Songs
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Fight Songs and Alma Mater
Listed below are several songs important to the history of the University.
The Orange and the Blue
(Tune of "When Johnny Comes Marching Home")
Let musty law thy glories prate,
- Columbian!
Or medicine extol thy state,
- Columbian!
A greater child thy wide fame sings,
When Science fair her off'ring brings,
As one on thee they march beneath
- The Orange and the Blue.
Here's to thy colors fair and free,
- Columbian!
Our guidons they shall ever be,
- Columbian!
Thy bonny flag, that flings on high
Its radiance caught from sun and sky,
And binds our hopes and hearts within
- Its orange and its blue.
O, Alma Mater, great and strong,
- Columbian!
To thee our praise, our songs belong,
- Columbian!
Thy standard is toward heaven unfurled,
Before thy progress lies the world,
With shining laurels waiting for
- The orange and the blue
Taken from the 1895 Columbian Call
The Original Buff and Blue
In 1904, after Columbian University became The George Washington University the school's colors were changed from orange and blue to buff and blue. The song Buff and Blue was originally written by Eugene Sweeney in 1924. The song was rewritten for The George Washington University in 1989 by Patrick M. Jones. GW’s Alma Mater was first written by a GW student, George Roth, in 1930. The Alma Mater was rewritten in the early 1970s by Dr. George Steiner, Professor of Music.
By Eugene Sweeney, 1924
Hail to the buff
Hail to the blue
Hail to the buff and blue
See our men go round their end
Fighting for G double U
When the sun sinks in the golden west
Victory upon our team shall rest
So raise high the buff; raise high the blue
Touch-down for G double U
Rah--Rah--Rah
Touch-down for G double U.
The New Buff and Blue
In 1989 the GW fight song was rewritten by Patrick M. Jones.
GW Fight Song
Hail to the Buff!
Hail to the Blue!
Hail to the Buff and Blue!
All our lives we'll be proud to say
we hail from G.W.U.
Oh by George we're happy we can say, we're G.W. and we're here to show the way
so
Raise high the Buff!
Raise high the Blue! Loyal to G.W.U.
You bet we're
Loyal to GW
Fight!
Rewritten Alma Mater
The Alma Mater was rewritten by Dr. George Steiner in 1970
GW Alma Mater
Hail Alma Mater,
To thy spirit guiding,
Knowledge thy closest friend
In its strength abiding,
Pledge we fidelity
Ne'er its place resigning,
Hail thee George Washington.
Original Alma Mater
By George Roth in 1930
Hail Alma Mater!
To thy Spirit Guiding
Pledge We Fidelity;
By thy name abiding.
Armored in courage,
ne'er from battle hiding.
Fearless--Each Loyal son.
For thru the darkness
Like a lamp is shining
Knowledge, they handmaid.
In her strength combining
With lofty brotherhood,
Ne'er her place resigning.
Hail, thee, George Washington
For, as they patron
Midst the battle's dinning,
Clear-eyed and fearless
Saw his forces winning.
So for the war of life
Which we are beginning
Arm us, George Washington.
Document Information
Images: 1
Photographic Credit: RG0031/Historical Materials
Author or Source: University Archives subject files
Document Location: University Archives
Date Added to Encyclopedia: December 21, 2006
Prepared by: G. David Anderson, University Archivist and Historian
For more information about GW history
Contact:
Special Collections Research Center [1]
The Melvin Gelman Library [2]
The George Washington University [3]
2130 H Street, NW Suite 704
Washington, DC 20052
202-994-7549
mailto:archives@gwu.edu
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