Spring Break
'Drexel Fight Song' finally returns to Drexel
Alex Falk
Issue date: 11/14/08 Section: Sports
At Drexel basketball games, normally the chants heard in the stands contain Philadelphia's native son Rocky - but when the men's basketball team squares off against the University of Pennsylvania Nov. 18, there will be a new chant, the Drexel University fight song.
Freshman Nick Postiglione said he believes this fight song will promote great attitudes.
"I think it would be more fun and beneficial at the games," Postiglione said. "It would create more team spirit."
In 1939, two alumni, Gay Piercy (class of 1939) and Todd Groo (class of 1941) wrote the fight song for Drexel. It was used every year until the University lost its football team in 1973.
Drexel University went through a few very rough years and the fight song was lost in translation.
In 2006, after the fight song was recovered. The Drexel University Spirit Committee decided to implement it back into Drexel's traditions.
When the fight song was first recovered, it spoke of "Drexel Tech" and "Marching down the field." There were two problems: first, considering Drexel no longer has a football team, they cannot march down the field; and second, we are now known as Drexel University. The spirit committee and the DAC Pack decided to make some much-needed changes.
"At first, the DAC Pack, because [the spirit committee] worked with them on the fight song, thought the 'X-EL X-EL' part of in the chant was kind of weird. After people hear it a few times, it's kind of catchy," Louisa Sassi, associate director of Alumni Relations, said.
However, the fight song is not popular with many students on campus.
"I don't like it," junior Bill Ling, a member of the DAC Pack, said.
Others were not so straitforward.
"I think they should improve the song; it's like an old song," freshman Casey Conklin said. "It should be like the [Philadelphia] Eagles fight song … then you can memorize it and sing it at every game."
Sassi, a former member of the Spirit Committee, said that if students didn't want to learn the fight song, it wouldn't be that big of a deal. She stressed the "Four 'D' Yell" Chant as being more important. The "Four 'D' Yell" is a quick three-line chant in the middle of the fight song.
Freshman Nick Postiglione said he believes this fight song will promote great attitudes.
"I think it would be more fun and beneficial at the games," Postiglione said. "It would create more team spirit."
In 1939, two alumni, Gay Piercy (class of 1939) and Todd Groo (class of 1941) wrote the fight song for Drexel. It was used every year until the University lost its football team in 1973.
Drexel University went through a few very rough years and the fight song was lost in translation.
In 2006, after the fight song was recovered. The Drexel University Spirit Committee decided to implement it back into Drexel's traditions.
When the fight song was first recovered, it spoke of "Drexel Tech" and "Marching down the field." There were two problems: first, considering Drexel no longer has a football team, they cannot march down the field; and second, we are now known as Drexel University. The spirit committee and the DAC Pack decided to make some much-needed changes.
"At first, the DAC Pack, because [the spirit committee] worked with them on the fight song, thought the 'X-EL X-EL' part of in the chant was kind of weird. After people hear it a few times, it's kind of catchy," Louisa Sassi, associate director of Alumni Relations, said.
However, the fight song is not popular with many students on campus.
"I don't like it," junior Bill Ling, a member of the DAC Pack, said.
Others were not so straitforward.
"I think they should improve the song; it's like an old song," freshman Casey Conklin said. "It should be like the [Philadelphia] Eagles fight song … then you can memorize it and sing it at every game."
Sassi, a former member of the Spirit Committee, said that if students didn't want to learn the fight song, it wouldn't be that big of a deal. She stressed the "Four 'D' Yell" Chant as being more important. The "Four 'D' Yell" is a quick three-line chant in the middle of the fight song.
Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 3
kagedmunky
Andy
posted 6/26/09 @ 11:09 AM EST
I think the fight song should be revamped. It needs to be revamped! University of Southern California...now THERE'S a fight song! It's epic! It's very powerful, it strikes emotion in you and gets you fired up which is what a fight song should do!
And the Florida State University tomahawk chop. (Continued…)
PETE GRICE '70
posted 7/03/09 @ 2:49 PM EST
I attended Drexel while it was still DIT, but then graduated in 1970 after the name change to University. The fight song was always a part of Drexel life and did bring alot of enthusiastic cheer for pep rallies and games. (Continued…)
Elwood
posted 7/04/09 @ 7:19 AM EST
I went to Drexel when we did use it, and I always thought some parts were weak and the words corny. I think some minor changes to the tune and rewrite of the words would help. (Continued…)
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