at Colorado College. She
was inspired by Pikes Peak and the surrounding region and composed the poem in her room at
the original Antler’s Hotel in downtown Colorado Springs. In 1910, the poem was put to a tune
written by Samuel A. Ward. Within the well-known lyrics, one can hear the inspiration that
comes from the Pike’s Peak region. “Spacious skies…amber waves of grain…purple mountain
majesties” all generate tangible images from the view atop the Peak. The song is included in
official college ceremonies such as commencement, baccalaureate, and convocation due to the
song’s ties to the school through Bates. Therefore, it is integral to the communitas within the CC
community. America, the Beautiful was the original inspiration in the compositional process for
this new fight song for CC.
Colorado College has a long history of communal singing on campus. However, with the
exception of a fight song for only a portion of the school’s history, athletics have not been a part
of this tradition. Students sang songs on campus as a mechanism for communitas; not primarily
in support of the athletics programs. That is why I propose two versions for a new CC fight song:
one, for the community and another, for athletic events. Both will borrow inspiration from the
locally rooted song “America the Beautiful.” Across the United States colleges and universities
have a long tradition of fight songs, some dating back to the beginning of the twentieth century.
The origins of each school’s fight song and the traditions associated with each song are unique to
that school. How do other institutions use fight songs? How did they become a part of tradition?
How are they used? Answers to these questions are necessary for developing a fight song at CC
and will be examined in the proceeding section.
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Fight Songs across the U.S.
The ‘fight song’ is an integral aspect of the American collegiate athletic system. Nearly
all major academic institutions have an official fight song that is sung, traditionally, at football
games and other sporting events. Most colleges and universities have also arranged these songs
for full marching bands that play the tune in the stadium along with the fans. Colorado College is
an exception to these generalizations around collegiate athletics. Colorado College no longer has
a football team and does not have an official fight song. Because the ultimate goal of this project
to write a fight song for CC, it is necessary to examine the history of American collegiate fight
songs, how they are used and incorporated into tradition, and to highlight a few notable and
relevant fight songs across the country, particularly as they relate back to CC.
To begin, it should be noted that limited research has actually been done on the subject of
American fight songs. Much of my research has been conducted through university websites
and/or publications that give a brief background of the history of the tune and the lyrics. These
sources are nonacademic and may be inaccurate or biased in some way. The websites of
institutions are less concerned with correct research or research methods, than they are with
presenting their institution well. Fight songs are not just history and tradition but are a form of
school branding and advertisement as well (especially with the University of Tennessee’s fight
song, as will be discussed). The research presented in this paper provides a broad sweep of fight
songs at institutions and highlights a few that are relevant to the uniqueness of the current
project. Of the few academic resources available in this field, most merely identify the more
famous fight songs and discuss them briefly in the context of a broad historical timeline. There is
little definition or examination of these songs in terms of origin of composition in the available
research. The remainder of this section will attempt to redress these shortcomings.
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Although necessary to formulate a timeline of college fight songs in this field of study,
for this project it is important to define the different origins of fight songs and how they were
composed. Fight songs fall into one of three distinct categories of compositional origin: original
self-composed, adapted (tune taken from folk or popular tunes), or borrowed (taking a
preexisting fight song and making it the institution’s own by retaining the music but changing
the words). Original self-composed fight songs were written specifically for the institution, often
composed by an alumnus of the school. Both adapted and borrowed fight songs can be described
using Don Jenkins’ term “their music, our words.” These three categories are commonly found
when researching United States college and university fight songs.
Fight songs fall under the umbrella of ‘College Songs,’ which also includes the alma
mater. The alma mater, Latin for ‘kind mother,’ was originally used as a name for the institution
one has graduated from but has since been used also to refer to a song of that institution. Often
hymn-like, the alma mater is slower in tempo, calmer, and is intended to reflect a feeling of
nostalgia for the years spent at the institution. The first commissioned alma mater was written for
Harvard University’s 200th
anniversary in 1836. Although commissioned specifically for the
school, the melody is that of the traditional tune “My lodging is on the cold ground.”18
Almost
forty years later, in 1872, two alumni of Cornell University wrote “Far above Cayuga’s Waters”
based off of the 1858 song by H. S. Thompson, “Annie Lisle.”19
Around the turn of the twentieth
century fight songs were beginning to be used at institutions in the United States for school
rallies and sporting events; primarily American football games. The prominence of the fight song
grew steadily in the first half of the 20th
century and became commonplace after the middle of
18
Bailey, D., 1986: 470-474. 19
Studwell, W. E., 1995: 126.
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the 20th
century; consequently, in the same way American college football popularity grew in a
similar time frame.
