Swaying during the alma mater
When did it become de rigueur for our students/fans to lock arms and sway during the singing of "the Yellow and Blue"? I know it's always been played after games, but I don't remember the swaying. I know ND does that. Did we copy them?
March 11th, 2011 at 10:17 PM ^
throughout my 4 years that ended somewhat recently...I only remember it at basketball games though...And there were only like 20-30ish people that would stay that long after the games...
March 11th, 2011 at 10:19 PM ^
A lot of schools do it.
March 11th, 2011 at 10:24 PM ^
I did it twice today and it felt even better the second time.
March 11th, 2011 at 10:29 PM ^
but seriously, what a great day for Michigan sports.
March 12th, 2011 at 12:20 AM ^
Did it in football after every win from '99-'03. I'm sure it's been going on for much longer than that
March 11th, 2011 at 10:32 PM ^
I was 92-96 in the MBB and student body and Players always did during our post game performance
March 11th, 2011 at 10:34 PM ^
This is really really really melodramatic but I remember tearing up doing it at my last basketball home game against Purdue back in 2009. We did it all four years I was at U of M.
March 11th, 2011 at 10:35 PM ^
I sort of hate the idea of doing anything the way they do them at O-HI-O or Our Lady of Northern Indiana. But if it gets youngsters to actually learn the words to The Yellow and Blue, then I'm mildly impressed. It'd be better if you could do it without swaying.
March 11th, 2011 at 10:43 PM ^
The real test is learning the non-chorus words to "The Victors" or any of the "Varsity" lyrics.
March 11th, 2011 at 10:51 PM ^
Just watch this video of the Big House dedication (circa 1927) and it's easy to learn the words to both songs.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AZFmDHI_JcI
Home sweet home.
March 11th, 2011 at 11:34 PM ^
Kind of disappointed the Class of '27 didn't even "maize out" the student section... C'mon.
Heh. Honestly, I do get a chuckle looking at the clothes. The women are all in dresses, the men in suits and ties. They look like they are going to church. Was there no such thing as casual clothes in the 1920's?
Ufer may have said it best.
(paraphrasing)
"Michigan Football is religion and Saturday is a Holy Day of Obligation."
March 11th, 2011 at 10:53 PM ^
Anyone have a clue where "Joe's and the Orient" is?
March 11th, 2011 at 10:55 PM ^
What's interesting is that OSU sings the same tune "I Wanna Go Back to Ohio State" and apparently Cal-Berkely does as well.
March 12th, 2011 at 12:04 AM ^
Both were bars, and both were near the courthouse at Huron & Main.
http://www.aadl.org/gallery/aastreets/site7/wall_displays/w4e/PARKER-30…
March 11th, 2011 at 10:53 PM ^
Also: the second and third verses of "the Yellow and Blue." I think the only time I've ever heard them sung is at graduation.
March 11th, 2011 at 10:54 PM ^
I always get disbelieving looks when I sing along to Varsity and the entire "Victors." My next goal is to learn the other two verses of "The Yellow and Blue" (I still can't understand why we sing the first verse and not the third--the first is about yellow, the second is about blue, and the third is about both colors and the college).
March 12th, 2011 at 12:15 AM ^
I suppose the third verse might be deemed sexist, or something, with the lines "Here's to the maid of the golden hair / And eyes that are brimming with blue!" (The AAUM website actually doesn't even mention the third verse.)
The full lyrics:
Sing to the colors that float in the light;
Hurrah for the Yellow and Blue!
Yellow the stars as they ride through the night
And reel in a rollicking crew;
Yellow the field where ripens the grain
And yellow the moon on the harvest wain;
Hail!
Hail to the colors that float in the light
Hurrah for the Yellow and Blue!
Blue are the billows that bow to the sun
When yellow-robed morning is due.
Blue are the curtains that evening has spun
The slumbers of Phoebus to woo;
Blue are the blossoms to memory dear
And blue is the sapphire and gleams like a tear;
Hail!
Hail to the ribbons that nature has spun;
Hurrah for the Yellow and Blue!
Here's to the college whose colors we wear,
Here's to the hearts that are true!
Here's to the maid of the golden hair,
And eyes that are brimming with blue!
Garlands of bluebells and maize intertwine,
And hearts that are true and voices combine;
Hail!
Hail to the college whose colors we wear;
Hurrah for the Yellow and Blue!
March 12th, 2011 at 12:21 AM ^
Also know the main verse of the Yellow and Blue. There are two more I think, but they are literally never used, so I never bothered learning them.
A friend of mine (BlueBarron) and I made it a personal challenge to know the complete lyrics to both of those before last season, our first year as students, started. We accomplished it, but we sure did get weird looks up in row 92 during pregame.
I was in the marching band for four years, and every time we sang it in the tunnel before kick off, we sang and locked arms and swayed. I just know it as that's how you do it.
March 11th, 2011 at 10:49 PM ^
it and Im old.
March 11th, 2011 at 11:01 PM ^
All of us in section 17 at yost started doing it this season. A few of us were singing the Yellow and Blue after the team leaves the ice for the past few seasons, but it has really started becoming standard for all of our games this season.
This song gives me the chills every time. Go Blue.
Go Blue.
Only from a few people, 6-10 people.