Ninja: The unofficial St. John’s song is the Monty Python Philosopher’s Song!
Why do I get the feeling that the 3rd verse was inserted recently?
I really don’t know, but I’m guessing it got stuck in there sometime in the early 1900s or so when women began attending. I have a book on the history of UGA. I’ll see what it says. It may say nothing cause maybe the author was like me and didn’t stay sober long enough to remember.
My high school song was, like a lot of schools in Wisconsin, to the tune of On Wisconsin, but it was rarely played. However, when I was in 7th grade, my junior high school made a big deal of having a contest to write lyrics for a brand new school song for itself, also to the tune of On Wisconsin. It got sung quite a lot at assemblies and such for the rest of the time that I was in junior high.
Went on to the University of Wisconsin and I’ll confirm that “no one” knows the words to On Wisconsin anymore, though the song is still played at football and basketball games. “Everyone” knows and and can sing Varsity and the Bud Song (When you say Wisconsin, you said it all!).
“No one”, that is, except me…my four grade social studies teacher, a real old school nun, made a big deal about everyone in class standing up and belting out “On Wisconsin” on Friday mornings. I still know the words.
George Washington HS in Danville, VA:
*
Hail, all hail, George Washington!
Hail, all hail to thee.
We love your halls, your campus fair,
Our high school days so rare.
Our Alma Mater will always be
Glorious to view,
And we will hold in our memories
Cherished thoughts of you.*
Wow, I can’t believe I still remember that.
A few years back, one of the members of the Haas family died-- descendents of Levi Strauss (and still running the company) and alumni and major benefactors of the University of California. The Cal Band came to his funeral and played “Sons of California”.
I want that for my funeral. I’ll probably have to donate a few million, though, to get on the list.