SMU Spirit Songs

[SMUPhil]

Since the other thread got nuked, I figured it may be interesting to some to still discuss the random SMU fight/spirit songs.

I was a member of the Mustang Band, and I remember learning that Pony Battle Cry was somehow the 'official' fight song, while Peruna was a 'spirit' song. I think that back in the day, there wasn't a set formula for having one official mascot/logo/fight song/alma mater, there were just things that some schools did in many different ways. As a result, SMU has had many spirit or school-related songs through the years. Here's what I've compiled:

1917 - Lewis Stuckey, an SMU student, is inspired to write "Varsity". It becomes the school song (alma mater) in 1929. Stuckey also wrote the "Mustang Victory Song", which I've found on some 1940-50's recordings of the Mustang Band. It sounds like your traditional rah rah school march.

1924 - "Peruna" is introduced as a peppy fun play on an old folk song and gospel song of the same tune. The students add the words and the rest is history. Within just a few years, the band is playing unique swing and jazz versions of the tune.

1940's? - "Go, Mustangs, Go" is introduced as another 'march-style' song. The EA Sports NCAA video game franchise used this as the fight song for SMU up until like 1999/2000 timeframe for some strange reason. Never heard it anywhere else, and when I was in the band in the early 2000's, we never played it.

1961 - "Pony Battle Cry" is written by Mustang Band director Irving Dreibrodt. It has the same march style that many other school's fight songs sound like. I imagine because he wrote it, it became very well heard over the next 20+ years that Dreibrodt was director of the band.

1960's - "SMU Loyalty Song", another song written by Dreibrodt, with lyrics about current students and alumni professing their loyalty to SMU.

2000 - "Mighty Mustang Thunder", written by some SMU employee, can't remember his name. Sounds like another typical march. Written to go along with Ford Stadium, so it features lyrics about the "Mighty Mustangs" fighting to victory in the "Canyon on the hill" (the guy explained that the stadium was the canyon on the hill) and that the thunder from "Peruna's heart within" will lead the team to a win. Honestly, an outside observer may think it sounds like a totally normal fight song, but this was one of those forced/new traditions that just rubbed some the wrong way. At least as of a couple years ago, I heard the band still play it occasionally. You can listen to it and read the lyrics at the bottom of this page: http://smu.edu/spirit/

Overall, there's a lot of songs, and I think to simplify things for the fans, the band has mostly stuck with Peruna and Pony Battle Cry. Peruna is the oldest fight/spirit song, and Pony Battle Cry offers the crowd a traditional-sounding song to sing along to.

Feel free to chime in with your thoughts!

[DanFreibergerForHeisman]

"Go, Mustangs, Go" was played post-DP to commemorate the return to Ownby. I doubt it stayed in the rotation very long.

I sure wish the band played Peruna more. I doubt they ever break 100 anymore.

[couch 'em]

Actually Phil that would make "Mustang Victory Song" the oldest. Since Pony Battle Cry is pretty generic, and the current band just kind of plays lip service to the Dreibrodt vision anyway, wouldn't playing MVS be the most appropriate pair to Peruna?

[SMUPhil]

Actually Phil that would make "Mustang Victory Song" the oldest. Since Pony Battle Cry is pretty generic, and the current band just kind of plays lip service to the Dreibrodt vision anyway, wouldn't playing MVS be the most appropriate pair to Peruna?

Yeah, you're probably right. Although I have no idea when that Mustang Victory Song was written. I figured Stuckey could've written it later on, and not necessarily the same time as Varsity. I have 2 records of the band, one from 1927, and one from 1936, that both feature Peruna, and then a 1950's record that has the Mustang Victory Song, so the continuity is hard to follow there.

[couch 'em]

Can you upload? I have never heard it.

[SMUPhil]

I've never tried to, but with today's fancy-schmancy phones, I should be able to get around to it this week. There are words to it, but they are kind of hard to make out on my well-used record player.

[couch 'em]

A quick google shows Lewis Stuckey was the longtime pastor at Tyler St. UMC in Oak Cliff and his wife taught music at Sunset.

[SMUPhil]

Someone on eBay is selling sheet music of "Go Mustangs Go", and the copyright shows a date of1947. It was written by Milo Sweet, who is more well known for writing USC's "Fight On"when he was a dental student there in 1922. Interesting connection.

[couch 'em]

Another clue. Sweet likely wrote it in the 20s and also wrote for UCLA per this source.

http://books.google.com/books?id=DYnhAQAAQBAJ&pg=PA17&lpg=PA17&dq=milo+sweet+usc+smu&source=bl&ots=dM9h3tZdEw&sig=WzeqwIBCpgTp7N6lkRcFx52Tj74&hl=en&sa=X&ei=SGydUtHKEaeA2gWYk4GAAg&ved=0CC0Q6AEwAQ

[couch 'em]

And this source, badly in need of a cross reference, shows Sweet writing a ton if college songs. Should be easy to verify.

http://www.worldcat.org/identities/np-sweet,%20milo

[Treadway21]

Thanks for sharing. I never knew that the pony battle cry dated to the 60s. Having a little history on our songs is cool.

The internet is a great invention, I won't mention by whom since it would get the thread nuked.

[DanFreibergerForHeisman]

Back when the networks used to use staged band shots going into/coming out of commercials the band would always play Pony Battle Cry since Dreibrodt would get royalties!

[Bergermeister]

1960's - "SMU Loyalty Song", another song written by Dreibrodt!

The band played this a few years ago at basketball games - but only when Tommy Tucker was directing - real good collegiate song. All of these need to be recycled from time-to-time. Good thread.

[NavyCrimson]

Never knew Irving Dreibrodt but heard his name alot. Good for him!!!

[Tx_Mustang10]

Yeah, so I don't know the words to any of our songs (except the line "we are the mustangs of SMU"). Why is it that little emphasis is placed on SMU game day-related traditions? It could be part of the reason most students only half-heartedly embrace the Mustangs... We should start freshman off with tradition-rich lore of SMU athletics and instill in them some pride in their school. If our students adopted SMU as "their team," it'd go a long way.