Duke football fans, please learn the fight songs!

[Spoke]

There was a time, way back in the day, when Duke students knew Duke's fight songs by heart, and sang along during games (both football and basketball). For whatever reason, that knowledge seems to have been lost, and the tradition has fallen by the wayside. (Years of football failure beat the fight songs out of us, maybe?)

Having spent the Chick-fil-A Bowl ensconced among the Aggie faithful on the SEC side of the field, I have to say that it was impressive watching Aggies fans sing along and sway together to their school's own anthems and cheers. If we're gonna be a football school, I think we need to bring some of that to the table.

So come on Duke fans, the lyrics aren't that hard:

Fight, Fight Blue Devils (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fight!_Blue_Devils,_Fight!)

Though back in my day we only ever sang the first verse, and I remember singing the words a bit differently:

Fight, Fight Blue Devils
Fight for the Blue and White
Fight on through!
There's a touchdown there for you! (Go Devils!)
Duke is gonna win today
Carolina good night!
So turn on the steam, team!
Fight, Blue Devils fight!

Rip 'em up, tear 'em up, give 'em hell Duke! (etc.)


And then there's Blue and White (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_and_White_%28Duke_fight_song%29). Again, I remember actually singing the lyrics a bit differently:

Duke we thy anthems raise
for all thy praises untold
We'll fight for the Blue and White
whose colors we uphold! (To hell with Carolina!)
Firm stands our line of blue
for we are loyal through and through!
Fighting with the spirit true
for the love of old D.U.!

Fight, we'll fight, with all our strength and might!
Win, we can, so here we'll lend a hand! Hey!
Rah! Rah! Rah! Rah! D-U-K-E Rah!
D-U-K-E!

Then there's also the alma mater, Dear Old Duke (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duke_University_Alma_Mater), but that was a post-game thing.


I recall they handed out lyrics sheets to us as freshmen. I assume that doesn't happen any more, but some individual could take the initiative and get the lyrics out there before games.

Any chance we could revive the tradition of singing along?

[Reilly]

... I recall they handed out lyrics sheets to us as freshmen. I assume that doesn't happen any more, but some individual could take the initiative and get the lyrics out there before games. ...

Two ideas:
(1) Somebody create an app for that
(2) Put the words up on the scoreboard as the songs are being played

[Devil in the Blue Dress]

There was a time, way back in the day, when Duke students knew Duke's fight songs by heart, and sang along during games (both football and basketball). For whatever reason, that knowledge seems to have been lost, and the tradition has fallen by the wayside. (Years of football failure beat the fight songs out of us, maybe?)

Having spent the Chick-fil-A Bowl ensconced among the Aggie faithful on the SEC side of the field, I have to say that it was impressive watching Aggies fans sing along and sway together to their school's own anthems and cheers. If we're gonna be a football school, I think we need to bring some of that to the table.

So come on Duke fans, the lyrics aren't that hard:

Fight, Fight Blue Devils (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fight!_Blue_Devils,_Fight!)

Though back in my day we only ever sang the first verse, and I remember singing the words a bit differently:

Fight, Fight Blue Devils
Fight for the Blue and White
Fight on through!
There's a touchdown there for you! (Go Devils!)
Duke is gonna win today
Carolina good night!
So turn on the steam, team!
Fight, Blue Devils fight!

Rip 'em up, tear 'em up, give 'em hell Duke! (etc.)


And then there's Blue and White (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_and_White_%28Duke_fight_song%29). Again, I remember actually singing the lyrics a bit differently:

Duke we thy anthems raise
for all thy praises untold
We'll fight for the Blue and White
whose colors we uphold! (To hell with Carolina!)
Firm stands our line of blue
for we are loyal through and through!
Fighting with the spirit true
for the love of old D.U.!

Fight, we'll fight, with all our strength and might!
Win, we can, so here we'll lend a hand! Hey!
Rah! Rah! Rah! Rah! D-U-K-E Rah!
D-U-K-E!

Then there's also the alma mater, Dear Old Duke (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duke_University_Alma_Mater), but that was a post-game thing.


I recall they handed out lyrics sheets to us as freshmen. I assume that doesn't happen any more, but some individual could take the initiative and get the lyrics out there before games.

