Notre Dame Victory March
Encyclopedia
The "Notre Dame Victory March" is the fight song
for the University of Notre Dame
. It was written by two brothers who were Notre Dame graduates. The Rev. Michael J. Shea, a 1905 graduate, wrote the music, and his brother, John F. Shea, who earned degrees in 1906 and 1908, wrote the original lyrics. The lyrics were revised in the 1920s; it first appeared under the copyright of the University of Notre Dame in 1928.
The chorus of the song is one of the most recognizable collegiate fight songs in the United States, and was ranked first among fight songs by Northern Illinois University Professor William Studwell
, who remarked it was "more borrowed, more famous and, frankly, you just hear it more."
is sung one or more times.
The chorus and the original lyrics, which were written in 1908, are in the public domain
in the United States
; however, the lyrics used today were written in the 1920s, and are still under copyright
in the United States.
The Dropkick Murphys
released an instrumental
version of the Victory March, called "Victory" with the single Walk Away and subsequently with their collection, Singles Collection, Volume 2
.
The song was used in the 20th season of The Simpsons
in an episode called Double, Double, Boy in Trouble, as a reference to Joe Montana, an alum of Notre Dame, who made a brief cameo in that episode.
, Knute Rockne
(played by Pat O'Brien
) delivers the emotional "Win one for the Gipper" speech, at which point the background music swells with the Victory March. Drawing from this reference, the song has been used in mass media in situations that seemed to compel an inspirational "halftime speech". The "Win one for the Gipper" speech was parodied in the 1980 movie Airplane!
when, with the Victory March rising to a crescendo in the background, Dr. Rumak, played by Leslie Nielsen
, urged reluctant pilot Ted Striker, played by Robert Hays
, to "win one for the Zipper", Striker's war buddy, George Zipp. The Victory March also plays during the film's credits.
The song also was prominent in the movie Rudy
, an account of the life of Daniel "Rudy" Ruettiger
who harbored dreams of playing football at the University of Notre Dame despite significant obstacles.
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 the University of Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
. It was written by two brothers who were Notre Dame graduates. The Rev. Michael J. Shea, a 1905 graduate, wrote the music, and his brother, John F. Shea, who earned degrees in 1906 and 1908, wrote the original lyrics. The lyrics were revised in the 1920s; it first appeared under the copyright of the University of Notre Dame in 1928.
The chorus of the song is one of the most recognizable collegiate fight songs in the United States, and was ranked first among fight songs by Northern Illinois University Professor William Studwell
William Studwell
William Emmett Studwell was an American librarian who became known for his knowledge of carols.-Biography:William Studwell was born in Stamford, Connecticut and he studied history at the University of Connecticut....
, who remarked it was "more borrowed, more famous and, frankly, you just hear it more."
Lyrics
Typically the two verses are sung together, and then the chorusRefrain
A refrain is the line or lines that are repeated in music or in verse; the "chorus" of a song...
is sung one or more times.
The chorus and the original lyrics, which were written in 1908, are in the public domain
Public domain
Works are in the public domain if the intellectual property rights have expired, if the intellectual property rights are forfeited, or if they are not covered by intellectual property rights at all...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
; however, the lyrics used today were written in the 1920s, and are still under copyright
Copyright
Copyright is a legal concept, enacted by most governments, giving the creator of an original work exclusive rights to it, usually for a limited time...
in the United States.
Rally sons of Notre Dame:
Sing her glory and sound her fame,
Raise her Gold and Blue
And cheer with voices true:
Rah, rah, for Notre Dame
We will fight in ev-ry game,
Strong of heart and true to her name
We will ne'er forget her
And will cheer her ever
Loyal to Notre Dame
- Chorus:
Cheer, cheer for old Notre Dame,
Wake up the echoes cheering her name,
Send a volley cheer on high,
Shake down the thunder from the sky.
What though the odds be great or small
Old Notre Dame will win over all,
While her loyal sons are marching
Onward to victory.
The Dropkick Murphys
Dropkick Murphys
Dropkick Murphys are an Irish-American punk rock band formed in Quincy, Massachusetts in 1996. The band was initially signed to independent punk record label Hellcat Records, releasing five albums for the label, and making a name for themselves locally through constant playing and yearly St....
released an instrumental
Instrumental
An instrumental is a musical composition or recording without lyrics or singing, although it might include some non-articulate vocal input; the music is primarily or exclusively produced by musical instruments....
version of the Victory March, called "Victory" with the single Walk Away and subsequently with their collection, Singles Collection, Volume 2
Singles Collection, Volume 2
Singles Collection Volume 2 is a b-side and rarities compilation album released by Boston punk rock band Dropkick Murphys, on March 8, 2005. It contains songs released on singles, compilations and splits...
