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CNN Sunday Morning

College Football Fan Knows 113 College Fight Songs

Aired September 02, 2001 - 09:38   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: Speaking of fighting...

MARTIN SAVIDGE, CNN ANCHOR: (humming)

PHILLIPS: Is that your fight song?

SAVIDGE: No, I don't think so.

PHILLIPS: I thought so. You don't even remember your fight song. I can't believe you.

Well, our next guest knows those songs and about 113 more.

SAVIDGE: Matt Nelson can sing almost all of them -- of the Division A fight songs, right off the top of his head. He joins us now from Auburn, Alabama this morning. Good morning to you, thanks very much for being with us.

MATT NELSON, COLLEGE FOOTBALL FAN: Good morning. It's good to be here.

SAVIDGE: So, here's the big question.

SAVAGE AND PHILLIPS (in unison): Why?

NELSON: Well, I was down in the band here at Auburn and as we would travel to the other schools I would learn some of the fight songs and it became an obsession and I just wanted to learn more and more of them, and it was just, just a fun thing to do, a hobby, like collecting baseball cards.

PHILLIPS: So, Matt, what's the most obscure fight song? Sing it for us and tell us why it's so obscure.

NELSON: Probably Boise State. I guess maybe because they have a blue field, it's got a lot of long words in it also. It's "Celebrate the orange and the blue, Boise, we'll stand up and cheer for BSU. Fight for distinction at our alma mater, bravely defending BSU. Fight on courageously for Boise State..."

SAVIDGE: Well, OK, we don't -- this could go on all morning...

NELSON: "... success and honor make her great. Boise's proud tradition heads up competition. Glory for BSU." SAVIDGE: We will, apparently, go on all morning with this singing...

NELSON: "Go orange. Go big blue. Fight, fight BSU."

SAVIDGE: Oh, that's -- that's...

PHILLIPS: Matt, I'm impressed.

SAVIDGE: You've got us up and roused. We're rousing now.

OK, what we're going to do is we'll just throw a few at you and -- Ohio University, near and dear to my heart.

NELSON: "Stand up and cheer, cheer loud and long for old Ohio..."

SAVIDGE: That's it.

PHILLIPS: Is it coming back, Marty?

NELSON: "For today we raise the green and white above the rest. Our team is fighting, and we are bound to win the fray. We got the steam, we got the team. For it is old Ohio's day."

PHILLIPS: OK. In honor of Martin. Very nice.

OK, just the first part, the first stanza, of Navy.

NELSON: "Stand Navy down the field, sails set to the sky."

SAVIDGE: All right.

PHILLIPS: Texas Tech.

NELSON: Georgia Tech? "I'm a rambling wreck from Georgia Tech, and a hell of an engineer. A hell of a, hell of a, hell of a, hell of a, hell of an engineer. Like all the jolly good fellows, I drink my whiskey clear. I'm a rambling wreck from Georgia Tech and a hell of an engineer."

SAVIDGE: Brigham Young University.

NELSON: Beg your pardon?

SAVIDGE: Brigham Young?

NELSON: "So rise and shout, the Cougars are out. They're on the trail to fame and glory. Rise and shout, the hills will ring out as we unfold our victory story. On we go to vanquish the foe for all the modest sons and daughters. As we join in song in praise to you our faith is strong. We'll raise our banners into the blue and cheer our Cougars of BYU."

PHILLIPS: San Diego State. That's where my parents teach.

NELSON: San Diego State?

PHILLIPS: Yep.

PHILLIPS: "Fight on and on you Aztecs men, sons of Montezuma, we must win again. Keep your spirits high, never bend on knee, we will find more victory. Fight on and on you Aztec men, proudly keep your banners high. For it's the red and black, hail to our team, and San Diego Aztecs fight."

SAVIDGE: All right, let's try to not get the whole songs in so we can get a few more, but -- just maybe opening lines.

NELSON: Oh, sure.

SAVIDGE: University of Hawaii.

NELSON: "Here's to our dear Hawaii. Here's to the green and white."

SAVIDGE: All right, I don't know. You try.

PHILLIPS: You're amazing. And he's on tune. That's amazing, he carries a tune. All right, what's your favorite? We've got to ask you your favorite.

NELSON: Oh, probably Auburn since I went to school here.

SAVIDGE: Yeah.

PHILLIPS: OK, yeah. I guess that was a given. All right.

SAVIDGE: Middle Tennessee State, quick.

NELSON: Middle Tennessee State?

"The Raiders ride on to victory, never failing in the fight; upholding honor and tradition."

SAVIDGE: Yeah, you, you -- I think you've stumped -- Old Miss, maybe?

NELSON: "Forward Rebels, march to fame. Hit the line and win the game."

PHILLIPS: All right, Matt, we're supposed to kind of give you a couple of the folks that work here, but we have to get you to sing the fight son of our producer, Emily Keene (ph). You've got to do LSU for us.

NELSON: "Like knights of old we fight to hold the glory of the purple and the gold."

PHILLIPS: Are you happy, Emily (ph)? OK, she says she's very happy.

So, Matt, what does your mom think of this now? She started of spurred this in you, right? She kind of got you into band and...

NELSON: Yeah, she got me into band. She taught the fight song for Auburn University back when I was about four years old. Wanted me to get into the college spirit. It's real important down here in the South.

SAVIDGE: Sure. Well, do you see a future in this.

NELSON: Well, it's just really for fun. If anything comes up, it'll be great.

PHILLIPS: Do your friends think you're a little nutty?

SAVIDGE: Right.

NELSON: Yeah, they all think I'm crazy.

SAVIDGE: Do they always ask you to come by and say hey, listen to him, listen to this, go ahead, try him.

NELSON: Yeah, they always do that.

PHILLIPS: Do you know -- now, you know 113.

NELSON: One hundred fifteen.

PHILLIPS: One hundred fifteen. So, how many do you not know?

NELSON: There is two I don't know.

PHILLIPS: And those are?

NELSON: Oh, I hate to say it. Kent State and Nevada Reno.

PHILLIPS: And why don't you know them?

SAVIDGE: Are you working on them? That's the important thing, here.

NELSON: I'm trying to find the -- I've got the words to them, but I don't have the music. If I can get in touch with somebody -- I've had a tough time getting in touch with them. But if I can get in touch with the two schools, and get them to send me some music, I'll be happy to learn them.

SAVIDGE: I'll be you by now they're already faxing them right off to him right now at this very minute.

NELSON: I hope so.

SAVIDGE: What's next for you?

NELSON: Well, I'm just going to continue my job, I guess, with Southern Company Services in Birmingham. I'm a research engineer there, and try to come to as many Auburn football games as I can.

PHILLIPS: Do you sing on the job?

NELSON: Sometimes. I just don't want to make the boss mad by interrupting anybody.

PHILLIPS: Do you want to sing your bosses fight song?

NELSON: I beg your pardon?

PHILLIPS: Do you want to sing your bosses fight song, while you're here?

NELSON: Well, sure. It's mine too.

"War eagle, fly down the field, ever to conquer, never to yield."

PHILLIPS: Matt Nelson, you've made our morning. You're a piece of work.

SAVIDGE: You've made it a tailgate party on this show. We really have enjoyed it.

PHILLIPS: I'm ready for a beer and a hotdog.

SAVIDGE: I am too, despite the hour. So -- it was a pleasure talking with you and listening to you and that's one of the funnest things we've done in a while. Thanks very much for being with us.

NELSON: Great. Thanks. Great talking to both of you.

PHILLIPS: Thanks, Matt.

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