Any chance we could revive the tradition of singing along?
I agree. There have been decades years when I was the only one singing in my section at both football and basketball games. The university seems not to even provide such information to incoming students who also are told little or nothing Duke's history as a university and as an athletic power. All sorts of traditions have been downplayed as well.

The words could be displayed on the Jumbtron.... I saw it at UVa. Many other schools display the words to their songs.

Perhaps if enough of us request that the words be displayed on the scoreboard, it will happen.

[pfrduke]

I have always sung Blue and White (in my head at least) as, essentially, alternating phrasing of "Blue and White" and "White and Blue" with varying emphases according to the rhythm.

[uh_no]

Any chance we could revive the tradition of singing along?

while i'd love that, I doubt it.

we have trouble enough getting people to come to games....it would be an even bigger hurdle to have students prepared at games....further, the lyrics are rather, should we say, outdated?....and I think to most people it ind of feels silly to sing

[Duke4life92]

If we're gonna be a football school, I think we need to bring some of that to the table.

Well i hope learning that song is'nt what makes us a better team-lol-i don't believe we'll ever be known as a football school no matter how good we get :p.I do hope we stay relevant in the football world though.

[uh_no]

I have always sung Blue and White (in my head at least) as, essentially, alternating phrasing of "Blue and White" and "White and Blue" with varying emphases according to the rhythm.

blue and white and blue-and-white
blue and white and white and blueeeeeee
blue and white and blue and white
and blue and white and blue-and-white-and-blue-and-white-and
blue and white and blue-and-white
blue and white and white and blueeeeeeeee
blue and white and white and blue, blue and white and white and blueeee

blueee and white and blue-and-white-and-blue
blueee and white and blue-and-white-and-blue

blue and white and blue-and-white-and-blue
D-U-K-E
Duke FOOTBAALLLLLL

[budwom]

To be frank, the tunes are a whole lot catchier than the words.

[Spoke]

Of course the lyrics are dated. That's true of every school's fight song, since most were written ages ago. It doesn't stop other schools from singing along. It's about tradition.

You get a whole stadium of people singing along, it's impressive, regardless of whether the lyrics are "current."

[pfrduke]

blue and white and blue-and-white
blue and white and white and blueeeeeee
blue and white and blue and white
and blue and white and blue-and-white-and-blue-and-white-and
blue and white and blue-and-white
blue and white and white and blueeeeeeeee
blue and white and white and blue, blue and white and white and blueeee

blueee and white and blue-and-white-and-blue
blueee and white and blue-and-white-and-blue

blue and white and blue-and-white-and-blue
D-U-K-E
Duke FOOTBAALLLLLL

That's pretty much it. I don't think I ever knew that song had actual words.

[Reilly]

... i don't believe we'll ever be known as a football school ...

Too late, it already happened. A national championship winning coach left Alabama for us, made the cover of Time magazine, and we consistently fielded top teams, and including hosting the Rose Bowl. I believe we won 6 of the first 10 ACC championships in football. And, we made enough money as a football school to fund the building of a basketball arena now called Cameron.

[sagegrouse]

The lyrics we learned back in the day had at least one anachronism. The parenthetical cry in Fight, Blue Devils was "Beat State!" instead of "Go Devils!" Ah, would that were still relevant!

"Ah," he says, brightening a bit, "maybe we should put it back in and have it refer to Florida State, our new football rival?"

sage
'Birds at my feeder today: Black-Capped Chickadees, Steller's Jays, Evening Grosbeaks, Pine Grosbeaks, Black-bill Magpies. Whenever I refill the feeder, the Chickadees show up within five seconds, whether the feeder was previously empty or not'

[budwom]

I'm getting along just fine as a longtime Duke football fan. Somehow I'm not envious of Texas A&M fans, but that's just me.

[nocilla]

May be easier to learn with the music. This one is good in that it shows the lyrics as they are sung.

Blue and White

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9jmr-McB598

[nocilla]

This one just list the lyrics on one screen so you will have to synchronize the lyrics with the music yourself.

Fight, Fight Blue Devils

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpphcJjbF_0

[snowdenscold]

Handy Pocket-book Reference Guide

11(g): Why won’t these 20 year olds learn the words to our fight songs? (A: Because the words are lame 1920s clap-trap, that’s why).