Boston College’s “For Boston” is thought to be one of the oldest fight songs still in
existence, but this is contentious. For the purposes of this study, it is also an example of an
original self-composed fight song. Many within the Boston College community claim that the
song dates back to 1885 and is “the nation’s oldest fight song.” As it turns out, this is most likely
not true.20
Composed by alumnus Thomas J. Hurley, class of 1885, the common thought is that
the song dates back from that same year. However, according to Jeremiah McGrann, associate
chair of the music department, “As best can be determined, ‘For Boston’ dates from between
1913 and 1919…”21
McGrann’s claim stems from the fact that the song references a building on
campus that did not exist until 1913. Accordingly, in its current form, the song could not have
been written before that time. He further cites that the song was first accredited to Hurley in
1919. This is an example of why research in this area is difficult. Boston College would love to
boast they have the oldest fight song still in use because it highlights the history, tradition, and
uniqueness of the institution. However, this ‘fact’ about their fight song is most likely untrue.
McGrann also cites multiple requests for college songs sent out by the Stylus (campus
newspaper): “first in the fall of 1885 just after Hurley graduated; then again in April 1886; in
March 1888 a competition…”22
This was quite common in the early twentieth century for
schools, who did not have college songs (either alma maters or fight songs) to hold competitions
and awards for students to write songs for the institution. The Colorado College yearbook did the
same in 1907. The yearbook of 1907 includes a collection of campus songs (as discussed above)
and concludes with the observation that with “no acceptable original song having been submitted
20
https://www.bc.edu/offices/bands/ensembles/marching/faq.html (last accessed February 17, 2016) 21
McGrann, J. W.: 9. 22
McGrann, J. W.: 9.
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in response to our offer, the twenty-dollar prize was not awarded. We hope this offer will be
repeated until a really meritorious song is contributed.”23
Although not the case at Colorado
College, original self-composed fight songs were common at other institutions during the early
twentieth century. This is the case for what is arguably the most famous fight song: “The Notre
Dame Victory March” at the University of Notre Dame.
“The Notre Dame Victory March” was written by the Shea brothers Michael and John,
class of 1905 and 1906, respectively. The song was copyrighted, published, and premiered in
1908 when Michael Shea played it on an organ in Holyoke, Massachusetts. Although it was not
copyrighted by the University until 1928, it was first played on campus in 1909, a mere one year
after its initial publication. In 1969, the year of college football’s centennial, “Notre Dame
Victory March” was deemed the “greatest of all fight songs.”24
But, why has the song become so
famous?
The answer to this question is inevitably due in part to the presence Notre Dame Football
has had in college football since 1887, and likewise, the same fight song that has accompanied
the team for most of this time. However, tradition and history do not answer why the song has
remained popular for such a long stretch of time. The music is upbeat, energetic, and, most
importantly, catchy. As is necessary for a fight song, the tune is simple and easy to remember.
The melody of the chorus (see Ex. 1) is comprised of a sequence of rising minor seconds that end
on the fifth scale degree after 8 bars.
23
Colorado College Yearbook of 1907. Special Collections at Colorado College, Colorado Springs, CO;
Publications folder. Perhaps I should request $20 from the college for my own composition? 24
http://www.und.com/trads/nd-fightsong.html (last accessed February 17, 2016)
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Ex. 1: The chorus of “The Notre Dame Victory March.” 25
This tension is resolved by the next phrase which is essentially a descending major scale starting
from the tonic and ending with the tonic major arpeggio (mm. 9-11). The final phrase of the
melody (mm. 17-24) uses the secondary dominant so that the melody terminates on the dominant
harmony. This allows the return to the beginning of the melody seem quite natural. Thus, the
song has a naturally cyclic nature allowing those who are singing it to repeat the chorus as many
times as is necessary for the context. For example, at a football game after Notre Dame scores a
touchdown the fans, as well as the band can repeat the chorus until the celebration is over and the
game resumes. This original self-composed fight song is simple, easy to remember, and contains
a form which facilitates repetition depending on the context at which it is sung. The “Notre
Dame Victory March” is an excellent reflection of the institution itself in its history and of an
original self-composed fight song. Composed by members of the school’s community, Notre
Dame’s fight song is one of the most famous of all American College/university fight songs, but
many other beloved fight songs were not composed by a member of the institution. These
schools adapted popular or folk songs to be played by a marching band and gave them lyrics that
25
Self-Transcribed from The Best of College Football Fight Songs by The Florida State University Marching Band,.
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reflected the institution; namely, that of Clemson University’s “Tiger Rag” and University of
Tennessee’s “Rocky Top.”
Clemson University’s “Tiger Rag” fight song is of unknown origin although it is credited
to The Original Dixieland Jazz Band who recorded it in 1918.26
According to a brief description
on the Clemson College webpage, student band director in 1942, Dean Ross, found sheet music
for “Tiger Rag” and brought it back to the college for the band to play. Since then, it has been
transformed into a sequence of pieces that are all played together before each home game.
Performed by the Clemson Tiger Marching Band, this sequence is called the "90 Minutes Before
Kick-off Concert" and was first performed in 2002. The “Tiger Rag,” as Clemson has arranged
it, includes four of the main themes from the 1917 original. The four themes are labeled as A, B,
C, and D in Ex. 2.
Ex. 2: Excerpt from the 1st Trumpet part from the Tiger Band’s arrangement of “Tiger Rag”.
