We Don't Give a Damn

Last updated

"We Don't Give a Damn" is a song long associated with opponents of sports teams from the American state of Michigan. Its simple lyrics, written in the first person plural, repeatedly express the indifference of its performers to the entirety of the state of Michigan and declare their place of origin to be unknown. The earliest known usage of the song was in the 1890s by alumni of Cornell University. It has also been used in a variety of contexts by baseball and football fans from Chicago, Minnesota, Ohio, North Carolina, and Tennessee (primarily during the Johnny Majors coached years[ citation needed ]).

Contents

"We Don't Give a Damn" is set to the melody of the American folk song "The Old Gray Mare".

History

The song dates back at least to the 1890s and was used in multiple variations and contexts.

In 1896, a group of Cornell alumni gathered in Chicago and sang a song with the following lyrics: "We don't give a ---- For the whole State of Michigan; We're from Illinois." [1]

During the 1907 World Series, fans of the Chicago Cubs celebrated their team's victory by running onto the field and singing: "We don't give a rap for the whole State of Mich-i-gan, whole state of Michigan, whole state of Michigan, we're from Illinois." [2]

The song appears to have been popularized as a college football song in the context of the Little Brown Jug rivalry between the Universities of Michigan and Minnesota. In November 1923, Minnesota fans paraded through the streets of Ann Arbor "crying at the top of their voices their new battle cry of 'We don't give a d-mn for the whole state of Michigan for today the Gophers will show it some new things in football." [3] In November 1925, Minnesota fans sang the song in preparation for the annual rivalry game, using the lyrics: "We don't give a [deleted by censor] For the whole State of Michigan The whole State of Michigan The whole State of Michigan." [4]

In December 1926, the Lansing State Journal reported that the singing of "We don't give a damn for the whole state of Michigan" to the tune of "The Old Gray Mare" had become common practice at football games among "gay collegians of other states." [5]

In October 1928, the Detroit Free Press reported that, during a football game between Ohio Wesleyan and Michigan, the Ohio Wesleyan band played "that old familiar air, 'We Don't Give a D--m for the Whole State of Michigan'" as it marched onto the field. The song was credited with inspiring Ohio Wesleyan to upset the Wolverines, 17 to 7. [6] According to another account, Ohio Wesleyan coach George Gauthier, a Michigan State alumnus, led his team in singing the song in the locker room before the 1928 game began. [7]

More recently, the song became associated with the Michigan–Ohio State football rivalry. Some sources incorrectly assert that the lyrics were written in the 1920s when an inebriated supporter of the Ohio State football team began spontaneously vocalizing it in a hotel in Columbus, Ohio, as an organic expression of hostility towards Michigan, and was joined in chorus by several other intoxicated individuals. [8] [9] A 1933 article in the Akron Beacon Journal reports that the song was, at that time, a "familiar" one at Ohio State fraternities and sororities. [10]

The song was performed in the 1940 play The Male Animal, written by Ohio State University alumni James Thurber and Elliott Nugent, and subsequently turned into a in the 1942 motion picture of the same name. [11] [12] The song is performed in the play by supporters of the fictitious Midwestern University in advance of their American football contest against the University of Michigan. [13]

The lyrics are changed by fans of the North Carolina Tar Heels to reflect its rivalry with the Duke Blue Devils (see Carolina-Duke rivalry). The new relevant lyrics become "We don't give a damn 'bout Duke University, 'cause we're from Carolina".[ citation needed ]

The song is set to the melody of the American folk song "The Old Gray Mare". [14]

Performance

Singing of "We Don't Give a Damn" often occurs spontaneously among groups of people – generally alumnae or supporters of the Ohio State University – wishing to express hostility towards Michigan including "at any point during a sporting event, at any bar on campus, or really at any establishment in the state of Ohio". [11]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Michigan Wolverines football</span> Football team of the University of Michigan

The Michigan Wolverines football team represents the University of Michigan in college football at the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision level. Michigan has the most all-time wins in college football history. The team is known for its distinctive winged helmet, its fight song, its record-breaking attendance figures at Michigan Stadium, and its many rivalries, particularly its annual, regular season-ending game against Ohio State, known simply as "The Game," once voted as ESPN's best sports rivalry.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1903 Michigan Wolverines football team</span> American college football season

The 1903 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1903 college football season. The team's head football coach was Fielding H. Yost. The Wolverines played their home games at Regents Field. The 1903 team compiled a record of 11–0–1 and outscored opponents 565 to 6. The only points allowed came on a touchdown in a 6–6 tie with Minnesota. All eleven wins were shutouts. The 1903 Michigan team was the third of Yost's "Point-a-Minute" teams and has been recognized retrospectively as a co-national champion by the National Championship Foundation.

