bleedtheblue Posted July 19, 2010 Share Posted July 19, 2010 Hey I was just curious about what happened to this fight song.... it was on the billikens wikipedia page and it seems pretty cool... can any older alumni help me out? Saint Louis University Fight Song Root, Root, Root, for S-L-U We are out to win the game We always fight for the white and blue Now let's cheer ‘er valiant name Saint Louis U! Saint Louis U! (chant) Go Bills! Go Bills! Go Bills Go! (chant) also under a youtube video of billiken basketball (forgot which one) someone asked the same question calling it the "billiken battle call" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
normanorr Posted July 19, 2010 Share Posted July 19, 2010 This was the original Billiken fight song. It was started in the 1920's and was played during every Billiken football game. From what I was told, it was eventually played at basketball games during Easy Ed Macauley's days. Not too sure when the officially retired it though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawk Posted July 19, 2010 Share Posted July 19, 2010 This was the original Billiken fight song. It was started in the 1920's and was played during every Billiken football game. From what I was told, it was eventually played at basketball games during Easy Ed Macauley's days. Not too sure when the officially retired it though. Hell let's bring it back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Box and Won Posted July 19, 2010 Share Posted July 19, 2010 How on earth does a school stop playing its fight song? How does a tradition just die off like that? Believe me, I love hearing "Saints" at our games, but it has always irritated me that we don't have a real fight song and alma mater like just about every other school. Why not bring it back? It's amazing to me that we have so few traditions despite having been around since 18-freaking-18. That's a lot older than a significant number of colleges. We also apparently had this song at one point, although I'm not sure how it was used. I seem to remember one of the band members saying that it's a slower song. "VARSITY SONG" Sons of a royal name, dear Varsity, For aye our faith and love We pledge to thee. Guardian of truth and light Our fathers knew Thou whom the years have crowned St. Louis U. All hail, St.Louis U., valiant and strong Noble Old Varsity, hark to our song, Proudly our colors fly, Brave white and blue Loud let the chorus swell, St.Louis U. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Major Majerus Posted July 19, 2010 Share Posted July 19, 2010 I tried to get the band to play "The Billiken Rag" written during the national Billiken mania by the son of Scott Joplin's old St Louis publisher. No sale. One of the movements is a lilting melody reminiscent of the MO waltz. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Box and Won Posted July 19, 2010 Share Posted July 19, 2010 I tried to get the band to play "The Billiken Rag" written during the national Billiken mania by the son of Scott Joplin's old St Louis publisher. No sale. One of the movements is a lilting melody reminiscent of the MO waltz. This site has the Billiken Rag: http://www.armory.com/~keeper/midiall.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slu72 Posted July 19, 2010 Share Posted July 19, 2010 I tried to get the band to play "The Billiken Rag" written during the national Billiken mania by the son of Scott Joplin's old St Louis publisher. No sale. One of the movements is a lilting melody reminiscent of the MO waltz. I don't remember a SLU fight song ever being played back in the late 60's early 70's. But they were playing the Saints Go Marching In and, at that time, the Bud song was new which the band jumped on right away. They still keep playing it which I happen to like. Wonder why no one's ever put words to the Bud song and create a new fight song. Any music majors out there... good summer project for you. A new Billiken fight song! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Box and Won Posted July 19, 2010 Share Posted July 19, 2010 I don't remember a SLU fight song ever being played back in the late 60's early 70's. But they were playing the Saints Go Marching In and, at that time, the Bud song was new which the band jumped on right away. They still keep playing it which I happen to like. Wonder why no one's ever put words to the Bud song and create a new fight song. Any music majors out there... good summer project for you. A new Billiken fight song! But that's my issue, why not use our ORIGINAL fight song and bring back an original tradition? In high school, we had a chant - V-I-C-T-O-R-Y, that's the Billikens' battle cry. The Blue Crew should pick up on that one - it actually sounds pretty good. It's unfortunate when a high school has more spirit than a college. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
normanorr Posted July 19, 2010 Share Posted July 19, 2010 But that's my issue, why not use our ORIGINAL fight song and bring back an original tradition? In high school, we had a chant - V-I-C-T-O-R-Y, that's the Billikens' battle cry. The Blue Crew should pick up on that one - it actually sounds pretty good. It's unfortunate when a high school has more spirit than a college. I agree. We should bring back the original fight song. It would sound a lot more authentic than Saints Go Marching In IMO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawk Posted July 19, 2010 Share Posted July 19, 2010 I agree. We should bring back the original fight song. It would sound a lot more authentic than Saints Go Marching In IMO. And more original. I know St. Joe's and Providence use it for theirs too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bleedtheblue Posted July 19, 2010 Author Share Posted July 19, 2010 anyone in the band on here that could try to hook this up?? im a music minor so ill see what i can do haha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bk18 Posted July 20, 2010 Share Posted July 20, 2010 anyone in the band on here that could try to hook this up?? im a music minor so ill see what i can do haha Athletic Dept needs to help with this. put the words on the Tv's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slu72 Posted July 20, 2010 Share Posted July 20, 2010 This site has the Billiken Rag: http://www.armory.com/~keeper/midiall.html I know little about music compositions, but once you get by that long drawn out intro and into the tune... The Billiken Rag's pretty spirited. Sure the band could make something out of it. Add some decent lyrics to it and a new tradition is born. There's a SLU grad who's pretty famous on Broadway, producer I think, maybe he could help out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonwich Posted July 20, 2010 Share Posted July 20, 2010 I know little about music compositions, but once you get by that long drawn out intro and into the tune... The Billiken Rag's pretty spirited. Sure the band could make something out of it. Add some decent lyrics to it and a new tradition is born. There's a SLU grad who's pretty famous on Broadway, producer I think, maybe he could help out. That sounds like Mike Isaacson. SLU (where, if I