27
26
Studwell, William E., 1998: 5. and http://www.clemson.edu/about/traditions.html (last accessed February 17,
2016) 27
From the official band website, http://tband.people.clemson.edu/Download_SheetMusic.html (last accessed
February 17, 2016).
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Within the arrangement each theme is played once and then repeated, if needed based on
context. Similar to the “Notre Dame Victory March,” function of the song is built into the form
of the arrangement. There are four distinct themes that can be played independently or repeated
as necessary. At the Tiger Band’s “90 Minutes Before Kick-off Concerts” for example, they may
play all four themes twice, but at a football game they may only play theme A and B depending
on time or what is happening in the game. The same four themes are not always all played
consecutively. Arrangements of the four melodies are used at different contexts within a single
football game; for instance, offensive first downs, defensive third downs, and touchdowns. This
demonstrates the versatility of the arrangement. The original “Tiger Rag” includes many
variations on these themes and would not translate well for the purposes of a fight song. The
Clemson adaptation incorporates only the main themes (stripping down the extra ‘jazziness’ in
the song), simplifies them for ease of learning and singing for the fans, and has therefore
become, as they boast, the “song that shakes the southland.”28
Although Clemson University’s fight song may be the song that shakes the southland, the
University of Tennessee promotes their marching band as “The pride of the Southland Band” and
their signature fight song is “Rocky Top.” “Rocky Top” is another example of an adapted fight
song and is representative of the Tennessee’s rich history in bluegrass music. Originally, the tune
was a bluegrass song written by songwriting couple Felice and Boudleaux Bryant in August of
1967 and the Osborne Brothers first recorded it in that same year. Anecdotally, the song was
written in about 10 minutes by the couple in a room at the Gatlinburg Inn in Gatlinburg,
Tennessee, which lays just an hour drive south of Knoxville (the main campus of the University
28
http://www.clemson.edu/about/traditions.html (last accessed February 17, 2016).
Morris 20
of Tennessee) on the edge of the Great Smokey Mountains National Park. 29
In 1982, the state
assembly of Tennessee voted “Rocky Top” to be an official state song of Tennessee and the
songwriting couple was later inducted into the National Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1986. The
song was first played by the University of Tennessee marching band (AKA the Pride of the
Southland Band) in 1972, just five years after its composition.30
Interestingly, “Rocky Top” is
not the official fight song of the University of Tennessee, but rather an unofficial anthem played
at football games and sung by the campus community. Collaboration between the university and
the Bryant Estate (which owns the rights to “Rocky Top”) led to the establishment of the “Rocky
Top” Institute. It relies on student creativity to turn the song into a brand name, with students
designing logos utilizing the song title and lyrics and creating new designs and products to be
sold by the Institute. The origins of the song allow it to be founded in the culture and region of
the Tennessee, similar to the outdoorsy atmosphere and region of Colorado. Furthermore, the
song itself is a brand name for the school, again, a reflection of its firm foundation in state and
culture. Although performed by marching band more frequently than by bluegrass band, the
arrangement still includes musical elements of bluegrass.
Typical elements of bluegrass that remain in the marching band arrangement are the
form, chords, and lyrics. The song has five verses and a chorus that is sung after the second,
fourth, and final verses; typical of a bluegrass song. Although the form of the original is simple,
it is even further condensed to fit the context of University of Tennessee. The arrangement
played by the Pride of the Southland Band includes a short three measure chromatic introduction
(in bluegrass termed the ‘kick-off’) leading to the tonic, or I chord, and then immediately plays
29
Found in a news story done on the origins of the song. http://www.wbir.com/story/life/music/2014/08/26/rocky-
top-house-of-bryant-songwriting-university-of-tennessee-gatlinburg-inn-marketing/14647827/ (last accessed
February 17, 2016). 30
http://licensing.tennessee.edu/utk/utkofficialsongs.html (last accessed February 17, 2016)
Morris 21
through the melody of the verse, followed by the chorus.31
This form, as has been evident in
other fight songs, is simple and allows for repetition if needed depending on the context in which
it is being played. The transition from bluegrass to marching band is seamless in this
arrangement. The chords used are typical of the bluegrass genre but work smoothly for a
marching band as well. The chords used in the verse are I, IV, I, vi, V, I; expected of a typical
bluegrass song. The chords used in the chorus are vi, V, IV, I, VII, I. This I-VII-I cadence is
found in many bluegrass songs and is a reflection of Tennessee musical culture. Bluegrass is an
integral part of Tennessee culture, thus, it only makes sense that the University of Tennessee
anthem and one of the state songs are from this genre. The elements of bluegrass that are
incorporated into the song allow the fan-base of Tennesseans to relate too and understand the
song more easily. This fight song is a clear representation of the culture and community it is
intended for. This may be one reason that in 2015 the College Football Fan Index found
University of Tennessee’s “Rocky Top” to be the number one fight song in all of college
football.32
This may be quite an honor for an adapted bluegrass fight song that is not actually the
‘official’ fight song. That honor is afforded to “Down the Line,” an example of the third type of
fight song: borrowed.
