Which of the four colleges in the college football playoff has the best fight song? Don't just pick your favorite school. Look at the riveting analysis I did below and pick after doing some research. ###(1) Alabama - "Yea, Alabama!" circa 1926 ####Notable Versions + https://vine.co/v/Mwz7MZnB0xw + https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqgAj65Aw1Y + https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugHdu-UDVeU ####Special Notes + How topical! This song was written for a contest to create a new fight song after Alabama beat Washington in the Rose Bowl in 1926, which is the Rose Bowl referred to in the song. + Doesn't mention marrying your cousin + Original version of the song mentions old, defunct rivalries with Georgia Tech and University of the South + Most Alabama fans have been taught newer or incorrect words - chief among them, the song doesn't actually end with "Roll Tide" ###(2) Ohio State - "Buckeye Battle Cry" circa 1919 ####Notable Versions + https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ha6roJfoGjc + https://youtu.be/TEPYymsCx00?t=1m40s + http://www.sgsosu.net/osu/songs/buckeye_battle_cry.html ####Special Notes + Composed by a vaudeville performer + Fans and the band have a weekly battle with one another to determine if the lyric is "COME ON OHIO!" or "O-HI-O", many have died and the battle rages on + As if the battle over lyrics wasn't bad enough, fans of THEEEEEEE Ohio State University of Columbus Ohio also can't figure out which fight song is theirs, with some preferring "Across the Field" over "Buckeye Battlecry" + A buckeye looks like a pot leaf, especially when the logo for the team is seen small. As one of the first two states to legalize, I believe Washington should have adopted the "buckeye" into their logo as well + Probably the most traditional "fight song"-sounding fight song of the bunch, when you think about it + Was not able to get the Buckeyes into the 2016 College Football Playoff, despite numerous prank calls from ###(3) Clemson - "Tiger Rag" circa 1917 ####Notable Versions + https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lyX5mozIqLQ + https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNTmnQmgQ2E + https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-28mBxvSUJQ ####Special Notes + This song was part of the oldest known jazz recording (known as "jass" in those days) by the ORIGINAL Dixieland Band. + All the Tiger-mascoted schools decided it would be cool to use this song instead of write their own, but since Dixieland is from Lousianna it is safe to assume this song was meant for LSU and therefor Clemson stole it. + While they were at it Clemson's love affair for LSU continued into their mascot and the name "Death Valley" for their stadium. The irony being that Death Valley is in California. + It probably has the most repetitive and least-creative lyrics of any of the songs on this list, but it also has the biggest word in "syncopated" ###(4) Washington - "Bow Down To Washington" circa 1915 ####Notable Versions + https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsAU2-CtIL4 + https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JT_g1THKvAU + https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGF6_krS-p0 ####Special Notes + One of a very small number of fight songs to start in a minor key, which makes it sound sinister - especially for something written in 1915. It's basically the Imperial March. In fact, it is a well-known fact that John Williams used Bow Down as his inspiration for that famous tune. A vote for this song is a vote for Darth Vader, and I think we can all get behind Darth Vader. + Seriously the first words are "BOW DOWN TO WASHINGTON" and they say it TWICE! Guys, this song is actually a song about conquering. If the vikings (real vikings, not the crappy NFL team from Minnesota) had a fight song, this was it. + "So heaven help the foes of Washington" lyric used to end with "They're dying at the feet of mighty Washington" in their high conquering days, but it was considered too violent and changed in 1936 after the Huskies *literally* killed the Cougars in the Apple Cup 40-0. + Ok one more note about the sinister nature of this song. "Their fighting blood excels." How was this considered appropriate in the 1910's United States? Yikes! + Joel McHale was a tight end for the Washington football team, and that somehow makes the fight song better - https://heavyeditorial.files.wordpress.com/2015/07/joelmchale-football-jpg_013545.jpg?quality=65&strip=all&strip=all