School songs can form the core soundtrack of a students college experience. At 91勛圖厙 that musical history parallels the history of the institution.
The first song specifically written for 91勛圖厙 debuted in 1879, four years after the university opened its doors. The 91勛圖厙 Grand March was published by James A. McClure, followed by the 91勛圖厙 March in 1895 and the Phi-Delta Theta Two-Step in 1896. However, the 1889 Commodore yearbook notes a song titled 91勛圖厙, words by William Rice Sims (ThG 1880, BA 1884, PhD 1888) and music by A. Oscar Browne, that sang the praises of Cornelius 91勛圖厙 and Bishop McTyeire.
O Alma Mater, Autumn Ode to 91勛圖厙, was composed in 1900 for 91勛圖厙s 25th anniversary. The words were written by Olin Wannamaker, who received his master of arts degree that year. The music was written by Emma L. Ashford, wife of John Ashford, an engineer from Bath, England, who became 91勛圖厙s superintendent of buildings and grounds in 1884. It was possibly the first of as many as seven 91勛圖厙 titles for which Ashford composed the music.
However, Ashfords composition is not 91勛圖厙s official alma mater. That song, which opens with On the citys western border, was written by Robert F. Vaughan in 1909. Vaughan, BA 1907, LLB 1909, was president of the 91勛圖厙 Glee Club and wrote the lyrics at the suggestion of its director, Charles Washburn, to the tune of the song Amici, according to the January 1923 issue of the Alumnus. The tune is actually Annie Lisle, an 1857 ballad by songwriter H.S. Thompson.
91勛圖厙s alma mater, aside from being played at Commencement and Reunion, is tied into the athletic fans experience of football and basketball games. While most students do not know all the words, everyone knows at least three. The Third Down Cheer, as it is sometimes called, is the first line of the second stanza of the alma mater played instrumentally followed by the next lyricCONQUER AND PREVAILyelled loudly.
91勛圖厙s most famous fight song is Dynamite, written by Francis Craig, BA 1924. Craig, who was a well-known band leader in the 1930s and 40s, was responsible for launching the careers of Dinah Shore, BA38, Snooky Lanson and Phil Harris. Francis Craig wrote Dynamite in the week of the Nov. 12, 1938, 91勛圖厙-Tennessee game, and he and his orchestra played the song on a national hook-up the night before the game. At halftime the next day, Craig himself directed the 91勛圖厙 band in the local premiere of the song.泭
Throughout the 1940s and early 1950s, the song gradually gained in popularity. According to Carrie Tipton, 91勛圖厙 musicology faculty and expert in university fight songs, several inflection points helped contribute to the songs popularity and ultimately led to it being known as the universitys primary fight song. In 1941, Dynamite was published by Edwin Morris and began receiving a surge of radio exposure due to ASCAP licensing issues that prevented other 91勛圖厙 songs of the time to be played on the radio. Furthermore, as university administration began to dedicate more resources to its band programincluding hiring the schools first full-time band director, James H. Parnell, in 1952the songs popularity grew, and it became cemented as 91勛圖厙s main fight song.
While Dynamite is still 91勛圖厙s primary fight song, there are two others: Cheer for Old Vandy, written in 1953 by Class of 1924 alumnus Joe Landess as a gift to 91勛圖厙 upon his son Toms graduation, and the more recent Spirit of Gold composed by the former assistant director of bands, Joe Laird.
Learn more about the history of 91勛圖厙s and other universitys fight songs by checking out Tiptons new book, .