Borrowed fight songs are common throughout colleges and universities in the United
States as well as at high schools across the country. But borrowed songs are inherently do not
reflect their institutions. Furthermore, some of these borrowed songs have led to awkward
moments in football history. Not every university can have such an iconic tune as Notre Dame’s
“Notre Dame Victory March” or such a brand name song as “Rocky Top”; therefore, it is only
necessary that many schools have borrowed fight songs from other institutions and used them as
31
The Best of College Football Fight Songs. Track 30. 32
http://fanindex.usatoday.com/2015/10/24/the-top-10-fight-songs-in-college-football/ (last accessed February 17,
2016)
Morris 22
their own. The University of Tennessee’s “Down the Field” is also used by the University of
Oregon and was originally used by Yale University.33
Perhaps a more contested example of
borrowed fight songs is that of the University of California, Berkeley’s “Big C” and University
of California, Los Angeles’s (UCLA) “Sons of Westwood.” “Big C” was written for UC
Berkeley in 1911 by Harold P. Williams and N. Loyall McLaren.34
The song was used by UCLA
for about 30 years before they commissioned a new one to “step out from Berkeley’s shadow.” 35
They began using the same fight song during an ‘All-UC’ weekend in which UCLA and UC
Berkeley played double-header football games and in which each school’s marching bands
would perform at half time. The UCLA director at the time, Kelly James, arranged UC
Berkeley’s “Big C,” calling it “Sons of Westwood,” and performed it live during that weekend. It
was accepted so well by the students that it was then adopted as the official UCLA fight song.
Then, in 1984, for fiftieth anniversary the school had a competition of lyrics for a new fight song,
which would then be put to music by composer Bill Conti (a UCLA alumnus). This new song
was titled “The Mighty Bruins” and is still the official fight song for UCLA. However, UCLA
fans do still sing “Sons of Westwood” at football games and the lyrics can still be found on the
UCLA alumni website. Not all examples of borrowed fight songs include rivalries of cross-state
schools. Other examples of borrowed fight songs, such as the “Washington and Lee Swing” for
Washington and Lee University, are just catchy melodies that work for many schools to borrow
as their own; including, Colorado College.
In fact, Colorado College’s adaptation of “The Washington and Lee Swing” is
remarkably similar to the original:
33
Studwell, William E., 1998: 40. 34
http://calband.berkeley.edu/media/cal-songs/#BigC (last accessed February 17, 2016) 35
https://alumni.ucla.edu/ucla-history/ucla-history-songs/ (last accessed February 17, 2016) and
https://alumni.ucla.edu/ucla-history/ucla-history-47/ (last accessed February 17, 2016)
Morris 23
“Washington and Lee Swing”
When Washington and Lee’s Men fall in
line,
We’re going to win again another time;
For W. and L. I yell, yell, yell, yell, yell.
And for the university I yell, I yell like hell
So fight! Fight! Fight! For every yard;
Circle the ends and hit the line right hard
And roll the enemy up in the sod!
“Colorado C Men”
When Colorado C Men fall in line,
We’re going to win again another time;
For old CC I yell, I yell, I yell
For our colors black and gold I yell, I yell
like hell
So fight! Fight! Fight! For every yard,
We’ll circle the end and hit the line right
hard
We’re going to roll Boulder on the sod!
The CC adaptation is almost an exact replica of the original, but with some slight alterations
regarding the name of the school, the replacement of “University” with CC’s school colors, and a
reference to our rival, University of Colorado, Boulder. Otherwise, these two songs are nearly
identical and, for CC, are unrepresentative of the uniqueness of CC. What makes CC so unique?
What themes should a fight song for CC reflect? Below are the lyrics to my newly created fight
song and an explanation of its composition. Following the lyrics will be an analysis of research
that has been done on the CC community to find out, “What makes CC, CC?”
Morris 24
“We Are CC”
This song attempts to encompass musical history at CC, the current values and
perspectives of various communities at CC, and ways in which fight song have been composed
and used at institutions across the country. As demonstrated in the various examples above, a
fight song needs must be rooted in tradition and be easy enough for people to learn and
remember. Therefore, I have used “America the Beautiful” as inspiration for the new CC fight
song. The tune is representative of CC history, due to its long association with the institution,
and is already familiar to the general public. The melody of the verse stems from a transposition
of the original melody of America, the Beautiful with an altered harmony (VII chord) that fits the
bluegrass style. The chorus is an original composition. The lyrics I have written reflect themes
and symbols that were taken from research on the CC community. These lyrics are highlighted in
the stanzas below. However, in order to best reflect the various communities of CC it is arranged
as both a traditional fight song (marching band) and as a college song (bluegrass ensemble). The
chords for the chorus are I, IV, bIII, and VII typical of bluegrass (with the exception of bIII) and
the verses are the same except with a dominant V leading into the chorus. The marching band
arrangement will attempt to reflect the way the University of Tennessee’s “Rocky Top” retains
elements of bluegrass tradition, while still expressing the typical sound and energy of a fight
song. Although not a musical tradition embedded in the state of Colorado, I chose bluegrass as
the second arrangement because of its prevalence on campus. Colorado College currently has
three active bluegrass ensembles that perform regularly on and off campus and increasing
perform further afield, representing CC at festivals such as the Durango Bluegrass Meltdown.
