The Good Old Song

"The Good Old Song" (alternatively spelled as "The Good Ole Song") is the de facto school song of the University of Virginia. It is often said to be the university's fight song, although the actual fight song is "The Cavalier Song". It is set to the music of "Auld Lang Syne", a song frequently sung on New Year's Eve.

The "Good Old Song" is most commonly sung by Virginia Cavaliers fans following sporting events. Fans embrace as they sway back and forth, singing the first verse of the song, followed by pumping fists while screaming the chant. It is also sung at football games immediately following each Cavalier score (or the extra point attempt).

History and authorship[]

Various sources^[who?] ascribe the authorship of "The Good Old Song" to Virginia Glee Club member^[1] Edward A. Craighill circa 1895 even though Craighill's 1922 article on the song disclaims sole authorship.^[2] The best documentary evidence to date indicates that the song's lyrics were more or less spontaneously composed by a group of students in 1893, and that by 1894 the song was already being documented in the student annual, Corks and Curls.^[3]

"The Good Old Song" was the university's de facto school song by 1900. Student referenda over the years have purported to give significance to other songs on occasion — "Virginia, Hail, All Hail!" and "The Cavalier Song" won a 1923 contest sponsored by the student newspaper, The Cavalier Daily, and were named the university's alma mater song and fight song, respectively — but they failed to gain traction and remain relatively unknown among the general student body.^[4]

Verse 1
That good old song of Wah-hoo-wah—we'll sing it o'er and o'er
It cheers our hearts and warms our blood to hear them shout and roar
We come from old Virginia, where all is bright and gay
Let's all join hands and give a yell for the dear old UVA.
Chant
Wah-hoo-wah, wah-hoo-wah! Uni-v, Virginia!
Hoo-rah-ray, hoo-rah-ray, ray, ray—UVA!
Verse 2^[5]
What though the tide of years may roll, and drift us far apart
For alma mater still there'll be a place in every heart.
In college days we sing her praise, and so, when far away,
In memory we still shall be at the dear old UVA.

According to the Virginia Pep Band, the university's band from 1974 to 2003, the university's Athletic's Department attempted to replace "The Good Old Song" with a more lively post-touchdown song during the 1970s. They relate that the students of the Pep Band refused to abandon the song in spite of the orders, and it is thus still played today.^[6]

Unofficial additions[]

Since the 1970s, it has become a practice of some fans to insert a chant of "Not gay!" after the line "Where all is bright and gay". Petitions and organized protests against the practice began in 2001.^[7]^[8] Some fans, after that portion of the song, shout, "We like it that way!" while others shout, "F*** Tech", instead referring to Virginia Tech, UVa's biggest rival. The university released a video in September 2019 requesting that students "Keep the 'Good Old Song' good" by refraining from using either jeer.^[9]

References[]

^ "University of Virginia Glee Club Photo, February 11, 1893". 1893-02-11. Retrieved 2008-02-05.
^ Craighill, Edward (October 1922). "'The Good Old Song' in the Making". University of Virginia Magazine. 73 (1): 1, 3.
^ Meacham, Scott (2004). "The Persistence of "Wa-hoo-wa," Dartmouth's "Indian Yell," at the University of Virginia" (PDF). Retrieved 2007-08-22.
^ Dabney, Virginius (1981). Mr. Jefferson's University. Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press. p. 114. ISBN 0-8139-0904-X.
^ "Notes from the Path". Virginia Glee Club website. Retrieved 2008-09-03. Verse 2, not usually played at sporting events, is documented in this recording.
^ "Virginia Pep Band History". Retrieved 2010-03-10.
^ Zeigler, Cyd (January 1, 2003). "'Not gay' at UVA". Outsports.
^ Ackert, Kristie; Luke Cyphers (2001-05-13). "Out of the Shadows". New York Daily News.
^ "Keep 'The Good Old Song' Good". 3 September 2019.

External links[]

[vgc-1] "University of Virginia Glee Club Photo, February 11, 1893". 1893-02-11. Retrieved 2008-02-05.

[craighill-2] Craighill, Edward (October 1922). "'The Good Old Song' in the Making". University of Virginia Magazine. 73 (1): 1, 3.

[meacham-3] Meacham, Scott (2004). "The Persistence of "Wa-hoo-wa," Dartmouth's "Indian Yell," at the University of Virginia" (PDF). Retrieved 2007-08-22.

[dabney-1923-4] Dabney, Virginius (1981). Mr. Jefferson's University. Charlottesville: University of Virginia Press. p. 114. ISBN 0-8139-0904-X.

[verse-5] "Notes from the Path". Virginia Glee Club website. Retrieved 2008-09-03. Verse 2, not usually played at sporting events, is documented in this recording.

[pep-6] "Virginia Pep Band History". Retrieved 2010-03-10.

[7] Zeigler, Cyd (January 1, 2003). "'Not gay' at UVA". Outsports.

[nydn-8] Ackert, Kristie; Luke Cyphers (2001-05-13). "Out of the Shadows". New York Daily News.

[9] "Keep 'The Good Old Song' Good". 3 September 2019.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

v t Virginia Cavaliers football
Venues	Madison Hall Field (1888–1912) Lambeth Field (1913–1930) Scott Stadium (1931–present)
Bowls & rivalries	Bowl games Florida State: Jefferson-Eppes Trophy Maryland North Carolina: South's Oldest Rivalry Virginia Tech: Commonwealth Cup
Culture & lore	"The Cavalier Song" "The Good Old Song" Cavalier Marching Band 1990 Georgia Tech game
People	Head coaches NFL draftees Statistical leaders W. A. Lambeth
Seasons	1887 1888 1889 1890 1891 1892 1893 1894 1895 1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022

v t Virginia Cavaliers men's basketball
Venues	Memorial Gymnasium (1924–1965) University Hall (1965–2006) John Paul Jones Arena (2006–present)
Rivalries	Virginia Tech
Culture & lore	"The Cavalier Song" "The Good Old Song" 1982 Chaminade upset 2018 UMBC upset Redemption National Championship
People	Head coaches Statistical leaders
Seasons	1905–06 1906–07 1907–08 1908–09 1909–10 1910–11 1911–12 1912–13 1913–14 1914–15 1915–16 1916–17 1917–18 1918–19 1919–20 1920–21 1921–22 1922–23 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16 2016–17 2017–18 2018–19 2019–20 2020–21 2021–22
NCAA national championship in bold; NCAA Final Four appearances in italics