Michigan's famous fight song, The Victors, was written in November of 1898. HAIL TO VICTORS: Sousa Called University of Michigan Song "Best March Ever"
May 30, 2015
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(EDITOR'S NOTE: In the wake of our story on the history of the MSU fight song written by Bay Cityan Francis I. Lankey, that drew more than usual public comment, we thought it only fair and proper to highlight another memorable college air, this from down Ann Arbor way.)
Who can ever forget the immortal line "champions of the west."
It helps if you give it a historical perspective: the line was penned when Michigan was "the West." We're talking pioneer days here, friends.
As a point of interest, many of the Wild West outlaws nabbed for nefarious activities were incarcerated in the Detroit House of Correction -- closest secure prison at the time. But we'll leave that story for another day.
Loyal Wolverine and True Blue retired Bay City attorney Bob Sarow took time out from his Civil War studies to send us details about "Hail to the Victors."
Michigan's famous fight song, The Victors, was written in November of 1898. Louis Elbel, a music student at the University, wrote the words and the music in celebration of a last minute 12-11 Michigan victory over rival Chicago, giving U-M its first Western Conference football championship.
Elbel was a native of South Bend, Indiana, where his family owned a music store.
The Michigan Daily chronicles the evolution of the inspirational music:
Elbel, a member of the crowd, was dissatisfied with U-M's putative fight song, "There'll be a Hot Time in the Old Town Tonight," and felt that the greatness of the event required a more uplifting melody. His dissatisfaction led to the birth of "The Victors."
"Elbel ran back to his sister's house in Chicago to record the notes of the song. He experimented with it on the piano and eventually finished the entire refrain.
"On the train back to Ann Arbor, Elbel decided to convert the piece into a march and his humble creation emerged into a grand arrangement for 23 instruments.
"The fight song's premiere took place in 1899 when the "March King," John Philip Sousa, came to Ann Arbor with his band, according to the Michigan Marching Band's website. Sousa was employed to conduct the piece, which was met by overwhelming admiration with the audience."
The Minstrels, a University chorale group, first performed the lyrics two nights later at their concert, according to an article in the University Record. Since its creation, Michigan fans young and old have proudly sung, "Hail to the Victors Valiant" for 117 years. Its victorious strains have rung at numerous events ranging from the annual University of Michigan Dance Marathon to President Gerald R. Ford's funeral procession.
Elbel received the Band Alumni's first Honorary Life Membership in 1951 for his creation, according to the Marching Band's website.
Sousa later called it the "best college march ever written."
It's still several months until football season when perhaps the most contentious Spartan-Wolverine game in recent years will captivate fans. New U-M coach Jim Harbaugh and MSU's Mark Dantonio are on a collision course that has more than usual attention.
The dueling fight songs will be on a center stage like perhaps no other time in history.
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