Illinois Loyalty

University of Illinois school song

Illinois Loyalty

The title page of the original publication of "The Illinois Loyalty Song."

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Alma mater of the University of Illinois

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Also known as| The Illinois Loyalty Song
Loyalty
We're Loyal to You, Illinois
Lyrics| Thacher Howland Guild, 1904–06
Music| Thacher Howland Guild, 1904–06
Published| 1907

"Illinois Loyalty", also known as "We're Loyal to You, Illinois" or just "Loyalty", is a song associated with the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. It (along with "Hail to the Orange") is the school's alma mater. It is also used (although not as often as Oskee Wow-Wow) as the school's fight song.

## History

[edit]

Thacher Howland Guild came to the University of Illinois from Brown University in September 1904[1] as an instructor of rhetoric. He brought an unfinished song that he intended to be used at a college. Guild spent his next year at the university working on the first part of what would become "The Illinois Loyalty Song" and also joined the Marching Illini in the cornet section, where he met Albert Austin Harding, a student recently promoted to director of bands. In the early months of 1906, Guild added the cheering interlude and second part of the song. Harding arranged Guild's song for the Marching Illini just in time for its anniversary concert on March 3, 1906.[2] It was first published in 1907 by the U. of I. Supply Store under the name "The Illinois Loyalty Song."[3] Since then, the song has been used nearly universally as a song to evoke school spirit and represent the University of Illinois.

One of the driving forces of purchasing a chime for the university was the desire to hear "Illinois Loyalty" ring out on the instrument. After funding for a thirteen-bell chime had been secured in the middle of 1920, Dean Thomas Arkle Clark asked the purchasing committee if it could play the melody of "Illinois Loyalty". As it turned out, this would require an additional two bells, and he blocked the purchase until an additional $2,500 was raised. In short, the Altgeld Chimes were configured specifically to play the melody of "Illinois Loyalty".[4]

In the early 1930s, the status of "Illinois Loyalty" as a school song became a point of controversy. Students debated whether fans in the football stadium should stand up during "Hail to the Orange." Others argued that students should only stand when "Illinois Loyalty" is played, which they claimed is the official alma mater song.[5] These arguments continued with no conclusion until November 1958, when the Men's Independent Association and the Interfraternity Council urged university president David Dodds Henry to replace "Illinois Loyalty" with "Hail to the Orange" as the official alma mater song. It was discovered from this letter that "Illinois Loyalty" was never officially recognized by the university, but rather "For Good Old Illinois" by Vernon Thompson Stevens was recognized in 1916.[6] President Henry believed that legislation of the issue could only occur when all interested groups have engaged in widespread discussion and come to an agreement. In February 1959, he asked the Alumni Board of the Alumni Association and the university's Student Senate to begin the discussion.[7] By March, President Henry announced that the university would not be making any decisions regarding official school songs. "Illinois Loyalty" and "Hail to the Orange" would remain in competition with "For Good Old Illinois" for the title of "official alma mater song".[8]

Due to the song's length (over a minute long), it is normally played only at the beginning, halftime, and end of a football game. However, it is not considered rousing enough for a large crowd at a game. For that reason, "Oskee Wow-Wow," written in 1910, is used as the school's fight song.

## Lyrics

[edit]

The song's words as listed in the 1906 program are shown below. The original publication includes optional replacements for sections of the lyrics, such as replacing "Victory" with "Touchdown", or "crack out that ball" with "smash that blockade"; however, they are not shown here.[9]

> We're loyal to you, Illinois,
>  We're Orange and Blue, Illinois;
>  We'll back you to stand
>  'Gainst the best in the land,
>  For we know you have sand, Illinois,
>  Rah! Rah!
>  So crack out that ball, Illinois,
>  We're backing you all, Illinois,
>  Our team is our fame−protector,
>  On! boys, for we expect a
>  Victory from you, Illinois.

>  Che-he, Che−ha, Che−ha−ha−ha! Che−he, Che−ha, Che−ha−ha−ha!
>  Illinois! Illinois! Illinois!