Furthermore, there is a bluegrass festival hosted on campus annually in the spring called Blues
and Shoes. In this way I hope for the bluegrass arrangement to appeal to the on-campus
Morris 25
community (students, faculty, and staff) and for the marching band arraignment to appeal to the
athletics programs, in particular, that of the hockey community and residents of Colorado
Springs who attend these games. See appendices E and F for the notated bluegrass and marching
band arrangements.
Highlighted, are keywords and phrases that can be supported by research in the “CC
Community” subsection.
CHORUS:
To (C)Rocky (G)heights we climb,
Under (C)Pikes Peak’s (G)light we shine!
We (Bb)are (F)C-(C)C! We (F)are (C)C-(G)C!
VERSE:
(G)Immerse yourself in (D)life alone
For (F)that’s how (C)you’ll really (G)know.
Know (G)who you are or (D)what you’ll do
Those (F)questions (C)seem so (G)far.
Go (G)up above, be-(D)yond the Peak
And (F)find what (C)you may (G)find.
For the (G)Black and Gold and what ad-(D)venture holds
If (F)you feel (C)so in- (D)clined.
(CHORUS)
Uniquely are the people here
In-de-pend-ently
Morris 26
We extend our arms so openly
To embrace globally
Hockey:
Though few we are we’ll fight you hard
And return with victory
With tenacity and ferocity
Like Tigers soon you’ll see!
(CHORUS)
Morris 27
The CC Community
In recent years (2013-present), CC has been in a transitional period to modernize and prepare
the school for the future. President Jill Tiefenthaler developed and began the implementation of
the new Colorado College Plan: Building on the Block. One aspect of this plan includes a master
communications plan designed to present CC in a way that “reflect[s] the nuances of our
distinctive curricula and programs and our special place, signifying who we are as an academic
community.”36
The goal of the communications plan is to build a stronger identity for CC that
can then be presented and branded to extend beyond the immediate campus community. The
song above attempts to capture qualities of CC, including its history and ideals of the current
community, so that it can be enjoyed both by the on-campus community as well as branded and
presented beyond the immediate campus community. The following section encapsulates surveys
and interviews and identifies themes that best epitomize the CC community as it is.
Colorado College is a small, selective liberal arts undergraduate institution nestled within the
Rocky Mountain range in Colorado Springs, Colorado. The student body is known for being
eclectic, entrepreneurial, and driven. Founded in 1874, the college has gone through many
academic changes in its history, most notably, the introduction of the block plan in 1970. The
block plan is often what draws students and faculty to Colorado College. It is an intense
academic schedule that completely immerses the students and faculty into the material and
allows for great focus and learning to occur. Over the years a vast, diverse community has
stemmed from Colorado College that extends all across the world. Students, alumni, professors,
and staff reflect a large number of cultures and perspectives. This diversity of perspectives at
Colorado College lends itself to the liberal-minded culture that the community exudes. While
36
https://www.coloradocollege.edu/other/strategicplan/progress/implementing.dot (last accessed February 17, 2016)
Morris 28
still maintaining such a unique academic opportunity for college students, it also represents over
140 years of tradition.
The above introduction identifies those aspects of CC that are most apparent. These facets of
the CC community are what set it apart from other similar institutions across the United States.
The remainder of this section is intended to identify and extract ideals, symbols, and
commonalities that those who are members of the CC community share, which ultimately
informed my inclusion of specific lyrics into the new CC fight song.
Due to the entrepreneurial nature of the students and the diverse perspectives the community
reflects, it can be difficult to identify those things that bring the CC community together. A fight
song, or ‘college song,’ would reach all aspects of the CC community and would be received
differently depending on the nature of that community. For example, a lyric could not be
included that discusses politically left ideology (representative of the majority of the current on-
campus community) because the lyric will likely conflict with the broader Colorado Springs
community. Members of this community would hear the song while at CC hosted events (e.g.
hockey games) and this community is often politically more right than our on-campus
community. The need for including the Colorado Springs community in this research is not only
for the purpose of the fan base they provide at hockey games, but also for the purpose of
advertising and branding the school as it relates the communications plan mentioned above. Due
to clashes in perspective of the various micro-communities that exist in and around CC, the
community as a whole must be identified and analyzed to incorporate the most appropriate
ideals, symbols, and commonalities into the song. In my research, I draw on three main data
sets: a 1997 research study done by a logo redesign team; a 2014 research study done by
Morris 29
different logo redesign team; and my own 2015 survey of current CC upperclassmen. The
surveys include data from students, staff, faculty, parents, and alumni.
There are three primary segments of the CC community that are evident in the research: the
on-campus community (students, staff, and faculty), the Colorado Springs community (those
who attend hockey games and other CC hosted events), and the off-campus community (alumni,
parents, and prospective students). All three of these communities would be influenced by the
nature of the fight song and, therefore, need to be included in identifying the ideals, symbols, and
commonalities amongst the CC community as a whole. This section will analyze the various
importance of the Tiger as a mascot, the location in which CC is located that fosters an outdoors-
loving culture, the block plan, and the nature of the people who attend or work at CC.
