The "Iowa Fight Song" is one of three fight songs

Fight Songs

Fight Songs is the fourth studio album by American alternative country band Old 97's, first released on April 27, 1999. It features the song "Murder ", which was named one of the top songs of all time by Blender magazine....

 currently used by the University of Iowa

University of Iowa

The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...

 Hawkeye Marching Band

Hawkeye Marching Band

The Hawkeye Marching Band is the marching band for the University of Iowa. 255 members strong, it performs at all home Hawkeye football games inside historic Kinnick Stadium. It is the largest and most visible musical ensemble at the university and was awarded the Louis Sudler Intercollegiate...

 along with On Iowa

On Iowa

"On Iowa" is one of three fight songs currently used by the University of Iowa Hawkeye Marching Band along with the Iowa Fight Song and Roll Along Iowa. The lyrics were written W.R. Law in 1919.-Music Link:**-Lyrics:...

 and Roll Along Iowa

Roll Along Iowa

"Roll Along Iowa" is one of three fight songs currently used by the University of Iowa Hawkeye Marching Band along with On Iowa and the Iowa Fight Song. The lyrics were written by John Woodman in 1954.-Lyrics:...

. The lyrics were written by Iowa native Meredith Willson

Meredith Willson

Robert Meredith Willson was an American composer, songwriter, conductor and playwright, best known for writing the book, music and lyrics for the hit Broadway musical The Music Man...

, author of The Music Man

The Music Man

The Music Man is a musical with book, music, and lyrics by Meredith Willson, based on a story by Willson and Franklin Lacey. The plot concerns con man Harold Hill, who poses as a boys' band organizer and leader and sells band instruments and uniforms to naive townsfolk before skipping town with...

, in 1951.

As part of Willson's library, the song is copyrighted to Frank Music Corp. and Meredith Willson Music, subsidiaries of Sir Paul McCartney's MPL Communications

MPL Communications

MPL Communications is the holding company for the business interests of Sir Paul McCartney. In addition to handling McCartney's post-Beatles work, MPL is also one of the world's largest privately owned music publishers through its acquisition of numerous other publishing companies...

.

The song was used in a 2007 commercial for the Iowa Lottery

Iowa Lottery

The Iowa Lottery is run by the government of Iowa. It is a charter member of, and home to, the Multi-State Lottery Association , which administers its games on behalf of the member lotteries...

, where a Hawkeye fan sings different words to it for an instant ticket game. Meredith Willson's widow, Rosemary, protested the song's use in a lottery commercial, while university faculty members urged the athletic department to distance itself from the state lottery, fearing it would promote gambling. The ad was pulled soon after.

Music Link

• MP3 and lyrics
• Full lyrics

Lyrics

The word is "Fight! Fight! Fight! for IOWA,

Let every loyal Iowan sing;

The word is "Fight! Fight! Fight! for IOWA,"

Until the walls and rafters ring (Go Hawks!)

Come on and cheer, cheer, cheer for IOWA,

Come on and cheer until you hear the final gun.

The word is "Fight! Fight! Fight! for IOWA,"

Until the game is won.