The 1975 Michigan Wolverines football team was an American football team that represented the University of Michigan in the 1975 Big Ten Conference football season. In it seventh season under head coach Bo Schembechler, Michigan compiled an 8–2–2 record, outscored all opponents by a total of 324 to 130, and was ranked No. 8 in the final AP and UPI polls.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1980 Michigan Wolverines football team</span> American college football season

The 1980 Michigan Wolverines football team was an American football team that represented the University of Michigan in the 1980 Big Ten Conference football season. In their 12th season under head coach Bo Schembechler, the Wolverines compiled a 10–2 record, won the Big Ten Conference championship, defeated Washington in the 1981 Rose Bowl, and outscored all opponents by a total of 322 to 129. The Rose Bowl victory was Schembechler's first in a bowl game, following seven bowl games losses. After falling out of the rankings for four weeks, the 1980 Wolverines ended up being ranked No. 4 in both the AP and UPI polls.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1897 Michigan Wolverines football team</span> American college football season

The 1897 Michigan Wolverines football team was an American football team that represented the University of Michigan in the 1897 Western Conference football season. In its first season under head coach Gustave Ferbert, the team compiled a 6–1–1 record, finished third in the Western Conference, and outscored opponents by a total of 166 to 31.

The 1960 Michigan Wolverines football team was an American football team that represented the University of Michigan in the 1960 Big Ten Conference football season. In its second year under head coach Bump Elliott, Michigan compiled a 5–4 record, finished in fifth place in the Big Ten, and outscored opponents by a combined total of 133 to 84.

The 1945 Michigan Wolverines football team represented the University of Michigan in the 1945 Big Ten Conference football season. In their eighth year under head coach was Fritz Crisler, the Wolverines compiled a 7–3 record and finished the season ranked #6 in the final Associated Press Poll. Quarterback Joe Ponsetto was the team captain, and center Harold Watts won the Most Valuable Player award and was selected as a first-team All-Big Ten Conference player.

The 1937 Michigan Wolverines football team was an American football team that represented the University of Michigan in the 1937 Big Ten Conference football season. In their ninth season under head coach Harry Kipke, the Wolverines compiled a 4–4 record and tied for fourth place in the Big Ten. Kipke was fired after the season, having compiled a 46–26–4 record in nine years as Michigan's head coach.

The 1934 Michigan Wolverines football team was an American football team that represented the University of Michigan in the 1934 Big Ten Conference football season. In their sixth season under head coach Harry Kipke, the Wolverines compiled a 1–7 record and finished last in the Big Ten. Prior to the 1934 season, the Wolverines had compiled a 22-game undefeated streak dating back to October 1931.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1929 Michigan Wolverines football team</span> American college football season

The 1929 Michigan Wolverines football team was an American football team that represented the University of Michigan in the 1929 Big Ten Conference football season. The team compiled a 5–3–1 record, tied for seventh place in the Big Ten, and outscored its opponents by a total of 109 to 75. In late May 1929, Tad Wieman was removed as the team's head coach. Harry Kipke was hired as his replacement in mid-June; Kipke remained as Michigan's head football coach for nine seasons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1928 Michigan Wolverines football team</span> American college football season

The 1928 Michigan Wolverines football team was an American football team that represented the University of Michigan in the 1928 Big Ten Conference football season. The Wolverines compiled a 3–4–1 record, tied for seventh place in the Big Ten, and were outscored by their opponents by a total of 62 to 36.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Gauthier (American football)</span> American football player and coach, basketball coach, college athletics administrator

George E. "Gooch" Gauthier was an American football and basketball player, athletic coach, and college athletics administrator. He served as the head football coach at Michigan Agricultural College, now Michigan State University, in 1918 and at Ohio Wesleyan University from 1921 to 1946, compiling a career record of 125–101–15. Gauthier was also the head basketball coach at Michigan Agricultural from 1916 to 1920 and at Ohio Wesleyan for the 1945–1946 season, tallying a career mark of 47–46.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of Michigan Wolverines football in the Yost era</span> Aspect of history