The earliest reference to Colorado College athletics came in the 1901 yearbook, The Pike’s
Peak Nugget. There is no explanation as to the origin of the Tiger as the mascot, however. The
earliest musical reference to the Tiger comes from the earliest song on record, “The Tiger
Victory Song” from 1905.37
Despite the history of the Tiger as a mascot, CC students do not
appear to identify with it as a symbol of the school. In response to the prompt “In one word or
phrase, describe what makes CC, CC…,” not one respondent to the survey (all upperclassmen:
86% seniors and 14% juniors) identified the Tiger as representative of the school. According to
the 2014 logo research team, “Friends and other students didn’t feel like a Tiger because CC is
not a sports school. There is a disconnect between the tiger and how the students feel.”38
Furthermore, one respondent said “Tigers connect with the sports teams but not other aspects of
the school, the tigers are kind of weird because the students don’t really feel like ‘Tigers’; not a
37
“Tiger Victory Song” by Patricia Marchall ’05. Special Collections at Colorado College, Colorado Springs, CO:
CC Publications folder. 38
2014 Knowledge Development Team Research. Personal Communication with Colorado College Office of
Communications. https://www.coloradocollege.edu/offices/communications/ (last accessed February 17, 2016)
Morris 30
unique mascot, multiple other schools have the same mascot.”39
In fact, 45 other schools also
share the Tiger mascot with CC (Clemson, Princeton, etc…) and the Tiger ranks second, only to
the Eagle, as the most common mascot amongst United States colleges and universities.40
The Tiger does not represent the uniqueness of CC. In fact, in the 1990s there was a
movement to change the mascot to the Cutthroat Trout, a native fish to the fresh water of the
Colorado Rockies. This movement came to no avail, however, as the Tiger is so much rooted in
CC history and athletics programs. Therefore, in order to best represent the immediate campus
community, that is, students, faculty, and staff, the Tiger should not be a prominent part of the
fight song. However, in order to best represent CC athletics, where the Tiger is a prominent
symbol, the lyrics should represent the Tiger. Thus, one verse that could be specifically used at
hockey or other sporting events will include the Tiger as a symbol. One complaint about the
Tiger, that favors the movement for the Cutthroat Trout, is that the Tiger is not native or
representative of the region in which CC is located: the Rocky Mountains. In fact in the
yearbook of 1900, one year before the inclusion of the Tiger as the mascot, the opening page
includes a picture of Pike’s Peak and a caption that reads “our mascot.”41
Rocky Mountains
Colorado College’s location in the Rocky Mountain West is integral to understanding the
culture of the student body and according to the research, might even be a better mascot for the
school than the Tiger. The Logo Research team of 1997 found that 70% of respondents were
favorable to including “natural images” in the logo. According to the same research team, when
questioned about the positive aspects of CC, “more respondents commented on the remarkable
39
2014 Knowledge Development Team Research. Personal Communication with Colorado College Office of
Communications. https://www.coloradocollege.edu/offices/communications/ (last accessed February 17, 2016) 40
https://sites.coloradocollege.edu/bulletin/2010/04/year-of-the-tiger/ (last accessed February 17, 2016) 41
Pike’s Peak Nugget, 1900. Special Collections at Special Collections at Colorado College, Colorado Springs, CO.
Morris 31
location than all other positive attributes.” Those interviewed saw the geography, location, and
region to be a “defining element” of the college and that “geographic desirability is a big selling
point to students.” 42
Similarly, when the 2014 logo research team asked what visuals that come
to mind when thinking about CC, respondents said “Pikes Peak”; “rocky mountains, Pikes
Peak”; “Students being able to get off campus and take trips whether it’s for class trips or block
breaks”; “the mountain backdrop”; “pikes peak: widely used in Colorado Springs as a reference
point, all about getting outdoors, can’t avoid the mountains at CC and people miss them when
they leave C. Springs, a lot of what people do is outside”; “Pikes peak makes sense because it
places you in a specific part of the country and speaks to the outdoor spirit”; and “the outdoors,
skiing and hiking.”43
Additional evidence comes in response to a question posed to current CC students: “What
are some common links that bring CC students together? Can you think of any specific symbols,
ideals, or common ground that CC students relate to?” Twenty-Eight of the thirty-seven
respondents (~ 76%) included the words “environmental,” “nature,” “outdoors/outside,” or
“mountain” (Pike’s Peak fell into this category).44
Evidently, the location, and a complimentary
love for the outdoors, is a hallmark of the CC community. However, one consideration must be
made: is this the image that the school wishes to portray? The 1997 research team found that
while location may be important, it is an element that might be “down played” as “academics
should be number one in our minds” and “we don’t want to be known as a ski school.”45
The
multiple communities at CC are at the heart of this issue. The on-campus community (students,
42
1997 Logo Research (pp. 6). Special Collections at Colorado College, Colorado Springs, CO: CC Publications
folder. 43
2014 Knowledge Development Team Research. Personal Communication with Colorado College Office of
Communications. https://www.coloradocollege.edu/offices/communications/ (last accessed February 17, 2016) 44
Student Survey (comprehensive). 45
1997 Logo Research (pp. 6). Special Collections at Colorado College, Colorado Springs, CO: CC Publications
folder.
