Illinois Loyalty

"Illinois Loyalty", also known as "We're Loyal to You, Illinois" or just "Loyalty," is a song associated with the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign. It (along with Oskee Wow-Wow) is the school's official fight song and (along with Hail to the Orange) is the school's official alma mater.

History
The title page of the original publication of "The Illinois Loyalty Song."

First performed March 3, 1906, "Illinois Loyalty" is the oldest songs of its kind in the United States: the first official school song.[1] The song was written to be played by the University Military Band, the only band at the university at that time, by Thacher Howland Guild (1879–1914), instructor in rhetoric and a member of the band's solo cornet section. It was originally published in 1907 by the U. of I. Supply Store with the name "The Illinois Loyalty Song."[2]

Due to the song's length (over a minute long), it is normally played only at the beginning, halftime, and end of a football game. However, it is not considered rousing enough for a large crowd at a game. For that reason, Oskee Wow-Wow, written in 1910, is used as the school's fight song.

Prominent composers who wrote marches for the University of Illinois include John Philip Sousa ("University of Illinois March" 1929), Edwin Franko Goldman ("Illinois March" 1953), Karl L. King ("Pride of the Illini" 1928) and Earl E. McCoy ("Lights Out March" 1905). Words were added to the Goldman march by Guy Duker and the King march by Ray Dvorak. Chicago composer and arranger Harry L Alford composed "March of the Illini" (1928), "Glory of the Gridiron" (1932) and several march paraphrases of well-known songs on commission from Director of Bands Albert Austin Harding. These include "My Hero" (1936) by Oscar Straus and "The World is Waiting for the Sunrise" (1934) by Ernest Seitz which featured the entire Marching Illini euphonium section.[3]

Lyrics

The words of the song as listed in the 1906 program are shown below. The original publication includes optional replacements for sections of the lyrics, such as replacing "Victory" with "Touchdown," or "crack out that ball" with "smash that blockade," however, they are not shown here.[4]

We're loyal to you, Illinois,
We're Orange and Blue, Illinois;
We'll back you to stand
'Gainst the best in the land,
For we know you have sand, Illinois,
Rah! Rah!
So crack out that ball, Illinois,
We're backing you all, Illinois,
Our team is our fame−protector,
On! boys, for we expect a
Victory from you, Illinois.

Che-he, Che−ha, Che−ha−ha−ha! Che−he, Che−ha, Che−ha−ha−ha!
Illinois! Illinois! Illinois!

Fling out that dear old flag of Orange and Blue
Lead on your sons and daughters, fighting for you,
Like men of old, on giants placing reliance, shouting defiance-
Oskee wow−wow!
Amid the broad green fields that nourish our land,
For honest Labor and for Learning we stand,
And unto thee we pledge our heart and hand,
Dear Alma Mater, Illinois.

Media

The Marching Illini plays "Illinois Loyalty" at the beginning, middle, and end of football games, as well as other games the band attends.

The music is included in the "Illini Fantasy," a medley of Illinois songs and marches arranged for concert band by James Curnow in 1970 as a commission from Director of Bands Harry Begian.

The University Summer Band plays "Illinois Loyalty" at the close of each of its Twilight Concerts on the Quadrangle in June and July.

The song is frequently performed during chime concerts on the Altgeld Chimes.

The song is now used by a number of high schools in Illinois:

It is also used in high schools of several other, mostly Midwestern states:

See also

References
  1. "TRADITION". Marching Illini. Marching Illini. Retrieved 2019-12-27.
  2. "The Illinois Loyalty Song". The Library of Congress. Retrieved 2019-12-27.
  3. Smith, Norman E. (1986) March Music Notes. Lake Charles, La.: Program Notes Press. p.6
  4. Sixteenth Annual Concert of the University of Illinois Military Band at the Armory Saturday March 3rd, 1906, 8:00 P.M. A.Austin Harding, Conductor; T.H. Guild, Cornet; Earl E. McCoy, Violin; Miss Irene Parsons, Accompanist. Unpublished printed concert program.
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