Minnesota Rouser
Encyclopedia
The "Minnesota Rouser" is the fight song
of the University of Minnesota
. It is played at all Minnesota Golden Gophers
games.
and the Minneapolis Tribune
to write a suitable song for Minnesota football
games, to replace the hymn
like "Hail! Minnesota
". The song was written by Floyd Hutsell, then the choir director of First Methodist Episcopal Church in Minneapolis. He originally included a verse, but only the refrain is sung today. Hutsell is best known outside Minnesota as "Robert LaMar," a prominent vaudeville and operetta actor and producer. The song was originally titled, "The U. of M. Rouser," but eventually became known as simply the "Minnesota Rouser."
Sheet music to the winning song was published November 21, 1909, as a Supplement to The Minneapolis Sunday Tribune. Written in the key of G major, it was titled "The U. of M. Rouser" and was dedicated to B. A. Rose, Band Master, U. of M. The verse was included in this publication. The Judges for the fighting song, listed on the back, were: A.O. Eberhart, Governor of Minnesota; Cyrus W. Northrop, President of the University of Minnesota; Carlyle M. Scott, Professor of Music, University of Minnesota; J.A. Sende, Chief Musician, University of Minnesota Band; and Arthur Allen, President of the University of Minnesota Glee and Mandolin Club.
Ironically, another song written for the contest by William T. Purdy was "Minnesota, Minnesota." He withdrew it from the contest at the urging of his lyricist, Carl Beck, who wanted to offer the song to the University of Wisconsin–Madison
, where it became "On Wisconsin".
Minnesota, hats off to thee!
To thy colors true we shall ever be,
Firm and strong, united are we.
Rah, rah, rah, for Ski-U-Mah,
Rah! Rah! Rah! Rah!
Rah for the U of M.
[Repeat]
M-I-N-N-E-S-O-T-A!
Minnesota, Minnesota!
Yay, Gophers!
RAH!
(The phrase 'Ski-U-Mah' was part of an early cheer for the U of M.)
Gopher fans traditionally thrust their fists in the air during the spell-out, and make a circular motion with their fist during the yell.
Original Lyrics (As published in the Minneapolis Tribune, November 21, 1909)
Rah, rah,
Honor to our college Minnesota U.
Loyal to thy standards We'll never be untrue.
Underneath thy pennant Pulses beat with pride
And victory e'er shall be our aim O'er the nation wide, (Yell)
Minnesota, hats off to thee,
To your colors true we shall ever be...
Firm and strong, united are we.
Rah, rah, rah, for Ski-U-Ma,
Rah, rah, rah, rah, rah, rah, rah,
Rah, for the U of M. Ah........ (repeat refrain)
On Rocky and Bullwinkle, the lyrics are changed to "Wassamatta, Hats Off to U" ("Hail, Wassamatta, hail/Better we should land in jail.")
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...
of the University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
. It is played at all Minnesota Golden Gophers
Minnesota Golden Gophers
The Minnesota Golden Gophers are the college sports team for the University of Minnesota. The university fields both men's and women's teams in basketball, cross country, gymnastics, golf, ice hockey, swimming, tennis, and track and field. Men's-specific sports include baseball, football, and...
games.
History
It was the subject of a 1909 contest held by the Minnesota DailyMinnesota Daily
The Minnesota Daily is the campus newspaper of the University of Minnesota Twin Cities, published Monday-Thursday while school is in session, and published weekly on Wednesdays during summer sessions. Published since 1900, the paper is one of the largest student-run and student-written newspapers...
and the Minneapolis Tribune
Star Tribune
The Star Tribune is the largest newspaper in the U.S. state of Minnesota and is published seven days each week in an edition for the Minneapolis-Saint Paul metropolitan area. A statewide version is also available across Minnesota and parts of Wisconsin, Iowa, South Dakota, and North Dakota. The...
to write a suitable song for Minnesota football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
games, to replace the hymn
Hymn
A hymn is a type of song, usually religious, specifically written for the purpose of praise, adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a deity or deities, or to a prominent figure or personification...
like "Hail! Minnesota
Hail! Minnesota
"Hail! Minnesota" is the state song of Minnesota, and a variation is used as a school song of the University of Minnesota. It originated at the university in the early 1900s when some students decided to honor their graduating class with a new song...
". The song was written by Floyd Hutsell, then the choir director of First Methodist Episcopal Church in Minneapolis. He originally included a verse, but only the refrain is sung today. Hutsell is best known outside Minnesota as "Robert LaMar," a prominent vaudeville and operetta actor and producer. The song was originally titled, "The U. of M. Rouser," but eventually became known as simply the "Minnesota Rouser."
Sheet music to the winning song was published November 21, 1909, as a Supplement to The Minneapolis Sunday Tribune. Written in the key of G major, it was titled "The U. of M. Rouser" and was dedicated to B. A. Rose, Band Master, U. of M. The verse was included in this publication. The Judges for the fighting song, listed on the back, were: A.O. Eberhart, Governor of Minnesota; Cyrus W. Northrop, President of the University of Minnesota; Carlyle M. Scott, Professor of Music, University of Minnesota; J.A. Sende, Chief Musician, University of Minnesota Band; and Arthur Allen, President of the University of Minnesota Glee and Mandolin Club.
Ironically, another song written for the contest by William T. Purdy was "Minnesota, Minnesota." He withdrew it from the contest at the urging of his lyricist, Carl Beck, who wanted to offer the song to the University of Wisconsin–Madison
University of Wisconsin–Madison
The University of Wisconsin–Madison is a public research university located in Madison, Wisconsin, United States. Founded in 1848, UW–Madison is the flagship campus of the University of Wisconsin System. It became a land-grant institution in 1866...
, where it became "On Wisconsin".
Lyrics
(Current)Minnesota, hats off to thee!
To thy colors true we shall ever be,
Firm and strong, united are we.
Rah, rah, rah, for Ski-U-Mah,
Rah! Rah! Rah! Rah!
Rah for the U of M.
[Repeat]
M-I-N-N-E-S-O-T-A!
Minnesota, Minnesota!
Yay, Gophers!
RAH!
(The phrase 'Ski-U-Mah' was part of an early cheer for the U of M.)
Gopher fans traditionally thrust their fists in the air during the spell-out, and make a circular motion with their fist during the yell.
Original Lyrics (As published in the Minneapolis Tribune, November 21, 1909)
Rah, rah,
Honor to our college Minnesota U.
Loyal to thy standards We'll never be untrue.
Underneath thy pennant Pulses beat with pride
And victory e'er shall be our aim O'er the nation wide, (Yell)
Minnesota, hats off to thee,
To your colors true we shall ever be...
Firm and strong, united are we.
Rah, rah, rah, for Ski-U-Ma,
Rah, rah, rah, rah, rah, rah, rah,
Rah, for the U of M. Ah........ (repeat refrain)
Pop culture
The Boston-based rock orchestra, The Wings of Fire Orchestra, uses a variation of the U. of Minnesota Rouser on the song Connorfool (from Bullfighter Ballet, 2006).On Rocky and Bullwinkle, the lyrics are changed to "Wassamatta, Hats Off to U" ("Hail, Wassamatta, hail/Better we should land in jail.")
External links
- The Minnesota Rouser as performed by the University of Minnesota Marching BandUniversity of Minnesota Marching BandThe University of Minnesota Marching Band is the marching band of the University of Minnesota...