Morris 32
faculty, staff) takes advantage of the location by enjoying views, hiking, skiing, and other
outdoor activities. Likewise, the Colorado Springs community shares the same pride in their
location under Pike’s Peak. However, the school’s image, directed at the extended CC
community (alumni, parents, and prospective students) as an ‘outdoorsy’ school may not draw
the same level of respect as would a similar institution on the east coast. Too much emphasis on
the outdoor aspect of CC could detract from the serious academic aspect of the school. That is
why academic inclusion in the lyrics of the song would represent the perspectives of alumni
quite well.
Alumni, one of the groups who fall into the extended CC community, have reported that
academics are one of the greatest takeaways from their time as CC students. In an open-ended
response format, the class of 2009 (only 26% percent reported) responded after five years post-
graduation: 35.4% reported developing or refining time management skills as a result of their
experiences at CC; 29.3% reported developing or refining writing skills; 25.6% reported
developing or refining critical thinking skills; 24.4% reported developing or refining skills to
more effectively communicate or collaborate with others; 9.8% reported developing or refining
skills to more effectively endure or persevere through stress.46
Thus, to these members of the
extended CC community, the academic imprint of CC is quite valuable. Similarly, from the
perspective of parents and prospective students, the primary goal of a four-year liberal arts
college is academic rigor, not, the convenience and community enjoyment of outdoor activities.
However, one other aspect of CC that is prominent in the research is the importance of, and pride
46
2009 Five-year alumni survey. Personal communication with the Colorado College President’s Office.
https://www.coloradocollege.edu/offices/presidentsoffice/staff.html (last accessed February 17, 2016).
These values are summaries of open-ended questions that analyze the same themes; therefore, some respondents
may have reported one or more of these skills, thus causing the numbers to summate to more than 100%.
Morris 33
in, the block plan. It should be noted, however, that the block plan often takes advantage of the
location and encourages learning outside of the classroom.
The Block Plan
The significance of CC’s block plan is not how it forces curricula or academia onto the
students, but how it allows students, staff, and faculty, together, to build their own education—
literally one block at a time. As one respondent to the question “What makes CC, CC…”
answered, “The people who are here to take advantage of the crazy platform that this place gives
us.”47
This “crazy platform” is the block plan. The block plan provides opportunities for
professors and students alike, to learn and explore beyond the classroom setting. Respondents
identified that the block plan cultivates “experimentation” and “adventurousness” and
accommodates visiting scholars and lecturers who “enrich the curriculum.”48
The block plan
places everyone in the on-campus community on the same schedule. This synchronicity creates a
daily and yearly rhythm that those in the on-campus community share and understand.
Everybody on campus feels the ebb and flow through a single block and from the end of one
block to a block break. This fosters, as one respondent said “a work-hard, play-hard attitude” that
the on-campus community embodies. As one student responded, “The block plan is probably the
most special thing that differentiates CC from and makes CC special to me.”49
Although
scheduling may bring a stronger bond to the on-campus community, it is more the opportunities
that the block plan creates which set CC apart. The block plan allows students to be completely
immersed in one class at a time.
47
Student Survey: “What makes CC, CC…” 48
1997 Logo Research (pp. 7). Special Collections at Colorado College, Colorado Springs, CO: CC Publications
folder. 49
Student survey: “What makes CC special to you?”
Morris 34
This structure leaves a blank slate for each and every block, a new opportunity and
experience. A single block may be in another country, may go on field trips for a week or a day
all across the southwest, or might go see a concert or production related to the class material.
Inherently, the block plan allows for creativity, adventure, experimentation, and hands-on
learning. It fosters the uniqueness of the school as each and every block is a unique three-and-a-
half weeks for both faculty and students. Respondents describe the block plan as “not only
academically challenging but also indicative of the experimental and adventurous spirit of both
the students and the faculty; Block Breaks that provide a healthy gap for relaxation and
adventure; Opportunities…”; “unique and adventurous by nature. As a bio student, the block
plan has allowed for many amazing opportunities, such as week-long field trips. It also creates a
strong sense of community and routine to have everyone on the same schedule.” 50
“providing
students with flexibility”; “unique to CC and what attracts [students] to the school.” 51
In
response to the question “What makes CC special to you?” 70.0% of respondents cited the
people in the community, and 29.9% cited the block plan.52
Most of those who said the block
plan also included the people into their reasoning. There is a link between the kind of people who
are attracted to the unique qualities of the block plan and the people who are drawn to the school.
The block plan does not just cultivate adventurous, creative ideas in the students: but it reflects
the students and faculty who naturally seek out the adventurous and avant garde style of learning
that the block plan provides.
