The Stanford Jonah
Encyclopedia
The Stanford Jonah is a fight song of the University of California, Berkeley
written in 1913 by Ted Haley as an entry into a song contest held by the Daily Californian. The song gained popularity when the campus glee club traveled to Europe where the song was a hit and it continues to be a hit at most sporting events, but specifically at events between the California Golden Bears
and their rival, the Stanford Cardinal
. Georgia Tech's "White And Gold", The Naval Academy's "Up With The Navy", and the University of Montana's "Up With Montana" share this tune as well.
And the Big Game's just begun,
And there's music in the air;
When our team runs on the field,
Stanford knows her fate is sealed,
For the Golden Bear has left his lair.
When the yells of lusty throats
Start to getting Stanford's goats,
And the rooting section seems a howling mob,
Then you grab your hat and shout,
You let folks know you're about,
For you know that Stanford Jonah's on the job.
chorus
So then it's up with the Blue and Gold,
Down with the Red; red, red, red
California's out for a victory,
We'll drop our battle axe on Stanford's head; chop
When we meet her, our team will surely beat her.
Down on the Stanford farm, there'll be no sound,
When our Oski rips through the air.
Like our friend Mister Jonah, Stanford's team will be found,
In the tummy of the Golden Bear.
repeat chorus
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
written in 1913 by Ted Haley as an entry into a song contest held by the Daily Californian. The song gained popularity when the campus glee club traveled to Europe where the song was a hit and it continues to be a hit at most sporting events, but specifically at events between the California Golden Bears
California Golden Bears
The California Golden Bears is the nickname used for 29 varsity athletic programs and various club teams of the University of California, Berkeley...
and their rival, the Stanford Cardinal
Stanford Cardinal
The Stanford Cardinal is the nickname of the athletic teams at Stanford University.-Nickname and mascot history:Following its win over Cal in the first-ever Big Game in 1892, the color cardinal was picked as the primary color of Stanford's athletic teams...
. Georgia Tech's "White And Gold", The Naval Academy's "Up With The Navy", and the University of Montana's "Up With Montana" share this tune as well.
Controversy and explanation
There is a small controversy about the chorus of this song. In 1914, the University of Montana says that they originated this part with their fight song, "Up With Montana." The U.S. Naval Academy has the written permission of the University of Montana to use this song under the name "Up With The Navy." The Georgia Institute of Technology claims this song, with adapted lyrics, under the name of "White and Gold" as their rivalry Fight song against the University of Georgia. They also say that the University of Montana adopted the song from them. The University of California holds this song as its own, and since the song "White And Gold" came out after 1929, they state that it is probable that Georgia Tech got it from them after the 1929 Rose Bowl since the two teams have played each other rarely.Lyrics
When the training days are done,And the Big Game's just begun,
And there's music in the air;
When our team runs on the field,
Stanford knows her fate is sealed,
For the Golden Bear has left his lair.
When the yells of lusty throats
Start to getting Stanford's goats,
And the rooting section seems a howling mob,
Then you grab your hat and shout,
You let folks know you're about,
For you know that Stanford Jonah's on the job.
chorus
So then it's up with the Blue and Gold,
Down with the Red; red, red, red
California's out for a victory,
We'll drop our battle axe on Stanford's head; chop
When we meet her, our team will surely beat her.
Down on the Stanford farm, there'll be no sound,
When our Oski rips through the air.
Like our friend Mister Jonah, Stanford's team will be found,
In the tummy of the Golden Bear.
repeat chorus
Lyric references
- The battle axe referred to is the Stanford Axe which is a perpetual football trophy with a history of being stolen.
- The Big Game referred to is the Big Game (football)Big Game (football)The Big Game is an American college football rivalry game played by the California Golden Bears football team of the University of California, Berkeley and the Stanford Cardinal football team of Stanford University. It is typically played in late November or early December...
which pits the California Golden BearsCalifornia Golden BearsThe California Golden Bears is the nickname used for 29 varsity athletic programs and various club teams of the University of California, Berkeley...
against the Stanford CardinalStanford CardinalThe Stanford Cardinal is the nickname of the athletic teams at Stanford University.-Nickname and mascot history:Following its win over Cal in the first-ever Big Game in 1892, the color cardinal was picked as the primary color of Stanford's athletic teams...
in one of the most celebrated college rivalries. - The Oski that rips through the air refers to an old cheer used by the Golden Bears at football games called "The Oski YellThe Oski YellThe Oski Yell is the University of California Berkeley spirit yell from which Cal's mascot, Oski the Bear, derives his name. Although Oski appeared in 1941, the yell was first performed around the turn of the 20th century. The yell's origins are uncertain, although the University of Illinois...
" that has since been abandoned, but OskiOskiOski or Oski the Bear is the official mascot of the University of California and has been a tradition at the school since making his debut on September 26, 1941 during the football season-opener against St. Mary's. Up until 1941, live bears were used as mascots...
is now the university mascot.