SALT LAKE CITY – Changes are coming to the University of Utah’s fight song.
David Pershing, president of the University of Utah, sent out this statement regarding lyrics to the school’s fight song:
A task force of student, faculty, staff and alumni representatives has completed a careful review of the university’s fight song, its historical background, and hundreds of emails from U supporters with strong opinions about the song’s use. The lyrics sung today are not identical to those sung in 1914, and are not likely to remain unaltered in the century to come. However, these lyrics have emotional significance for many.
President Pershing said in an effort to preserve tradition while building on a legacy inclusive of all members of the university community, the task force has made the following recommendations:
1. Add the word “fan” after “man” in the opening stanza and chorus of the song as an alternate lyric
2. Update “our coeds are the fairest” with “our students are the finest”
3. Update “no other gang of college men” with “no rival band of college fans”
“When printed officially by the university, this 2014 version of the fight song will be used, but historical renditions of the song will always be acceptable,” President Pershing said. “We encourage you to sing loudly and with pride whichever version resonates with you.”
The battle cry, titled “Utah Man,” can be seen as discriminatory because of language in the lyrics.
Some phrases include the repetitive “Utah man” along with “our coeds are the fairest.”
In an effort to be more inclusive, the Associated Students of the University of Utah unanimously approved a resolution drafted by ASUU President Sam Ortiz that would make changes to the fight song.
According to the Daily Utah Chronicle, the bill does not list specific changes, it only specifies that changes will be made.
The article states several organizations will be involved in approving changes to the song.
A Facebook page called “A Utah Man am I” was created garner support not to change the song.
Click here to read more from the Daily Utah Chronicle.
Utah Fight Song:
VERSE
I am a Utah man, sir, and I live across the green.
Our gang, it is the jolliest that you have ever seen.
Our coeds are the fairest and each one’s a shining star.
Our yell, you hear it ringing through the mountains near and far.
CHORUS
Who am I, sir? A Utah man am I A Utah man, sir, and will be till I die; Ki!Yi!
We’re up to snuff; we never bluff,
We’re game for any fuss,
No other gang of college men
dare meet us in the muss.
So fill your lungs and sing it out and
shout it to the sky,
We’ll fight for dear old Crimson,
for a Utah man am I.
VERSE
And when we prom the avenue, all lined up in a row,
And arm in arm and step in time as down the street we go.
No matter if a freshman green, or in a senior’s gown,
The people all admit we are the warmest gang in town.
CHORUS
VERSE
We may not live forever on this jolly good old sphere,
But while we do we’ll live a life of merriment and cheer,
And when our college days are o’er and night is drawing nigh,
With parting breath we’ll sing that song:
“A Utah Man Am I”.
CHORUS
H. Dickensen
Wow, pathetically spineless PC garbage that Fox 13 eats up with a spoon.
Chris, The Utah MAN
Censorship at its finest. From a public university. I expected it from the BYU’s of the world, not the U. Change it if you will, no REAL Utes fans will sing anything other than UTAH MAN. The ASUU can sing their PC version during their silly meetings.
Kathy Stay
I agree with you about the Ute fight song. It shouldn’t be changed! The U is in my blood, really, even though I didn’t attend the school, the school was founded in my ancestors home…I didn’t go to BYU either. I attended Weber State. so I bleed PURPLE! (a combination of Blue and Red. OH MY!) I find the whole ordeal just shameful! Whatever! I think they need to worry about more important things, like funding education for those who can’t afford it, but are deserving of college degrees!
Patrick Springman
There is absolutely nothing wrong with the lyrics and therefore no reason to alter TRADITION! There are groups of people who will find offense in any fight song, on any campus. And if the UTAH MAN lyrics are changed to appease these people, there will still be people who will be offended.
Inspire
Spineless is right. The title of the song is “Utah Man”. You can’t call this change simply a word change. They have fundamentally changed the meaning of the fight song.
Bob
Political correctness gone berserk. School children can’t play dodge ball because it “targets weaker students”, and teachers take school lunches away from kids and throw it into the garbage because mommy owes them money.
While David Pershing is at it he ought to call it something besides a “fight song”. Too aggressive. May I suggest calling it the “U of U Lullaby”.
Becky Darling
Teachers do NOT take away student’s lunches, those were either administrators or lunch workers. Teachers often pay for student lunches so they don’t go hungry and can learn better. I really could care less what happens to a stupid song, hell, they’ve even changed the Pledge of Allegiance a few times, but don’t go bashing a group of hard working people for something they didn’t do.