[Spoke]

Handy Pocket-book Reference Guide

11(g): Why won’t these 20 year olds learn the words to our fight songs? (A: Because the words are lame 1920s clap-trap, that’s why).
So what? It was lame 1920s claptrap when we learner the lyrics as 18-year-olds. And we still got a kick singing the songs together. In fact, the quaintness of the lyrics is almost part of the point. As I said, all schools have these quaint old lyrics, but other schools learn their songs for the sake of tradition.

Of course, you can choose to play the cynic and sit in stony silence. What fun!

[OldPhiKap]

So what? It was lame 1920s claptrap when we learner the lyrics as 18-year-olds. And we still got a kick singing the songs together. In fact, the quaintness of the lyrics is almost part of the point. As I said, all schools have these quaint old lyrics, but other schools learn their songs for the sake of tradition.



Not all schools. The University of Phoenix's fight song is "What Does The Fox Say."

[loran16]

There was a time, way back in the day, when Duke students knew Duke's fight songs by heart, and sang along during games (both football and basketball). For whatever reason, that knowledge seems to have been lost, and the tradition has fallen by the wayside. (Years of football failure beat the fight songs out of us, maybe?)

Having spent the Chick-fil-A Bowl ensconced among the Aggie faithful on the SEC side of the field, I have to say that it was impressive watching Aggies fans sing along and sway together to their school's own anthems and cheers. If we're gonna be a football school, I think we need to bring some of that to the table.

So come on Duke fans, the lyrics aren't that hard:

Fight, Fight Blue Devils (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fight!_Blue_Devils,_Fight!)

Though back in my day we only ever sang the first verse, and I remember singing the words a bit differently:

Fight, Fight Blue Devils
Fight for the Blue and White
Fight on through!
There's a touchdown there for you! (Go Devils!)
Duke is gonna win today
Carolina good night!
So turn on the steam, team!
Fight, Blue Devils fight!

Rip 'em up, tear 'em up, give 'em hell Duke! (etc.)


And then there's Blue and White (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_and_White_%28Duke_fight_song%29). Again, I remember actually singing the lyrics a bit differently:

Duke we thy anthems raise
for all thy praises untold
We'll fight for the Blue and White
whose colors we uphold! (To hell with Carolina!)
Firm stands our line of blue
for we are loyal through and through!
Fighting with the spirit true
for the love of old D.U.!

Fight, we'll fight, with all our strength and might!
Win, we can, so here we'll lend a hand! Hey!
Rah! Rah! Rah! Rah! D-U-K-E Rah!
D-U-K-E!

Then there's also the alma mater, Dear Old Duke (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duke_University_Alma_Mater), but that was a post-game thing.


I recall they handed out lyrics sheets to us as freshmen. I assume that doesn't happen any more, but some individual could take the initiative and get the lyrics out there before games.

Any chance we could revive the tradition of singing along?

Surprised you used that version of Fight Blue Devils Fight. The more well known version, and the one the students actually use today:
Fight, Fight Blue Devils
Fight for the Blue and White
Fight on through!
There's a touchdown [Slam Dunk] there for you! (Go Devils!)
We're going to win tonight!
Carolina go to hell! (ES!)
So turn on the steam, team!
Fight, Blue Devils fight!

(I also think it's "March on Through" but I could've just been taught that wrong.

[Indoor66]

Not all schools. The University of Phoenix's fight song is "What Does The Fox Say."

Actually their REAL fight song is sung by Glenn Campbell.

[Duvall]

So what? It was lame 1920s claptrap when we learner the lyrics as 18-year-olds. And we still got a kick singing the songs together. In fact, the quaintness of the lyrics is almost part of the point. As I said, all schools have these quaint old lyrics, but other schools learn their songs for the sake of tradition.



To be fair, other schools have fight songs that scan.

[Son of Jarhead]

Growing up the son of DBR's Jarhead and Duke's long-retired Czar of Housing, I was taught the words to the Duke fight songs while still in the cradle. I have had the pleasure of belting them out at football and basketball games with the 'rents for well over four decades and counting. Admittedly, those within earshot might not have considered it a pleasure. :o ... I think it would be nice to have some more company singing the fight songs, count me in on putting the words up on the big screen. The bowl game, besides the outcome, was a blast with so many Duke fans really into the game and cheering wildly. Bottom line, getting a full house of fans into the game and cheering on the Blue Devils is more important than the fight songs themselves, but hey... we can do both! Go Duke!!!!