.
The song was used in the 20th season of The Simpsons
The Simpsons
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The series is a satirical parody of a middle class American lifestyle epitomized by its family of the same name, which consists of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa and Maggie...
in an episode called Double, Double, Boy in Trouble, as a reference to Joe Montana, an alum of Notre Dame, who made a brief cameo in that episode.
In film
Knute Rockne, All AmericanKnute Rockne, All American
Knute Rockne, All American is a 1940 biographical film which tells the story of Knute Rockne, Notre Dame football coach. It stars Pat O'Brien, Ronald Reagan, Gale Page, Donald Crisp, Albert Bassermann, Owen Davis, Jr., Nick Lukats, Kane Richmond, William Marshall and William Byrne. It also...
, Knute Rockne
Knute Rockne
Knute Kenneth Rockne was an American football player and coach. He is regarded as one of the greatest coaches in college football history...
(played by Pat O'Brien
Pat O'Brien (actor)
Pat O’Brien was an American film actor with more than one hundred screen credits.-Early life:O’Brien was born William Joseph Patrick O’Brien to an Irish-American Catholic family in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He served as an altar boy at Gesu Church while growing up near 13th and Clybourn streets...
) delivers the emotional "Win one for the Gipper" speech, at which point the background music swells with the Victory March. Drawing from this reference, the song has been used in mass media in situations that seemed to compel an inspirational "halftime speech". The "Win one for the Gipper" speech was parodied in the 1980 movie Airplane!
Airplane!
Airplane! is a 1980 American satirical comedy film directed and written by David Zucker, Jim Abrahams, and Jerry Zucker and released by Paramount Pictures...
when, with the Victory March rising to a crescendo in the background, Dr. Rumak, played by Leslie Nielsen
Leslie Nielsen
Leslie William Nielsen, OC was a Canadian and naturalized American actor and comedian. Nielsen appeared in more than one hundred films and 1,500 television programs over the span of his career, portraying more than 220 characters...
, urged reluctant pilot Ted Striker, played by Robert Hays
Robert Hays
Robert Hays is an American actor and is arguably most well known for his role in the movie Airplane!-Life and career:...
, to "win one for the Zipper", Striker's war buddy, George Zipp. The Victory March also plays during the film's credits.
The song also was prominent in the movie Rudy
Rudy (film)
Rudy is a 1993 American sports film directed by David Anspaugh. It is an account of the life of Daniel "Rudy" Ruettiger, who harbored dreams of playing football at the University of Notre Dame despite significant obstacles...
, an account of the life of Daniel "Rudy" Ruettiger
Daniel Ruettiger
Daniel Eugene "Rudy" Ruettiger is a motivational speaker and former collegiate football player for the University of Notre Dame, who is best known as the inspiration for the motion picture Rudy....
who harbored dreams of playing football at the University of Notre Dame despite significant obstacles.
Usage by other sports teams
The tune of the Victory March is also used by:- Port Adelaide Magpies Football ClubPort Adelaide MagpiesThe Port Adelaide Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which competes in the South Australian National Football League...
(South Australian National Football LeagueSouth Australian National Football LeagueThe South Australian National Football League is an Australian rules football league based in the Australian state of South Australia. It is also the governing body for the sport of Australian rules football in South Australia....
) - It was used by the Port Adelaide Football ClubPort Adelaide Football ClubThe Port Adelaide Football Club is an Australian rules football club based in Alberton, South Australia, which plays in the Australian Football League and the South Australian National Football League...
prior to them leaving the SANFL and joining the AFL. - Sydney Swans Football ClubSydney SwansThe Sydney Swans Football Club is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Sydney, New South Wales. The club, founded in 1874, was known as the South Melbourne Football Club until it relocated to Sydney in 1982 to become the Sydney...
(Australian Football LeagueAustralian Football LeagueThe Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
) - It had been used by the Swans' predecessor, the South Melbourne Football Club, before relocation to Sydney - St Patrick's College, BallaratSt Patrick's College, BallaratSt Patrick's College was founded by the Christian Brothers in 1893. It is a Roman Catholic day and boarding school, located in Ballarat, Australia. It provides education for boys from Year 7 to Year 12, with an emphasis on sporting and academic programmes...
