School Songs of America's Colleges and Universities: A Directory

(Hardback)

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Description

Fight songs, alma maters, and other school songs are as numerous and varied as the colleges and universities in the United States to which they belong. Robert F. O'Brien has compiled a long-needed directory of school songs to serve as a reference work for those who must perform, arrange, or research school songs in the course of their day-to-day work. O'Brien has arranged the songs alphabetically by state, and, within the state, by the name of the institution. Wherever possible, information is provided on the composer, the tune, and the publisher or copyright status. Arrangers are listed whenever possible and lyricist adaptations are also noted. If the song is not an original composition, the original title is shown in the entry. Alphabetical lists of school names, song sources, references, and song publishers are provided. An index of song titles helps to access the wealth of information in this volume. College music teachers, band directors, orchestral conductors, composers, librarians, and alumni will welcome this informative directory.

Reviews

Alma maters, fight songs, and other songs associated with a particular school, although integral to the character of each, are not the most important things about colleges and universities. Therefore they can be difficult to identify. American College Regalia identifies them for a select number of schools and goes a step further in printing their lyrics, almost invariably maudlin to any but starry-eyed alumni. Although unabashed boosterism is the norm, the titles of some songs provide some welcome comic relief through cleverness (e.g., Good-Bye Rutgers, ' the unofficial fight song of New York University) or through the unexpected (e.g., Go Poets, ' Whittier College's fight song). Compiled by Notre Dames' director of bands emeritus, School Songs, much more comprehensive than American College Regalia, lists these and more. State by state, it identifies hundreds of schools' alma maters, fight songs, and other songs and identifies their composers, arrangers, and publishers or copyright holders, if known. O'Brien also notes if a song is sung to a popular tune, for example Holly Cross's alma mater incongruously sung O Tannenbaum.' A list of these source tunes refers to their publishers. This list and the directory of publishers make it easy to request public performance permission for copyrighted songs. While it will serve this function for band directors, to others it will be a useful source of information about academic musical Americana.-Wilson Library Bulletin
This unique directory, edited and compiled by the director of Bands Emeritus at the University of Notre Dame, is the first to list school songs from all over the United States. It is arranged alphabetically by state and, within the section for each state, alphabetically by the name of the institution. Entries provide all major songs associated with the school, including the alma mater and fights song. Most entries list the song's composer, the arranger, and the tune. Publishers or copyright status is listed where possible. The schools contacted for inclusion were those listed in Lovejoy's College Guide. This is cross-referenced by school song, and also lists school names, song sources, publishers and references. The clear, concise format makes it very easy to use. A good choice if you have use for this type of information.-Library Journal
"This unique directory, edited and compiled by the director of Bands Emeritus at the University of Notre Dame, is the first to list school songs from all over the United States. It is arranged alphabetically by state and, within the section for each state, alphabetically by the name of the institution. Entries provide all major songs associated with the school, including the alma mater and fights song. Most entries list the song's composer, the arranger, and the tune. Publishers or copyright status is listed where possible. The schools contacted for inclusion were those listed in Lovejoy's College Guide. This is cross-referenced by school song, and also lists school names, song sources, publishers and references. The clear, concise format makes it very easy to use. A good choice if you have use for this type of information."-Library Journal
"Alma maters, fight songs, and other songs associated with a particular school, although integral to the character of each, are not the most important things about colleges and universities. Therefore they can be difficult to identify. American College Regalia identifies them for a select number of schools and goes a step further in printing their lyrics, almost invariably maudlin to any but starry-eyed alumni. Although unabashed boosterism is the norm, the titles of some songs provide some welcome comic relief through cleverness (e.g., Good-Bye Rutgers, ' the unofficial fight song of New York University) or through the unexpected (e.g., Go Poets, ' Whittier College's fight song). Compiled by Notre Dames' director of bands emeritus, School Songs, much more comprehensive than American College Regalia, lists these and more. State by state, it identifies hundreds of schools' alma maters, fight songs, and other songs and identifies their composers, arrangers, and publishers or copyright holders, if known. O'Brien also notes if a song is sung to a popular tune, for example Holly Cross's alma mater incongruously sung O Tannenbaum.' A list of these source tunes refers to their publishers. This list and the directory of publishers make it easy to request public performance permission for copyrighted songs. While it will serve this function for band directors, to others it will be a useful source of information about academic musical Americana."-Wilson Library Bulletin

Author Bio

ROBERT F. O'BRIEN is Director of Bands Emeritus at the University of Notre Dame. He has published his own musical compositions and numerous articles for music and industry publications.