"Hail State" is a fight song

Fight song

A fight song is primarily an American and Canadian sports term, referring to a song associated with a team. In both professional and amateur sports, fight songs are a popular way for fans to cheer for their team...

 for Mississippi State University

Mississippi State University

The Mississippi State University of Agriculture and Applied Science commonly known as Mississippi State University is a land-grant university located in Oktibbeha County, Mississippi, United States, partially in the town of Starkville and partially in an unincorporated area...

. The words and music were written by Joseph Burleson Peavey in 1939.

Use in football games

Hail State is played by the Famous Maroon Band

Famous Maroon Band

The Famous Maroon Band is the name of the marching band at Mississippi State University in Starkville, Mississippi. The Maroon Band plays at all Mississippi State home football games and sends at least a pep band to a majority of the football away games...

 at the start of each home game and after each time the team scores. There are several abbreviated versions that are played as stand tunes or in combination with the full theme.

Lyrics

Hail Dear Old State,

Fight for that victory today,

Hit that line and tote that ball,

Cross the goal before you fall,

And then we'll yell,

YELL YELL YELL!

For Dear Old State we'll yell like H-E-L-L,

Fight for Mississippi State,

Win that game today,

Go State!

Hey, Go State

At the end of each winning game, the band plays Rock and Roll Part II, with fans cheering "Hey, Go State" during the chorus. During the bridge, fans typically chant,

"We're gonna beat the hell outta you;

Maroon, White, Fight Fight Fight;

Mississippi State, WOO! You're Damn right!"

Alternate last line

Many MSU fans replace the last full line, "Win that game today" with "Go to hell Ole Miss!", a tongue-in-cheek jab at their in-state rival, the University of Mississippi. MSU fans are also known to add "Go to hell Ole Miss!" at the end of the national anthem, regardless of the opponent or sport being played.

External links

• Song recording
• Lyrics: "Hail State." 8/10/06. Hail State Lyrics. Mississippi State University. Retrieved on March 5, 2008.