[ForkFondler]

How silly. It really isn't that hard:

Cheer 1: Devil in a Blue Dress ad infinitum

Cheer 2: 9F

[DukieInKansas]

How silly. It really isn't that hard:

Cheer 1: Devil in a Blue Dress ad infinitum

Cheer 2: 9F

If we shout 9 F as a call and response cheer of at the next unc game, will they think we are speaking in Swahili?

[Newton_14]

If we shout 9 F as a call and response cheer of at the next unc game, will they think we are speaking in Swahili?

That would be really cool and hilarious. Envision the TV side yelling "Nine!" and the non-TV side responding with "F!" Google would be lighting up, and some poor fool would tweet that the students were dissing one of the opponent's players grandmother or something...

Give the cheerleaders the big cards with 9 and F on them and let them lead the crowd like the "D" "U" "K" "E" cheer. That would be priceless. Camera guy could show Ozzie in his shirt on the scoreboard screen...

[Duke4life92]

Too late, it already happened. A national championship winning coach left Alabama for us, made the cover of Time magazine, and we consistently fielded top teams, and including hosting the Rose Bowl. I believe we won 6 of the first 10 ACC championships in football. And, we made enough money as a football school to fund the building of a basketball arena now called Cameron.

:)corect,guess i've just never ever ever heard duke referred to as a football school,then again i've only been alive since 1969.

[weezie]

The University of Phoenix's fight song is "What Does The Fox Say."

:D:D:D Thanks for my first big laugh of the day.

Anyway, as to the "Blue & White:"

...."Carolina, good night"... etc, etc... I prefer the newer, better, sleeker, more cheerful, more pungent version. :cool:

[Ima Facultiwyfe]

To be fair, other schools have fight songs that scan.

QFE. Ours are just plain AWFUL. Keep the melodies. HAVE A TALENTED KNOWLEDGEABLE PERSON TWEAK THE WORDS so they RHYME and make sense for ALL spsorts !!!! Nobody will object to the change because nobody knows the words in the first place, bless their hearts. Start posting lyrics on the jumbotron when it's time to sing.

No big job! I've been griping about this for years. Glad to finally have some company.

Nothing unifies a student body and promotes a marvelous atmosphere better than a great song sung together.

Love, Ima

[bleudiable]

Singing the fight songs is much easier in Cameron where everyone is jammed together...I date back to the first TV timeouts when the student section sang "Sail with the Pilot" in mock protest of the delay.

But in WW our small band and the spread out crowd (even late this year) makes singing the fight songs a difficult proposition. While I would like for the crowd to sing, I understand the difficulty.

Also, "Fight, Fight" should be our primary song--"Blue and White" is just too long and disjointed and dated.

[snowdenscold]

So what? It was lame 1920s claptrap when we learner the lyrics as 18-year-olds. And we still got a kick singing the songs together. In fact, the quaintness of the lyrics is almost part of the point. As I said, all schools have these quaint old lyrics, but other schools learn their songs for the sake of tradition.

Of course, you can choose to play the cynic and sit in stony silence. What fun!

Not sure why the negative pitchforks - take the issue up with throaty; he's the one who wrote it. I just thought it was funny/relevant and part of the HPBRG that may have been overlooked in favor of more popular items (9F, player X's minutes, short bench, etc.)

[OZZIE4DUKE]

There was a time, way back in the day, when Duke students knew Duke's fight songs by heart, and sang along during games (both football and basketball). For whatever reason, that knowledge seems to have been lost, and the tradition has fallen by the wayside. (Years of football failure beat the fight songs out of us, maybe?)

Having spent the Chick-fil-A Bowl ensconced among the Aggie faithful on the SEC side of the field, I have to say that it was impressive watching Aggies fans sing along and sway together to their school's own anthems and cheers. If we're gonna be a football school, I think we need to bring some of that to the table.

So come on Duke fans, the lyrics aren't that hard:

Fight, Fight Blue Devils (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fight!_Blue_Devils,_Fight!)

Though back in my day we only ever sang the first verse, and I remember singing the words a bit differently:

Fight, Fight Blue Devils
Fight for the Blue and White
Fight on through!
There's a touchdown there for you! (Go Devils!)
Duke is gonna win today
Carolina good night!
So turn on the steam, team!
Fight, Blue Devils fight!

