SMU Spirit Songs

[smusic 00]

What happened to Mustang Corral?

[coloradoStang]

What happened to Mustang Corral?

still here but it's miserable. They teach all the stuff, but then its never reinforced, after a year of beers in college you forget everything. I only know the words because I was in the Mustang XI. I don't know the words to Peruna though

[smu diamond m]

No words to it.

Well, there are words to it...

[SMUPhil]

Seems like when I was there, it was the same uninterested-in-sports, don't-know-the-school-song students that were the AARO and Corral leaders. Usually straight A students who wanted to 'get involved' (ie pad their resume) but couldn't be bothered to attend a football game.

During AARO, we were being led by our group leader to some sort of pep rally or something and we had been told nothing of these simple traditions. As we walk up, the leader realizes she hasn't taught us this and stops us about 30 yards away from the event. "Oh, real quick, uh, do this...5-4-3-2, Give a cheer for SMU, M-U-S-T-A-N-G-S, Go stangs go". She repeated it one more time, and all of us are confused wondering "is this a song? some sort of AARO chant?" She says "ok, just remember that, we might do it later" and that was it for any sort of school traditions.

Also, a year later, I'm pretty sure they accidentally taught everyone at Corral that the end of Pony Battle Cry was "Go Stangs Go" (from the cheer above) rather than "Fight Fight Fight". At the first home game, there's the die-hard band guys screaming at the student section trying to get them 'educated' real quick about the words to their own fight song.

Give the band a hard time if you want, but we were darn good at getting our new guys pumped about being a Mustang and being proud of the school, its traditions, and its history. Probably the same reason it seems like 1 out of every 7 posters on here was in the band.

[Diamond Girl]

I believe Mighty Mustang Thunder was written by Ray Hunt's grandson.

[SMUPhil]

I believe Mighty Mustang Thunder was written by Ray Hunt's grandson.

Negative, I can't remember the guy's name, but it definitely wasn't a Hunt family member. I think he was faculty in Meadows.

[couch 'em]

Mr. Gibson I believe?. Infact I think that is the first line "Mr. Gibson's blunder..."

[ThunderStang]

Negative, I can't remember the guy's name, but it definitely wasn't a Hunt family member. I think he was faculty in Meadows.

That sounds right to me too for some reason. I was a cheerleader when this thing was introduced and can attest to the claim it was forced upon everyone. It was like that obnoxious cousin you don't really like but have to be nice to because your parents are watching. Administration was pushing it hard to pretty much universal disinterest/dislike. Was actually kind of amusing.

[SMUPhil]

http://johnwesleygibson.com/

The song isn't outright terrible, it's pretty much a straight forward 'fight song' similar to Pony Battle Cry or Go Mustangs Go. The problem was it was a bait-and-switch situation, similar to June and the geldings.

John Gibson, this was the guy. Composes music on the side for different groups. Was/is assistant dean of Meadows. The Mustang Band members usually had a negative (and probably unfair) view of Meadows, since the instructors there would all but forbid their students from signing up to be in the band. A few brave souls did it anyway, but they were all told that their time would be better spent practicing than marching around at a football game. That is part of a bigger discussion, but that's a large part of why our band is smaller than most; the largest group of dedicated musicians on campus (the music school) is discouraged from participating.

[NavyCrimson]

On a side note, I've got three CDs of the band & they're great! Dreibolt was pure genius.

Always listen to them during the football season. Store them when it's over & bring them back out every August.

[Tx_Mustang10]

What happened to Mustang Corral?

People that came to SMU not knowing a soul went to Mustang Corral, and they were the only ones I know of who knew some of or all of the songs. For the rest of us, there was one dinner where they ran through the songs. I learned how to "pony lasso" and that was about it. Pretty weak, I know.

[couch 'em]

I learned how to "pony lasso" and that was about it. Pretty weak, I know.

When did that get added? Had to be 90s?

[SMU Spartan]

I love loyalty song. Always enjoyed playing/singing it.

Also somehow I got out of doing Mustang Corral. Best thing ever.

[smusic 00]

I didn't do Corral because I was working for the FB team, but in '96 it seemed like everyone went.

Is the lasso the 'go red go blue...' hand motion?

[SMUPhil]

Yes, I think it started around the 2001-2002 timeframe. They taught people at Corral to 'lasso' at the end of singing Varsity, for how many years you were at SMU. Freshman=1 lasso, sophomore =2, etc. Didn't really bother me, but it just came out of nowhere and since it was only explained at Corral, everyone else was like "what the heck is this?"