>  Fling out that dear old flag of Orange and Blue
>  Lead on your sons and daughters, fighting for you,
>  Like men of old, on giants placing reliance, shouting defiance-
>  Oskee wow−wow!
>  Amid the broad green fields that nourish our land,
>  For honest Labor and for Learning we stand,
>  And unto thee we pledge our heart and hand,
>  Dear Alma Mater, Illinois.

## Media

[edit]

The Marching Illini plays "Illinois Loyalty" at the beginning, middle (after field goals), and end of football games, as well as other games the band attends.

The music is included in the "Illini Fantasy", a medley of Illinois songs and marches arranged for concert band by James Curnow in 1970 as a commission from Director of Bands Harry Begian.

The University Summer Band plays "Illinois Loyalty" at the close of its Twilight Concerts on the Quadrangle in June and July.

The song is frequently performed during chime concerts on the Altgeld Chimes.

"Illinois Loyalty" is used as the school song of several schools within Illinois and several other (primarily Midwestern) states.

## See also

[edit]

* List of University of Illinois songs

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Changes in the Faculty". Daily Illini. September 14, 1904. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
2. ^ Folger, William (December 11, 1935). "Harding Says Student, Alumni Opinions Should Be Foremost In Alma Mater Song Change". Daily Illini. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
3. ^ "The Illinois Loyalty Song". Library of Congress. Retrieved December 27, 2019.
4. ^ Anne Lukeman (Producer), Jake Maples (Editor), Nick Yi (Drone footage) (August 2, 2017). The Altgeld Chimes (YouTube video). University of Illinois Office of Public Affairs. Archived from the original on December 19, 2021. Retrieved January 4, 2020.
5. ^ "Students Stand for 'Loyalty,' Not 'Hail'". Daily Illini. November 15, 1952. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
6. ^ "UI Singing Wrong Song". Daily Illini. January 17, 1959. Retrieved March 22, 2020.
7. ^ "Students, Alumni To Discuss Controversial 'Illinois Loyalty'". Daily Illini. February 4, 1959. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
8. ^ "If You're Tired, Stand". Daily Illini. May 9, 1959. Retrieved July 13, 2020.
9. ^ Sixteenth Annual Concert of the University of Illinois Military Band at the Armory Saturday March 3, 1906, 8:00 P.M. A. Austin Harding, Conductor; T.H. Guild, Cornet; Earl E. McCoy, Violin; Miss Irene Parsons, Accompanist. Unpublished printed concert program.

* Herman, Richard (Summer 2006). "From Chancellor Richard Herman". UIF Newsletter, Issue 47. University of Illinois Foundation. p. 2. Statement of historical continuity in usage of the song by the University

## External links

[edit]

* "Illinois Loyalty" on YouTube
* Guild's personal scrapbook held at the University of Illinois Archives
* Original notated music score from the Library of Congress

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University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Located in: Urbana and Champaign, Illinois

Academics|

| Schools and
colleges|

* Agricultural, Consumer, and Environmental Sciences
* Applied Health Sciences
* Architecture
* Carle (Medicine)
* Education
* Fine and Applied Arts
* Gies (Business)
* Grainger (Engineering)
* Labor and Employment Relations
* Law
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* Media
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* Veterinary Medicine

|

Centers and
institutes|

* Beckman Institute for Advanced Science and Technology
* Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology
* Center for International Business Education and Research
* Center for the Simulation of Advanced Rockets
* Coordinated Science Laboratory
* Illinois Newspaper Project
* Information Trust Institute
* Institute for Computing in the Humanities, Arts, and Social Science
* Institute for Condensed Matter Theory
* Mortenson Center for International Library Programs
* National Center for Supercomputing Applications
* Prairie Research Institute
* The Rare Book & Manuscript Library
* Regional Economics Applications Laboratory
* Sousa Archives and Center for American Music
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Athletics|

| NCAA sports|

* Illinois Fighting Illini
* Baseball
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|

