Hail the Utah Aggies
No sporting event would be complete without a rousing verse of “Hail the Utah Aggies,” the USU fight song, or the sea of waving arms that accompanies “The Scotsman.”
Although most students participate in this tradition at least once in their college career, not many know how the songs originated.
According to a song book published by the USU Alumni Association, “The Scotsman” was written by Ebenezer Kirkham who graduated from USU in 1918. The songbook says, “A gathering of the Aggies just wasn’t ‘official’ without Ebenezer leading the Aggie songs.”
The USU fight song, “Hail the Utah Aggies,” was later introduced in 1933 as a result of a song writing competition on campus. According to the Alumni Association song book, the winning song was a collaborative effort between brothers Mickey and Mark Hart who were both from Preston, Idaho.
Larry Smith, USU graduate and professor emeritus, said he remembers learning these well-known songs at the the very beginning of his college career in 1955.
“When I came to college,” Smith said, “they put all the freshmen in the Fieldhouse because it was the largest meeting place on campus and made us learn all the school songs together.”
Although the songs have had minor alterations, the same songs Smith learned as a freshman are carried on by tradition. Tom Rohrer, director of bands, said the school songs are still a large part of campus life, especially at sporting events.
“During football games we play the fight song pregame when we are facing the home side and in the ‘A’ formation and then we face the student section to play ‘The Scotsman’,” said Rohrer. “We also play the fight song after a touchdown.”
For basketball games, Rohrer said the band typically plays the fight song as the team comes out but do not have a specific time they usually play “The Scotsman”.
Rohrer said he feels USU games would not be the same without these songs being played by the band.
“The college athletic experience is unique from pro games in a stark way,” Rohrer said. “Having a live band personalizes the experience for students.”
–amanda.m@aggiemail.usu.edu