The Orange and Blue

Entrance monument and water fountain located at the main S.W. Thirteenth Street entrance of the University of Florida campus in Gainesville, Florida.

"The Orange and Blue" is the traditional fight song of the Florida Gators intercollegiate sports teams of the University of Florida in Gainesville, Florida.^[1]

History of the lyrics and score

The author of the lyrics and original music of "The Orange and Blue" is uncertain, but published examples of the University of Florida's songs and yells which include the lyrics date to at least the 1916–1917 school year.^[2] Sheet music for the song was published in 1925 which listed George Hamilton as the author. Thornton W. Allen, a prolific compiler, composer and arranger of American university alma maters and college football fight songs, arranged a version of the musical score in 1935, with "Words by George Hamilton." The present music for the song, as played at University of Florida events, was arranged by the university's former director of bands, Richard W. Bowles, in 1964.^[3] Bowles served as the assistant university band director from 1958 to 1961, the director from 1961 to 1975, and continued to teach at the university until his retirement in 1985.^[3]

While "The Orange and Blue" is often played during football and basketball games and other Florida Gators athletic contests to rally fans and show support for the university's athletic teams, The Pride of the Sunshine marching band and the university's other pep bands rarely play any part of the song other than the chorus.

Lyrics

On, brave old Flor-i-da, just keep on marching on your way!
On, brave old Flor-i-da, and we will cheer you on your play! Rah! Rah! Rah!
And as you march a-long, we'll sing our victory song anew,
With all your might, Go on and Fight, Gators!
Fight for Dixie's rightly proud of you.

(Chorus)
So give a cheer for the Orange and Blue, Waving for-ev-er,
Forever pride of old Flor-i-da, May she droop nev-er
We'll sing a song for the flag to-day, Cheer for the team at play!
On to the goal we'll fight our way for Flor-i-da.^[4]

See also

• History of the University of Florida
• We Are the Boys from Old Florida

References

1. ^ University of Florida, Office of the University Registrar, UF Facts and History. Retrieved July 30, 2011.
2. ^ Norm Carlson, University of Florida Football Vault: The History of the Florida Gators, Whitman Publishing, LLC, Atlanta, Georgia, p. 14 (2007).
3. ^ ^{a b} Diane Chun, "Richard Bowles, UF band director and fishing writer for Sun, dies at 91," The Gainesville Sun (December 9, 2009). Retrieved July 30, 2011.
4. ^ "Orange and Blue," FightSongLyrics.com. Retrieved July 30, 2011.

External links

• Song recording