remember correctly, he worked directly for Father Biondi) -> Fox -> Broadway (where Fox Associates has produced a bunch of megahits) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kshoe Posted July 20, 2010 Share Posted July 20, 2010 Maybe I'm getting old and my memory is fading but didn't the Athletic Department try this about 3-4 years ago? I seem to remember them handing out the words to the original fight song in programs, trying to get people to sing it during timeouts, etc. It was a complete flop. The older SLU fans didn't get off their asses to sing and the few students that were there didn't put much effort into it either. I think they tried it for a few games before giving up. Again, maybe its just my imagination but I really think they tried this once before. Does anyone else remember this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IAbilliken Posted July 20, 2010 Share Posted July 20, 2010 Maybe I'm getting old and my memory is fading but didn't the Athletic Department try this about 3-4 years ago? I seem to remember them handing out the words to the original fight song in programs, trying to get people to sing it during timeouts, etc. It was a complete flop. The older SLU fans didn't get off their asses to sing and the few students that were there didn't put much effort into it either. I think they tried it for a few games before giving up. Again, maybe its just my imagination but I really think they tried this once before. Does anyone else remember this? I remember SLU conducted a competition to write a new school fight song about 6 years ago. The result was less than mediocre. You can actually find the "new fight song" in song books assigned for U101 classes. It's absolutely terrible. We need to get the music for the original fight song. If anyone has any old year books please try to locate the sheet music. And if we can't find the original music, we need a contest to write a tune to go along with it. It should be too hard, it's just a short little fight song, but I like it. It's about time we play our own fight song again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Box and Won Posted July 20, 2010 Share Posted July 20, 2010 I remember SLU conducted a competition to write a new school fight song about 6 years ago. The result was less than mediocre. You can actually find the "new fight song" in song books assigned for U101 classes. It's absolutely terrible. We need to get the music for the original fight song. If anyone has any old year books please try to locate the sheet music. And if we can't find the original music, we need a contest to write a tune to go along with it. It should be too hard, it's just a short little fight song, but I like it. It's about time we play our own fight song again. I remember that competition as well, and the end result was awful. I have to think that the sheet music for the original fight song is somewhere in the archives. Bring it back, make a video with a "follow the bouncing ball" feature to be shown on the video boards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Box and Won Posted July 20, 2010 Share Posted July 20, 2010 Maybe I'm getting old and my memory is fading but didn't the Athletic Department try this about 3-4 years ago? I seem to remember them handing out the words to the original fight song in programs, trying to get people to sing it during timeouts, etc. It was a complete flop. The older SLU fans didn't get off their asses to sing and the few students that were there didn't put much effort into it either. I think they tried it for a few games before giving up. Again, maybe its just my imagination but I really think they tried this once before. Does anyone else remember this? I don't remember that, but then again, I don't buy programs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kshoe Posted July 20, 2010 Share Posted July 20, 2010 I remember SLU conducted a competition to write a new school fight song about 6 years ago. The result was less than mediocre. You can actually find the "new fight song" in song books assigned for U101 classes. It's absolutely terrible. We need to get the music for the original fight song. If anyone has any old year books please try to locate the sheet music. And if we can't find the original music, we need a contest to write a tune to go along with it. It should be too hard, it's just a short little fight song, but I like it. It's about time we play our own fight song again. That is probably what I was thinking of. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bleedtheblue Posted July 20, 2010 Author Share Posted July 20, 2010 so this sounds like an awesome idea to have the original fight song brought back. i love "s-a-i-n-t l-o-u-i-s" as much as the next person but we need an actual fight song... who would need to be contacted to try and get the original music?? athletic department? if no one knows.. i could probably comeup with a basic tune but don't have the time or the resources to write a score for the entire Pep Band Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IAbilliken Posted July 20, 2010 Share Posted July 20, 2010 so this sounds like an awesome idea to have the original fight song brought back. i love "s-a-i-n-t l-o-u-i-s" as much as the next person but we need an actual fight song... who would need to be contacted to try and get the original music?? athletic department? if no one knows.. i could probably comeup with a basic tune but don't have the time or the resources to write a score for the entire Pep Band If we could somehow dig up the original sheet music of the fight song for the pep band to play in the Chaf next year, it would be epic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bk18 Posted July 20, 2010 Share Posted July 20, 2010 This site has the Billiken Rag: http://www.armory.com/~keeper/midiall.html YES YES YES! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joe_davola Posted July 20, 2010 Share Posted July 20, 2010 YES YES YES!I do like some parts of it, but some of it not so much. I'm sure it can be condensed. I think it would be cool to finally have a fight song (either original or something that only WE play). I like 'Saints Marching In' as much as anyone, but when it is played at other sporting events outside of Billiken Basketball, you can't really claim it as YOUR fight song. Anyways, somebody get ahold of Vascola (Sp?). I'm sure there are folks on this board that know him as well as folks in the AD. Big Guy, DirtyRican, see what you can do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bleedtheblue Posted July 20, 2010 Author Share Posted July 20, 2010 YES YES YES! the beginning reminds me of part of the song from "Bowsers castle" from Mario Kart 64.... anyone else? haha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bomble Posted July 21, 2010 Share Posted July 21, 2010 the beginning reminds me of part of the song from "Bowsers castle" from Mario Kart 64.... anyone else? haha Reminds me of an old b&w with Charlie Chaplin http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8UZHYfqOY0Q Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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