On, Wisconsin

"On, Wisconsin!" is the fight song of the Wisconsin Badgers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. It is also the official state song of Wisconsin.

"On, Wisconsin!" was also the cry that Arthur MacArthur, Jr. used in the Battle of Chattanooga at Missionary Ridge, in the Civil War.

Contents 1 History of the song 2 Battle Cry 3 University of Wisconsin lyrics 4 Used elsewhere 5 Notes 6 External links

History of the song

The tune was composed in 1909 by William T. Purdy, with the intention of entering it into a competition for a new fight song at the University of Minnesota.

Carl Beck, a former University of Wisconsin-Madison student, convinced him to withdraw it from the contest at the last minute and allow his alma mater to use it instead. Beck then wrote the original, football-oriented lyrics, changing the words "Minnesota, Minnesota" to "On, Wisconsin! On, Wisconsin!"^[1] (The eventual winner of the competition became known as the Minnesota Rouser).

The lyrics were rewritten for the state song in 1913 by Judge Charles D. Rosa and J. S. Hubbard. The song was widely recognized as the state song at that time, but was never officially designated. Finally in 1959, "On, Wisconsin!" was codified in Chapter 170, Laws of 1959, and is incorporated in Section 1.10 of the statutes.

"On, Wisconsin!" was regarded as "the finest of college marching songs" by John Philip Sousa.^{[citation needed]} It is featured in the Beach Boys' 1963 hit song, "Be True to Your School." Although there are persistent rumors that the rights to the song are owned by Paul McCartney or Michael Jackson (this has even been reported by the Christian Science Monitor),^[2] the song is actually in the public domain.^[3]

Battle Cry

"On, Wisconsin!" was the cry that Arthur MacArthur, Jr. used in the Battle of Chattanooga at Missionary Ridge, in the Civil War. He seized the regimental colors, and rallied his regiment with "On, Wisconsin!", for which he was awarded the Medal of Honor.

University of Wisconsin lyrics

On, Wisconsin! On, Wisconsin!
Plunge right through that line!
* Run the ball clear down the field,
* A touchdown sure this time. (U rah rah)
On, Wisconsin! On, Wisconsin!
Fight on for her fame
Fight! Fellows! - fight, fight, fight!
We'll win this game.

On, Wisconsin! On, Wisconsin!
Stand up, Badgers, sing!
"Forward" is our driving spirit,
Loyal voices ring.
On, Wisconsin! On, Wisconsin!
Raise her glowing flame
Stand, Fellows, let us now
Salute her name!

* Sometimes these lyrics are altered to say "Run the ball clear down the field, boys--touchdown sure this time!"^[4]

Used elsewhere

• The tune was adapted by bandleader Dal Richards as a fight song for the Canadian Football League's Saskatchewan Roughriders, appearing on the 1968 album "Canadian Football Songs." [1] It is also widely used by high schools and other colleges.
• One notable use as a fight song is by McCallie School in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The school is located on Missionary Ridge at almost the exact site of MacArthur's charge that birthed the battle cry for which the song is named.
• On, Wisconsin! is used as a fight song in many high schools across the United States including Lennox High School in Lennox, South Dakota, Fontana High School in Fontana, California, Lakeside High School in Plummer, Idaho, McDonell Central Catholic High School in Chippewa Falls, WI, Caledonia High School in Caledonia, MI, Dallastown Area High School in Pennsylvania, Narbonne High School in the Harbor City area of Los Angeles, California, Excelsior Springs High School in Excelsior Springs, Missouri, Salina Central High School in Salina, Kansas, Aurora High School of Aurora, Ohio, Columbia High School in Columbia, Illinois, Henry Sibley High School in West Saint Paul, Minnesota, Lake Brantley High School in Altamonte Springs, Florida, Stanton College Prep in Jacksonville, Florida, Southeast Guilford High School, Garber High School in Essexville, Michigan, Central High School in Battle Creek, Michigan, Mason High School in Mason, Michigan, West Linn High School in West Linn, Oregon, Defiance High School in Defiance, Ohio, John Marshall High School in Glen Dale, West Virginia, and Fitchburg High School, Fitchburg, Massachusetts, Lancaster High School (Lancaster, New York) in Lancaster, New York, Burlington Township High School in Burlington Township, New Jersey, North Olmsted High School in North Olmsted, OH, Lincoln High School in Lincoln, California, and Center Grove High School in Greenwood, Indiana.

• An instrumental version of the song was used in the 1973 Disney animated film Robin Hood. During the fight scene where the music is played, Friar Tuck (portrayed as a badger) is cheering loudly.
• A short clip (the first four bars) of the song can be heard in the Beach Boys 1963 hit song "Be True to Your School," about 1:05 minutes in.

Trivial Note: The first few bars of this song are sung near the beginning of episode 72 on M*A*S*H.

Notes

External links

• Wisconsin State Song, from Wisconsin.gov
• History of song from University of Wisconsin Marching Band website
• Article on "On Wisconsin!" from the Capital Times newspaper
• MP3 file of "On, Wisconsin!" played by the University of Wisconsin Marching Band
• On Wisconsin!. Original sheet music maintained at UW Mills Music Library Special Collections and presented online as part of the Wisconsin Sheet Music Database.

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v • d • e Official Fight Songs of the Big Ten Conference Illinois Loyalty & Oskee Wow-Wow (Illinois) • Indiana, Our Indiana (Indiana) • Iowa Fight Song & Roll Along Iowa & On Iowa (Iowa) • The Victors (Michigan) • Michigan State University Fight Song (Michigan State) • Minnesota Rouser (Minnesota) • Go U Northwestern (Northwestern) • Across the Field & Buckeye Battle Cry (Ohio State) • Fight On, State (Penn State) • Hail Purdue! (Purdue) • On, Wisconsin! (Wisconsin)

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