Rip 'em up, tear 'em up, give 'em hell Duke! (etc.)


And then there's Blue and White (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_and_White_(Duke_fight_song)). Again, I remember actually singing the lyrics a bit differently:

Duke we thy anthems raise
for all thy praises untold
We'll fight for the Blue and White
whose colors we uphold! (To hell with Carolina!)
Firm stands our line of blue
for we are loyal through and through!
Fighting with the spirit true
for the love of old D.U.!

Fight, we'll fight, with all our strength and might!
Win, we can, so here we'll lend a hand! Hey!
Rah! Rah! Rah! Rah! D-U-K-E Rah!
D-U-K-E!

Then there's also the alma mater, Dear Old Duke (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duke_University_Alma_Mater), but that was a post-game thing.


I recall they handed out lyrics sheets to us as freshmen. I assume that doesn't happen any more, but some individual could take the initiative and get the lyrics out there before games.

Any chance we could revive the tradition of singing along?
Thanks for posting this. I've been advocating singing the fight songs for years, and do so when they are played, much to the chagrin of folks sitting near me :rolleyes: And "back in the day", the mid 70's, most students did YELL To Hell with carolina! I still do this in both Cameron and Wally Wade, and those regulars sitting around me smile in my direction. The interlopers just look at me funny. Sure wish everyone shouted it with me! C'mon students, get with it!

Handy Pocket-book Reference Guide

11(g): Why won’t these 20 year olds learn the words to our fight songs? (A: Because the words are lame 1920s clap-trap, that’s why).
Yup, that's how long this debate has been going on.

If we shout 9 F as a call and response cheer of at the next unc game, will they think we are speaking in Swahili?


That would be really cool and hilarious. Envision the TV side yelling "Nine!" and the non-TV side responding with "F!" Google would be lighting up, and some poor fool would tweet that the students were dissing one of the opponent's players grandmother or something...

Give the cheerleaders the big cards with 9 and F on them and let them lead the crowd like the "D" "U" "K" "E" cheer. That would be priceless. Camera guy could show Ozzie in his shirt on the scoreboard screen...
Works for me, although I traditionally only wear the 9F shirt at football games. Would be happy to wear it on March 8th though! Heck, I'll go down on the court and help the cheerleaders lead the cheer! http://www.crazietalk.net/ourhouse/images/smilies/devil9f.gif http://www.crazietalk.net/ourhouse/images/smilies/devil9f.gif http://www.crazietalk.net/ourhouse/images/smilies/devil9f.gif

[Jarhead]

Thanks for posting this. I've been advocating singing the fight songs for years, and do so when they are played, much to the chagrin of folks sitting near me :rolleyes: And "back in the day", the mid 70's, most students did YELL To Hell with carolina! I still do this in both Cameron and Wally Wade, and those regulars sitting around me smile in my direction. The interlopers just look at me funny. Sure wish everyone shouted it with me! C'mon students, get with it!

Yup, that's how long this debate has been going on.



Works for me, although I traditionally only wear the 9F shirt at football games. Would be happy to wear it on March 8th though! Heck, I'll go down on the court and help the cheerleaders lead the cheer! http://www.crazietalk.net/ourhouse/images/smilies/devil9f.gif http://www.crazietalk.net/ourhouse/images/smilies/devil9f.gif http://www.crazietalk.net/ourhouse/images/smilies/devil9f.gif

I'm with you Ozzie. Here's part of a post of mine in another thread on learning the songs:

I know the words to the Duke Fight Song and the Blue and White. In fact, I sung both of them the other night in the Georgia Dome, so did my sons who were there with me, and several other Duke folks in section 113.
When I was a freshman we had to know the words and music of the songs, and we sung them with gusto whether we were in Cameron or Wallace Wade. The cheerleaders were involved at football games. We had an elected head cheerleader at every home game, and some away games. They organized all of the cheers, and we even had card tricks.

Cheerleaders were never involved at basketball games, but we fans sure made noise. I'm not sure if we had women cheerleaders back then, but we did when Coach Bubas took over, bringing in the pep band and women cheerleaders to Cameron. His wife choreographed the "Devil in a Blue Dress" dance that they still do. There was a tune that the band played while the team went through their warm up drills. We all clapped in unison, keeping it up until the ban stopped for the National Anthem. The start of the Cameron Crazies was upon us.