The History of Michigan Wolverines football in the Yost era covers the period from the hiring of Fielding H. Yost as head coach in 1901 through Yost's firing of Tad Wieman as head coach after the 1928 season. The era includes the brief head coaching tenures of George Little and Tad Wieman. Wieman was head coach during the 1927 and 1928 seasons but contended that he had never truly been allowed to take control of the team with Yost remaining as an assistant coach and athletic director.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of Michigan Wolverines football in the Crisler years</span> Aspect of history

The History of Michigan Wolverines football in the Crisler years covers the history of the University of Michigan Wolverines football program during the period from the hiring of Fritz Crisler as head coach in 1938 through his retirement as head coach after winning the 1948 Rose Bowl. Michigan was a member of the Big Ten Conference during the Crisler years and played its home games at Michigan Stadium.

The 1964 Big Ten Conference football season was the 69th season of college football played by the member schools of the Big Ten Conference and was a part of the 1964 NCAA University Division football season.

The 1948 Big Nine Conference football season was the 53rd season of college football played by the member schools of the Big Nine Conference and was a part of the 1948 college football season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1918 Big Ten Conference football season</span> Sports season

The 1918 Big Ten Conference football season was the 23rd season of college football played by the member schools of the Big Ten Conference and was a part of the 1918 college football season.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1925 Big Ten Conference football season</span> Sports season

The 1925 Big Ten Conference football season was the 30th season of college football played by the member schools of the Big Ten Conference and was a part of the 1925 college football season. Over the course of the season, Big Ten teams played 36 non-conference games, compiling a 27–9 record (.750) in those games.

The 1949 Big Nine Conference football season was the 54th season of college football played by the member schools of the Big Nine Conference and was a part of the 1949 college football season.

The 1971 Big Ten Conference football season was the 76th season of college football played by the member schools of the Big Ten Conference and was a part of the 1971 NCAA University Division football season.

References

  1. ↑ "Sing the Songs of Cornell". Chicago Daily Tribune . February 2, 1896. p. 3 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. ↑ "Chicago Cubs Win the Championship in Easy Fashion". St. Louis Post-Dispatch . October 13, 1907. p. 11 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ↑ "Minnesota Eleven Favored to Beat Wolverines at Ann Arbor". Minnesota Daily Star . November 24, 1923. p. 10 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ↑ "Gophers O.K.: Doc Didn't Say Anything". The Minneapolis Morning Tribune . November 17, 1925. p. 2 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ↑ "The Green Inauguration". Lansing State Journal . December 4, 1926. p. 4 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ↑ W. W. Edgar (October 7, 1928). "Ohio Wesleyan Surprises Michigan and Wins Opener, 17 to 7: Battling Bishops Outplay Yostmen Throughout Game". Detroit Free Press . pp. 18, 22 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ↑ "It's Singing Bishops Now". The Mansfield News . October 9, 1928. p. 14 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ↑ Emmanuel, Greg (2010). The 100-Yard War: Inside the 100-Year-Old Michigan-Ohio State Football Rivalry. John Wiley & Sons. p. 44. ISBN   978-1118040232.
  9. ↑ Gitlin, Martin (2014). The Greatest College Football Rivalries of All Time: The Civil War, the Iron Bowl, and Other Memorable Matchups. Rowman & Littlefield. pp. 5–6. ISBN   978-1442229846.
  10. ↑ Harley, Bob (October 17, 1933). "Ohio State-Michigan Contest Holds Interest of Grid World". Akron Beacon Journal . Retrieved April 25, 2018– via Newspapers.com.
  11. 1 2 Meisel, Zack (2015). The Ohio State Buckeyes Fans' Bucket List. Triumph Books. p. 98. ISBN   978-1633193840.
  12. ↑ "17 Ohio State traditions that (probably) won't get anyone fired ... and the stories behind them". Columbus Dispatch . August 27, 2014. Retrieved April 25, 2018.
  13. ↑ Thurber, James (1941). The Male Animal: A Comedy in Three Acts. Samuel French, Inc.
  14. ↑ Kline, Benjamin (November 21, 1997). "Wolverines Show Teeth Before Game". Dayton Daily News . Retrieved April 25, 2018.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.