The Good Old Song

The Good Old Song (also sometimes spelled as The Good Ole Song) is the de facto alma mater of the University of Virginia. It is set to the music of Auld Lang Syne. The song is often said to be the University's fight song, but the actual fight song is the Cavalier Song.

History and authorship

Various sources ascribe the authorship of the Good Old Song to Virginia Glee Club member^[1] Edward A. Craighill on or about 1895 even though Craighill's 1922 article on the song disclaims sole authorship.^[2] The best documentary evidence to date indicates that the song's lyrics were more or less spontaneously composed by a group of students in 1893, and that by 1894 the song was already being documented in the student annual, Corks and Curls.^[3]

Though "The Good Old Song" was the de facto alma mater by 1900, it has never been made an official song of the University. Other songs have been given official status by student vote over the years—"Virginia, Hail, All Hail!" and "The Cavalier Song" won a 1923 contest sponsored by the student newspaper and were named the University's alma mater song and fight song, respectively—--but remain relatively unknown among the general student body.^[4] According to the Virginia Pep Band, the University's band from 1974 to 2003, the University's Athletic's Department attempted to replace the Good Old Song with a more lively post-touchdown song during the 1970s. They relate that the students of the Pep Band refused to abandon the song in spite of the orders, and it is thus still played today. ^[5]

Modern performance and controversy

The song can most often be heard at football games immediately following each Cavalier score (or the extra point attempt). Virginia alumni and fans join hands or embrace as they sway back and forth singing the first verse of the song followed by pumping fists to the chant. It is reserved for celebrating the success of a score and is never sung during play, merely as a cheer.

Over the past thirty years, it has become a practice of some fans to chant "Not gay!" after the line "Where all is bright and gay," in what has been described as a homophobic act by the Cavalier Daily. Petitions and organized protests against the practice began in 2001,^[6] and it was all but eliminated^[vague] by 2007.^[7] In recent years, it has become in fashion for students and fans to curse Virginia Tech at this point in the song.^{[original research?]}

References

External links

• Virginia Pep Band version
• Virginia Glee Club, Virginia Women's Chorus, and University Singers version
• Virginiana: Good Old Songs (exhibit at the University of Virginia Library)