Club sports|

* Men's ice hockey
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Facilities|

* Activities and Recreation Center
* Atkins Tennis Center
* Campus Recreation Center – East
* Freer Hall
* Huff Hall
* Ice Arena
* Illinois Field
* Kenney Gym and Kenney Gym Annex
* Memorial Stadium
* State Farm Center

Rivalries|

* Braggin' Rights
* Missouri
* Northwestern
* Ohio State football
* Purdue

Spirit|

* Chief Illiniwek
* Songs ("Hail to the Orange," "Illinois Loyalty," "Oskee Wow-Wow")
* Orange Krush

Student life|

| Groups|

* Fraternities and sororities
* Dial-A-Carol
* Graduate Employees' Organization
* Illinois Business Consulting
* Illinois Solar Decathlon
* Marching Illini

|

Media|

* Fighting Illini Sports Network
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* WPGU
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Journals|

* Comparative Labor Law and Policy Journal
* Illinois Journal of Mathematics
* Ninth Letter
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Campus|

| Historic
buildings|

* Altgeld Hall (Altgeld Chimes)
* Busey–Evans Residence Halls
* Engineering Hall
* English Building
* Foellinger Auditorium
* Harker Hall
* Illini Union
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* Main Library
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* Observatory
* Round barns
* Smith Memorial Hall
* Uni High School

|

Other
buildings|

* Business Instructional Facility
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* Japan House
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* Siebel Center for Computer Science
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Around
campus|

* History
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Off campus|

* Allerton Park
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* Willard Airport

History and people|

* 1960s slush fund scandal
* 2000s clout scandal
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Other|

* Blue Waters
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Illinois Fighting Illini football

Venues|

* Illinois Field (1890–1922)
* Memorial Stadium (1923–present)
* Soldier Field (1994–present)

Bowls & rivalries|

* Bowl games
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* Missouri
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* Ohio State: Illibuck Trophy
* Purdue

Culture & lore|

* Illinois Loyalty
* "Oskee Wow-Wow"
* Marching Illini
* Gene Honda
* Fighting Illini Sports Network
* Chief Illiniwek
* 1960s slush fund scandal
* 2021 Penn State game

People|

* Head coaches
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Seasons|

* 1890
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National championship seasons in bold

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Illinois Fighting Illini men's basketball

Venues|

* Kenney Gym (1906–1925)
* Huff Hall (1926–1963)
* State Farm Center (1963–present)
* Prairie Capital Convention Center (2015)

Rivalries|

* Indiana
* Iowa
* Missouri
* Northwestern

Culture & lore|

* Whiz Kids
* Flyin' Illini
* Orange Krush
* Fighting Illini Sports Network
* Oskee Wow-Wow
* Illinois Loyalty
* Chief Illiniwek
* 1960s slush fund scandal

People|

* Head coaches
* NBA draftees
* Statistical leaders

Seasons|

* 1905–06
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* 1907–08
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Helms and Premo-Porretta national championships in bold; NCAA Final Four appearances in italics

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Official fight songs of the Big Ten Conference

* Illinois Loyalty and Oskee Wow-Wow (Illinois)
* Indiana, Our Indiana (Indiana)
* Iowa Fight Song (Iowa)
* Maryland Fight Song and Maryland Victory (Maryland)
* The Victors (Michigan)
* Victory for MSU (Michigan State)
* Minnesota Rouser (Minnesota)
* Hail Varsity and Dear Old Nebraska U (There Is No Place Like Nebraska) (Nebraska)
* Go U Northwestern (Northwestern)
* Across the Field and Buckeye Battle Cry (Ohio State)
* Mighty Oregon (Oregon)
* Fight On, State (Penn State)
* Hail Purdue! (Purdue)
* The Bells Must Ring (Rutgers)
* Sons of Westwood (UCLA)
* Fight On (USC)
* Bow Down to Washington (Washington)
* On, Wisconsin! (Wisconsin)

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