A Sea Of Red

Our fight song is something that is VERY important to our athletics program. The problem is, no one knows it. Most don't even know we have a fight song. Dwayne Carson didn't even know we had a fight song. Many students don't realize it either, much less know the words. This is a problem. One of the reasons that I think causes this is that our fight song really doesn't sound much like a college fight song. I don't know why this is. I like Fan the Flames. I really do. I know the words, I sing it every time I hear the band play it (which last night I couldn't hear it much). There's just something about it that hasn't caught on. If you ask people what the fight song is, the common answers are, "We have a fight song? Oh, the one where we say Go LU." Here are my questions, hopefully it'll start a good discussion.

How do we get the fight song more well-known?

Do you like the current one?

Do you know the words?

Did you know that there were words in the first place?

Do we need a new one? Our alumni don't have a connection to this one so if we started something new, something that began with the Rocco Era, it wouldn't tick off too many people. It's just a matter of do we need one?

How would you go about writing a new one? Would they take submissions then leave it for a fan vote?


Coach Rocco is the only coach that has taught the players the fight song. When it's played in the Vines, no one even knows what's going on. The fight song should be something that, when you hear it, you stand up, clap and sing along, and that you're proud of. It's something that you should be able to recognize the second you hear it. There are fight songs that when I hear them, I know exactly what they are, even on our level (like JMU or App).

Let's talk about this, and hopefully we'll be able to come to some kind of consensus.

I like Fan the Flames. To be honest, I wasn't all that attached to it when I was a student. It grew on me more when I got the mp3 format off of the band's website and stuck it on my computer a couple of years ago. Something does need to be done to promote it more. I am proof that it can catch on!

You are right that it is hard to hear at the games from the student side. It is much clearer on the Baptist side. (I still vote that we move the band to portable stands in the end zone so they play to the whole crowd instead of just one side, but that is a different topic.)

I don't think we need to change it, but I share your concern that not enough people know it.
(that brings up another topic...the alma matter...the first time I sang that was at graduation practice)

I love the fight song. I always knew it was our fight song just from being at the football games, but I didn't know the words til it was posted on here at one time. Still don't know most of the words, just know the "fan the flames, fan the flames, fan the flames to victory, fan the flames of liberty... blah blah." Sometimes I wonder if they could just do a Wednesday convo where Barber at the athletic department and teams run it and we can teach the student body the fight song, game day pageantry and whatever else that students need to learn. Do one right before football season, one right before basketball season... whatever season.

I like our fight song a lot...I didn't know what to think when I first heard it, but the more I hear it the more I like it...

I played it for my brother who is a freshmen here and he said he thought it sounded like a few other fight songs put together, but he liked it...

it grows on you and the more of a tradition we build here the better it will come

Like I said, I like it. It's just weird being in a sea of 8000 kids and being one of maybe 20 that know the words.

you're right...but its not like LU has rich tradition or anything...that is something Athletic Dept. is working on changing and I am sure it will get better....the change I have seen in the past few years alone is enough to blow my mind...seeing all the tailgating all the way down University Blvd and how early the students showed up...its all amazing how much better things are getting here...

it will get better...i know it will

I know it will. That's why I posed the question. Sometimes the only way to market something better is to change it up. Look at how many teams change their logos or uniforms or whatever to create more interest in the team. Things may have been good before, but they went ahead and changed something just to get everyone to notice and figure it out. What I'm saying is I like Fan The Flames, I'm just wondering if it'd be more effective to have a contest for a new one and then unveil it next season. I really don't know. That's why I made the thread. I don't know what would be best.

I like the fight song--granted, I thought I knew the words until the game. I, like most people, know the "Fan the Flames" part but not much after that. Someone get Wynton Jackson to get those freshman on stage during convo.

i like it. still stuttering over that one phrase, but I can do the whole thing when not under pressure. I think it just needs promoted and taught to the students

Thats the thing though not too many people know it so if someone were to say write lyrics somehow reflecting Jerry building a campus it could be alot better than something 5 people in a room made up so they could say Yes we have a fight song.

I like it but it can be much better

Maybe you guys can email the AD about it and he can talk to Dr Hugo (who wrote the original fight song lyrics) about that as a possibility (writing a new fight song or at least updating the lyrics). Then make said lyrics accessible to everyone either on the athletics page or the splash page. Making knowing the words a part of freshman seminar I still think is a good idea as well.

All it could take is putting the words on the splash page or athletics page now. You never know.

If the could get the student body to sing the fight song together like they sang the "ain't no mountain High enough" song at the game sat. then it would be amazing. I like the fight song. its simple, its easy to learn and it sounds like a college fight song. SJ's idea of adding it to the Freshman seminar is a great idea. I also agree with postman what the heck is the alma mater? at most colleges that is a sacred practice. At UGA games you don't speak during the alma.

How about sticking the words on the scoreboard while the song is played?

I do kinda like the idea of updating a few of the lyrics, but that doesn't HAVE to happen to get people to know it.

If the could get the student body to sing the fight song together like they sang the "ain't no mountain High enough" song at the game sat. then it would be amazing.

Agreed, filmguy. You could clearly hear the words on the Baptist side as the students sang it. And from my location, it sounded like mostly female voices (or guys whose voices hadn't changed yet).

01LUGrad wrote:How about sticking the words on the scoreboard while the song is played?

The song moves too fast to put it on the board we have now.

01LUGrad wrote:You are right that it is hard to hear at the games from the student side. It is much clearer on the Baptist side. (I still vote that we move the band to portable stands in the end zone so they play to the whole crowd instead of just one side, but that is a different topic.)

DING DING!

winner.

exactly right. The song is good- play loud, play it proud. Play it every convo until the kids vomit. Loop it over the PA in the dining hall and in the bookstore if you have to.

I'd love the band in the end zone. I used to say I wouldn't, but now I do. We could hear em better and the students would be packed in more with no gap, ever.

SuperJon wrote:I'd love the band in the end zone. I used to say I wouldn't, but now I do. We could hear em better and the students would be packed in more with no gap, ever.

YES

YES

YES

That's what she said.

SuperJon wrote:That's what she said.

No....no, it's not.

rocco mentioned the fight song in convo this morning, hopefully the school website is getting many hits right now with eager fans wanting to learn the song.

What'd he say about it?

I also love the idea of the band in the endzone. I think we would here them better....looks like seats could even be put on top of the visiting team locker room...

i asked about the seats on the locker room and was told that it wasn't possible...
I also like the band in the endzone idea. i didn't hear the band any while they were in the stands