Various Artists - 41 Great College Victory Songs

Let's get right to the crux of the matter: Can the University of Michigan band really do justice to school songs from Big 10 rivals such as the University of Illinois, Northwestern, and the University of Iowa? The answer is mixed. The University of Wisconsin warhorse "On, Wisconsin" is played with verve and given a nifty arrangement, but the brassy Wolverine partisans don't really put their heart into cross-state rival Michigan State University's "MSU Fight Song." Road tripping from UCLA to the University of Maine, the UM band tackles staples ("Notre Dame Victory March," "Eyes of Texas," "Anchors Away," the stirring "Varsity") and sleepers ("Down, Down the Field," "Fight On, Pennsylvania"). Only someone who, as was once said of Michigan alumnus Gerald Ford, "played too many games without a helmet," would listen to 41 Great College Football Victory Songs in one sitting, but for those who need to feel a little school fight, fight, fight, here's all the collegiate spirit one needs. --Steven Stolder Amazon.com

No "Yeah Alabama", no good!!!

Let me get this straight. There's 41 college fight songs on this CD and Alabama was not included? That's amazing!!! The Tide has won 12 national championships and has one of the best known fight songs in the country. This is like trying to sell a car without a motor!! Whoever was in charge of picking these songs must surely be clueless about football. October 12, 2008

Classic Performances of Classic Marches

William D. Revelli was the preeminent university band conductor of the 20th century, and the Michigan Symphony Band was the top concert band at Michigan. He retired in 1971, so the selections, presumably recorded in the 1960's, reflected the repertoire during his 35-year tenure at Michigan in the middle of the 20th century. In fact, before video clips, this album used to provide the stock background audio for the ABC college scoreboard show on Saturdays. Most of the arrangements on disc 2 are by U-M alum and arranger Jerry Bilik, whose signature "Bilik endings" were just one part of establishing a sound so big and so distinctive that the Michigan Marching Band was awarded the very first Sudler Trophy by the John Philip Sousa Foundation in 1982. (That trophy is only awarded once per school, and the Michigan Band was the first band so honored.)

This album was recorded by the symphony band (with percussion and woodwind instrumentation not found on the field), pictured in the liner sitting on stage in Hill Auditorium in Ann Arbor. It's true that the dynamics and some of the tempos are more "concert" than "field," but this album has always been and still is the benchmark for balance and precision in performance of the classic college marches it contains.

If you're looking for the music of the late-comers from the SEC and the west, keep looking. If you're looking for real college football heritage, performed by the best of the college bands, you need look no further. May 19, 2008

Left Out Cal!!?!?!?!?!?!?!

Considering the fact that the University of California - Berkeley boasts the largest repetoire {sp?} of school songs of ANY university in the country makes the fact that this compilation has not included ANY of them problematic at the very least. Big C (or Sons of Westwood to you theiving baby bears out there) - Fight for California - Sons of California - Stanford Jonah - Golden Bear - Make Way for the Bear - Roll On - Cal Band March - California Triumph - Palms of Victory - California Indian Song - California Marching Song - One More River - All Hail - Hail to California - California, We're For You --

Take your pick - they are all fantastic - and I think I forgot a few...

To leave out Cal is either shoddy work or bad temperment.

Go Bears - Beat the Cougars! October 9, 2006

School Spirit

Used this CD at a "Show your School Spirit" event. Everyone loved it. August 15, 2006

Good Selections, Well Played

This collection of college songs is large and includes more songs than other such collections. The songs are all well played and consistent with the style required for college fight songs. March 15, 2006

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