To Prepare for Today's BCS National Championship Game

between my beloved Buckeyes from The Ohio State University and the University of Florida Gators, listen and sing along with the following tunes at least a million times. (See here and here.)

Carmen Ohio (The Ohio State University Alma Mater) and Fight the Team Across the Field. Carmen Ohio is set to an old Swedish hymn, still in Lutheran hymnals. It's beautiful to hear The Ohio State University Marching Band play this melody at the conclusion of each home football game, which 106,000 people sing along, voices and instruments echoing on the banks of the Olentangy. The lyrics of each:

Carmen Ohio

Oh come let's sing Ohio's praise
And songs to Alma Mater raise
While our hearts rebounding thrill
With joy which death alone can still
Summer's heat or winter's cold
The seasons pass the years will roll
Time and change will surely (truly) show
How firm thy friendship ... OHIO!

These jolly days of priceless worth
By far the gladdest days on earth
Soon will pass and we not know
How dearly we love Ohio
We should strive to keep thy name
Of fair repute and spotless fame
So in college halls well grow
And love thee better ... OHIO!
Though age may dim our mem'ry's store
We'll think of happy days of yore
True to friend and frank to foe
As sturdy sons of Ohio
If on seas of care we roll
Neath blackened sky or barren shoal
Thoughts of thee bid darkness go
Dear Alma Mater...OHIO!

Fight the Team Across the Field

Fight the team across the field
Show them Ohio's here
(We've got the team why don't we)
Set the Earth reverberating
With a mighty cheer
RAH! RAH! RAH!
Hit them hard and see how they fall
Never let that team get the ball
Hail! Hail! The gang's all here
So let's win that old conference now!

The Buckeye Battle Cry is one I've been whistling a lot since Michigan week began yesterday afternoon. It's one of two fight songs we have at Ohio State.

In old Ohio there's a team
That's known throughout the land
Eleven warriors brave and bold
Whose fame will ever stand
And when that ball goes over,
Our cheers will reach the sky
Ohio Field will hear again
The Buckeye Battle Cry!

Drive, drive on down that field
Men of the Scarlet and Gray
Don't let them through that line
We've got to win this game today
RAH! RAH! RAH!
Smash through to victory
We cheer you as we go
Our honor defend
We will fight to the end
For O-HI-O!

We'll scatter to the east and west
When college days are done,
And memories will cling around
The dreams of everyone;
We'll play the game of living,
With head and shoulders high!
And where in wear the spirit of
The Buckeye Battle Cry!

(Repeat Chorus)

Hang on Sloopy, originally recorded by the Rick Derringer-led rock band, the McCoys, has become a favorite at Ohio State games. Derringer, who went on to play with Edgar Winter and had a solo hit with, Rock and Roll Hootchiecoo, Hang on Sloopy is also Ohio's official state rock song. Nobody really bothers with the lyrics anymore, but you'll find them on the preceding linked text.

Now, in my typically understated way, let me close this post by sharing this message...

Go, Buckeyes!
Go, Buckeyes!
Go, Buckeyes!
Go, Buckeyes!