50
Student Survey: What makes CC special to you?” 51
1997 Logo Research (pp. 2). Special Collections at Colorado College, Colorado Springs, CO: CC Publications
folder. 52
Student Survey: “What makes CC special to you?”
Morris 35
The people at CC: “People are here because they want to be here.”53
The people within the on-campus community are what drive the CC community. The
faculty, students, and staff are all drawn toward the ‘uniqueness’ of the school and,
simultaneously, contribute to the on-going adventure and experiment that CC is. In the on-
campus community it is common for faculty, staff, and students to eat meals together, share
drinks, and speak openly. It is rare to find anybody at CC who responds and is introduced by title
and surname. Even between the president of the college and students first name basis is the
norm. One student described the relationship between faculty and students by describing faculty
as “incredibly intelligent aunts and uncles.”54
Others used the adjective “open” or “open-
minded” when describing the personal community that exists on-campus.55
Another student
described how one of the most notable aspects of CC is that smiling at a passerby will be
reciprocated with another smile, even if that person is a stranger. Another stated that “everyone
is friendly” and that students and faculty are always supportive of one another. These positive
personality traits of the on-campus community seem generate a “culture of happiness at CC.”
This culture of happiness fosters a sense of independence for every student. Adjectives also used
to describe the on-campus community members are “Entrepreneurial,” “independent,” and
always pushing initiative.”56
It seems one thing that bonds the on-campus community together is
the very fact that everybody is independently learning and working on their own interests. There
is communal support in everybody’s individual interest. These qualities of the people at CC are
so much of what makes CC a unique institution.
53
2014 Knowledge Development Team Research. Personal Communication with Colorado College Office of
Communications. https://www.coloradocollege.edu/offices/communications/ (last accessed February 17, 2016) 54
Student Survey: “What makes CC special to you?” 55
1997 Logo Research (appendix). Special Collections at Colorado College, Colorado Springs, CO: CC Publications
folder; and, Student Survey: “What makes CC special to you?” 56
Student Survey: “What makes CC special to you?”
Morris 36
Colorado College is an incredibly unique place with a self-selecting community of
individuals, a different way of approaching academics, and in a location that speaks for itself.
The three communities that revolve around CC all would use a fight song in a different way but
there are certain commonalities that they all can relate too. These being, the intensity of
academics, immersion in courses, an education that extends beyond the classroom, a positive
attitude, and an overwhelming attachment to the outdoors, specifically the Rocky Mountains.
These aspects have been incorporated into the lyrics of the CC song but the title was given to the
most overwhelmingly most commonly cited aspect of CC, the people; therefore, the song is
given the title, “We are CC.”
Morris 37
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Wiley Hitchcock and Stanley Sadie (London: Macmillan, 1986), vol. 1, p470-474.
McGrann, J. W. “Music History at Boston College.” Music Department, Boston College.
www.bc.edu/music.
Studwell, William E. “American College Fight Songs: History and Historiography.” Popular
Music and Society 19/3 (1995): 125-130.
Studwell, William E., (Ed.), and Bruce R., (Ed.) Schueneman. College Fight Songs: An
Annotated Anthology. New York: Haworth, 1998.
Turner, Victor. Forest of Symbols: Aspects of Ndembu Ritual. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University
Press, 1967.
Discography
The Florida State University Marching Band, The Best of College Football Fight Songs. CD-
ROM (Florida State University: Sheridan Square, 2007).
Uniform Resource Locator (last accessed February 17, 2016)
https://www.coloradocollege.edu/aapps/tours/walkingtour/bemis.php
https://www.coloradocollege.edu/other/strategicplan/progress/implementing.dot
http://www.uscho.com/stats/attendance/division-i-men/2013-2014/
https://www.coloradocollege.edu/aapps/tours/walkingtour/bemis.php
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9IZeoxn7BQ
https://www.bc.edu/offices/bands/ensembles/marching/faq.html
http://www.und.com/trads/nd-fightsong.html
http://www.clemson.edu/about/traditions.html
http://tband.people.clemson.edu/Download_SheetMusic.html
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http://www.clemson.edu/about/traditions.html
http://www.wbir.com/story/life/music/2014/08/26/rocky-top-house-of-bryant-songwriting-university-of-
tennessee-gatlinburg-inn-marketing/14647827/
https://www.coloradocollege.edu/other/strategicplan/progress/implementing.dot
https://www.coloradocollege.edu/offices/communications/
https://sites.coloradocollege.edu/bulletin/2010/04/year-of-the-tiger/
https://www.coloradocollege.edu/offices/presidentsoffice/staff.html
Table of Appendices:
Appendix A: “Our Colorado” – from the CC Archives
Appendix B: “The Black and the Gold” – from the CC Archives
Appendix C: “The Bruin Inn” – from the CC Archives
Appendix D: “Colorado C Men” – from the CC Archives
Appendix E: “We are CC” – Lead Sheet
Appendix F: “We are CC” – Marching Band
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Appendix A
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Appendix B
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Appendix C
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Appendix D
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Appendix E
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Appendix F
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