Glory, Glory (fight song)
"Glory, Glory" is the rally song for the Georgia Bulldogs, the athletics teams for the University of Georgia. The melody of "Glory, Glory" is the same as that of "Say Brothers Will You Meet Us," "John Brown's Body," and "Battle Hymn of the Republic." .[1] The song was arranged for the University of Georgia Band by member, and later Department of Music chair, Hugh Hodgson in 1915.
Although "Glory, Glory" is the de facto fight song, UGA's official fight song is "Hail to Georgia".
Lyrics and uses
Glory, glory to old Georgia!
Glory, glory to old Georgia!
Glory, glory to old Georgia!
G-E-O-R-G-I-A
Glory, glory to old Georgia!
Glory, glory to old Georgia!
Glory, glory to old Georgia!
G-E-O-R-G-I-A
[2]
The song is played by the Georgia Redcoat Marching Band when the Bulldogs take the field, as well as after touchdowns and other events favorable to the Georgia football team. Georgia fans often replace the "G-E-O-R-G-I-A" phrase with "To Hell with..." and insert the name of a rival or a particular school that the Bulldogs happen to be playing at the time. During games versus South Carolina, they can be heard singing, "And To Hell with USC." One of the most popular alternate lines is "And to Hell with Georgia Tech!"[3]
Auburn University and Auburn High School play "Glory, Glory, to Ole Auburn" after extra points. Their versions are similar to that of Georgia, with lyrical substitutions appropriate to their respective institutions (e.g., saying and spelling Auburn rather than Georgia). Auburn's version has the same rhythm as the refrain of "The Battle Hymn of the Republic", whereas Georgia's version adds an extra attack for the "E". Auburn's version is performed at a moderate tempo, while Georgia typically plays it faster, at around 136 beats per minute. Claims are made by fans of both schools regarding which was the first to perform the melody, but its popularity significantly precedes the first meeting of the schools' football teams in the first installment of Deep South's Oldest Rivalry in 1892.[4]
The Battle Hymn of the Bulldog Nation
A slower-played version, using a much more complete melody of "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" is played before the start of each home football game on campus at Sanford Stadium. A trumpet-playing member of the Georgia Redcoat Marching Band takes a position in the upper deck of the south side stands, near the west endzone, and reverently plays the first fourteen notes of the Battle Hymn to a cheering crowd, while a historical video montage of the football team's greatest moments, narrated by UGA legend and famous former Georgia play-by-play announcer Larry Munson, is displayed on the west endzone scoreboard. The rest of the band on the field then finishes the first stanza and the song, which is referred to as "The Battle Hymn of the Bulldog Nation" by Munson. During the solo, the Bulldog fans in Sanford Stadium rise to their feet, take off their hats, and point them in the direction of the soloist as a sign of respect. This tradition was added following the internet publication of a tribute to UGA football entitled "Seven Notes On A Trumpet"[5] penned by an unnamed fan of UGA, originally posted on a UGA sports-related internet message board called the Dawg Vent. This is one of the most hallowed traditions of Georgia Bulldog football. The music for the slow Battle Hymn was arranged by UGA student arranger Jeff Simmons in 1987 and has become the Redcoat Band's signature piece.
References
- Tracy, Marc (January 8, 2018). "Recognize That Tune? It's the Northern Accent of Georgia Football". New York Times.
- "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2017-06-06. Retrieved 2017-05-26.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- "Bulldog Spirit Songs". The Anti-Orange Page. Archived from the original on 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2007-03-24.
- Stauffer, John. "The Song that Marches On: History of the Battle Hymn of the Republic".
- "Classic Post: Seven Notes on a Trumpet". Archived from the original on 2019-12-28. Retrieved 2019-12-28.
