The Ohio State University Marching Band (also known as The Pride of the Buckeyes and The Best Damn Band in the Land) is one of the university's most loved traditions. With its 1878 debut, the band predates the football program, although the two are now inextricably linked. Originally, the band played for military drills, and was composed of drums and fifes, totaling about a dozen members. The band soon lost funding from the federal government and became a volunteer organization.
In 1934, woodwind instruments in the OSU Marching Band were eliminated and the band became the brass and percussion operation that it still is today. In the 1950s, the band severed ties with the ROTC department and became its own entity. Up until the 1970s, alumni could march in the band for several years after graduation. Nowadays, the OSU Marching Band is almost entirely made up of current students. The marching band is known for its innovative and extremely entertaining performances. Here they are doing the famous "video game" show in 2012:
Script Ohio: the marching band spells out the word "Ohio" in cursive on the field. This dates back to the 1930s. When I say they spell out the word "Ohio," I don't mean they just march our there and form the letters. I mean they spell it out while playing music and it looks like someone is writing "Ohio" in cursive on the football field. It is awesome:
Skull Session: since the 1950s, the band has practiced its music the night before every home football game in the basketball arena. A typical Skull Session sees over 1,000 fans who come just to see and hear the band.
Across the Field and Buckeye Battle Cry are our fight songs. They are played before football games and when we score. Across the Field starts, "Fight the team across the field, show them Ohio's here!" and Buckeye Battle Cry has the famous ending, "Our honor defend, we will fight to the end for O-hi-o!" They both date from the 1910s.
Carmen Ohio (Alma Mater): the one that starts, "Oh come, let's sing Ohio's praise, and songs to Alma Mater raise . . . ." It was written in 1902 and is played before games and sung by the football team in the end-zone afterward. When I was kid, this song bored me to death, but now it is very meaningful.
Hang On Sloopy: the 1965 rock and roll song that became very popular at OSU after the band started playing it the same year it was released. It was made the Official Rock Song of the State of Ohio in 1985. Hang On Sloopy is also the official song of the Cleveland Indians and is often played at Cleveland Cavs and Cincinnati Bengals games.
I Wanna Go Back to Ohio State: dating from 1906, this is a popular song for the band to play and then sing at performances. If you don't know it off the top of your head, you may recognize the famous lines, "and when we win the game, we'll buy a keg of booze and we'll drink to old Ohio till we wobble in our shoes."
We Don't Give a Damn for the Whole State of Michigan: this fun song may go back as far as the 1920s. It pretty much sums up the feelings of Ohio State fans regarding the UM football program. The bulk of the lyrics are a chant of the title. Here it is at Skull Session after "Across the Field":
In 1934, woodwind instruments in the OSU Marching Band were eliminated and the band became the brass and percussion operation that it still is today. In the 1950s, the band severed ties with the ROTC department and became its own entity. Up until the 1970s, alumni could march in the band for several years after graduation. Nowadays, the OSU Marching Band is almost entirely made up of current students. The marching band is known for its innovative and extremely entertaining performances. Here they are doing the famous "video game" show in 2012:
Traditions:
Script Ohio: the marching band spells out the word "Ohio" in cursive on the field. This dates back to the 1930s. When I say they spell out the word "Ohio," I don't mean they just march our there and form the letters. I mean they spell it out while playing music and it looks like someone is writing "Ohio" in cursive on the football field. It is awesome:
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| 1936 |
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| 1960 |
2012
Skull Session: since the 1950s, the band has practiced its music the night before every home football game in the basketball arena. A typical Skull Session sees over 1,000 fans who come just to see and hear the band.
Songs:
Across the Field and Buckeye Battle Cry are our fight songs. They are played before football games and when we score. Across the Field starts, "Fight the team across the field, show them Ohio's here!" and Buckeye Battle Cry has the famous ending, "Our honor defend, we will fight to the end for O-hi-o!" They both date from the 1910s.
Carmen Ohio (Alma Mater): the one that starts, "Oh come, let's sing Ohio's praise, and songs to Alma Mater raise . . . ." It was written in 1902 and is played before games and sung by the football team in the end-zone afterward. When I was kid, this song bored me to death, but now it is very meaningful.
Hang On Sloopy: the 1965 rock and roll song that became very popular at OSU after the band started playing it the same year it was released. It was made the Official Rock Song of the State of Ohio in 1985. Hang On Sloopy is also the official song of the Cleveland Indians and is often played at Cleveland Cavs and Cincinnati Bengals games.
I Wanna Go Back to Ohio State: dating from 1906, this is a popular song for the band to play and then sing at performances. If you don't know it off the top of your head, you may recognize the famous lines, "and when we win the game, we'll buy a keg of booze and we'll drink to old Ohio till we wobble in our shoes."
We Don't Give a Damn for the Whole State of Michigan: this fun song may go back as far as the 1920s. It pretty much sums up the feelings of Ohio State fans regarding the UM football program. The bulk of the lyrics are a chant of the title. Here it is at Skull Session after "Across the Field":
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