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Go, Vandals, Go

"Go, Vandals, Go"
Song
Written1930, 94 years ago
Published1931, University of Idaho
GenreCollegiate fight song
Songwriter(s)J. Morris O'Donnell
(1912–1977)

"Go, Vandals, Go" is the official fight song of the University of Idaho in Moscow.

The song was composed 94 years ago in 1930 by John Morris "Morey" O'Donnell (1912–1977),[1][2][3] the freshman class vice president[4] from Granite (between Coeur d'Alene and Sandpoint). He graduated from Coeur d'Alene High School, the UI law school,[5] and became a prominent attorney in the state at Moscow.[6] A member of Phi Delta Theta fraternity, O'Donnell was a talented pianist and had played internationally before college.[1][6] The title is similar to cross-state rival Idaho State Bengals song Growl, Bengals, Growl.[7]

The song was the freshman class' winning entry in the university's annual song and stunt fest in May 1930,[4][8][9] and was soon played by the UI pep band at football games at MacLean Field. Previously, the Vandals had used a variation of "On, Wisconsin" as its fight song.[1]

Most fight songs are hard to sing because of the fast beat used to make them sound spirited. However, O'Donnell wrote the song almost entirely with whole notes and half notes to make it easy for a large football crowd to sing;[1] he also added a heavy drumbeat to carry the spirit.

For many years, it has been cited as one of the top fight songs in the United States. For example, 2002, Norm Maves, Jr. of The Oregonian in Portland described it as "the once and future king of college fight songs, with a fanfare lead-in that could motivate a successful infantry charge."

  1. ^ a b c d "Fight Song: Go, Vandals Go". University of Idaho Marching Band. Retrieved September 29, 2017.
  2. ^ "Morey O'Donnell". University of Idaho Athletics. Hall of Fame. 2012. Retrieved September 29, 2017.
  3. ^ "J. Morey O'Donnell". Find a Grave. Retrieved September 29, 2017.
  4. ^ a b "Freshman Class". Gem of the Mountains, University of Idaho yearbook. 1930. pp. 108–109.
  5. ^ "Juniors". Gem of the Mountains, University of Idaho yearbook. 1932. p. 80.
  6. ^ a b "J.M. O'Donnell". Lewiston Morning Tribune. (Idaho). (obituary). January 11, 1977. p. 8A.
  7. ^ Studwell, William E; Schueneman, Bruce R (March 7, 2013). College Fight Songs: An Annotated Anthology. United States: Taylor & Francis. p. 25. ISBN 9781136384677.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  8. ^ "Freshman take both honors in song, stuntfest". Idaho Argonaut. (Moscow). (University of Idaho). May 16, 1930. p. 1.
  9. ^ "Song and Stunt Fest (May 1930)". Gem of the Mountains, University of Idaho yearbook. 1931. p. 242.

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