- College Song, "Cheers Cheers for Old SPC". - The Holy Cross School in New Orleans, LouisianaLouisianaLouisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, which was founded by the same Brothers of the Holy Cross as the University of Notre Dame, also uses the same victory march. - Millsaps CollegeMillsaps CollegeMillsaps College is a private liberal arts college located in Jackson, Mississippi. Founded in 1890, the college is recognized as one of the country's best private colleges dedicated to undergraduate teaching and educating the whole individual. Affiliated with the United Methodist Church, Millsaps...
in Jackson, MississippiJackson, MississippiJackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
uses the music for their fight song, "Purple and White." - Agnes Scott CollegeAgnes Scott CollegeAgnes Scott College is a private undergraduate college in the United States. Agnes Scott's campus lies in downtown Decatur, Georgia, nestled inside the perimeter of the bustling metro-Atlanta area....
in Decatur, GeorgiaDecatur, GeorgiaDecatur is a city in, and county seat of, DeKalb County, Georgia, United States. With a population of 19,335 in the 2010 census, the city is sometimes assumed to be larger since multiple zip codes in unincorporated DeKalb County bear the Decatur name...
also uses the music for their fight song and other campus festivities. - Calumet High School in Calumet, MichiganCalumet, MichiganCalumet is a village in Calumet Township, Houghton County, in the U.S. state of Michigan's Upper Peninsula, that was once at the center of the mining industry of the Upper Peninsula. Also known as Red Jacket, the village includes the Calumet Downtown Historic District, listed on the National...
uses the music for their fight song. The school is the only high school in its district, which includes Laurium, MichiganLaurium, MichiganLaurium is a village in Calumet Township, Houghton County in the U.S. state of Michigan, in the center of the Keweenaw Peninsula. The population was 2,126 at the 2000 census.-History:...
, birthplace of George GippGeorge GippGeorge "The Gipper" Gipp was a college football player who played for the University of Notre Dame. Gipp was selected as Notre Dame's first All-American and is Notre Dame's second consensus All-American , after Gus Dorais. Gipp played multiple positions, most notably halfback, quarterback, and...
. - Nouvel Catholic Central High SchoolNouvel Catholic Central High SchoolNouvel Catholic Central High School is a private, Catholic high school located in Saginaw Charter Township, Michigan and serving the Saginaw region. Nouvel is a high school that enrolls approximately 360 students...
in SaginawSaginaw, MichiganSaginaw is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the seat of Saginaw County. The city of Saginaw was once a thriving lumber town and manufacturing center. Saginaw and Saginaw County lie in the Flint/Tri-Cities region of Michigan...
(Saginaw Charter TownshipSaginaw Charter Township, MichiganSaginaw Charter Township is a charter township of Saginaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 40,840 at the 2010 census. The city of Saginaw is adjacent to the township to the southeast, but is administratively autonomous....
), Michigan - The tune of the fight song is also played at many high school football games throughout the United States of America.
- Clay High School (South Bend,Indiana) uses the music in their fight song.
- V. J. and Angela Skutt Catholic High School (Omaha, NebraskaOmaha, NebraskaOmaha is the largest city in the state of Nebraska, United States, and is the county seat of Douglas County. It is located in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about 20 miles north of the mouth of the Platte River...
) uses the music for their fight song. - John Carroll Catholic High Scool in Birmingham, Alabama
- Longview High SchoolLongview High SchoolLongview High School is a public, co-educational 5A high school serving grades nine to twelve in Longview, Texas . The school serves as the secondary campus of the Longview Independent School District...
in Longview, TexasLongview, TexasLongview is a city in Gregg and Harrison Counties in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 80,455. Most of the city is located in Gregg County, of which it is the county seat; only a small part extends into the western part of neighboring Harrison County. It is... - Mishicot High SchoolMishicot High SchoolMishicot High School is located in Mishicot, Wisconsin. Its mascot is the Indian. The school has a sports program with football, wrestling, volleyball, cross country, track, basketball, baseball, softball, and golf. It offers grades 9-12.-External links:*...
in Mishicot, WisconsinMishicot, WisconsinMishicot is a village in Manitowoc County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 1,422 at the 2000 census. The village is located within the Town of Mishicot... - A.W. Cox School in Guilford, ConnecticutGuilford, ConnecticutGuilford is a town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States, that borders Madison, Branford, North Branford and Durham, and is situated on I-95 and the coast. The population was 21,398 at the 2000 census...
External links
- Notre Dame Victory March (hosted by the Internet ArchiveInternet ArchiveThe Internet Archive is a non-profit digital library with the stated mission of "universal access to all knowledge". It offers permanent storage and access to collections of digitized materials, including websites, music, moving images, and nearly 3 million public domain books. The Internet Archive...
) - Notre Dame Victory March page at official Notre Dame Athletics site
- Sports Illustrated article ranking the best college fight songs