"Dynamite" is the official fight song

Fight song

A fight song is primarily an American and Canadian sports term, referring to a song associated with a team. In both professional and amateur sports, fight songs are a popular way for fans to cheer for their team...

 of Vanderbilt University

Vanderbilt University

Vanderbilt University is a private research university located in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1873, the university is named for shipping and rail magnate "Commodore" Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provided Vanderbilt its initial $1 million endowment despite having never been to the...

, written by Francis Craig

Francis Craig

Francis Craig was a songwriter and leader of a Nashville dance band. His works included "Dynamite" and "Near You"."Dynamite!" now the official fight song of Vanderbilt University, was written by Craig in 1922, when Craig was an undergraduate student at the University...

 in 1922, when Craig was an undergraduate student at the University. It is played mainly at football games, basketball games, and at other Commodore

Vanderbilt Commodores

The Vanderbilt Commodores are the NCAA athletic teams of Vanderbilt University, located in Nashville, Tennessee. The university fields 16 varsity teams , 14 of which compete in the Southeastern Conference...

 sports events.

"Dynamite" traditions

The fight song is traditionally played when the team runs through the "V" formed by the university marching band before football games, when a touchdown is scored, and at the end of the game before the playing of the Vanderbilt alma mater

Alma mater

Alma mater , pronounced ), was used in ancient Rome as a title for various mother goddesses, especially Ceres or Cybele, and in Christianity for the Virgin Mary.-General term:...

.

During basketball games, the fight song is played when the team runs out onto the court, shortened versions are played during some timeouts, and the whole song is played immediately after the game concludes.

Recently, students have begun using the "V-U hand signal," discussed in the main Vanderbilt article, during the fight song while they spell "Vandy" and chant the end of the cheer.

Beginning in 2003, the Spirit of Gold Marching Band

Spirit of Gold Marching Band

The Spirit of Gold Marching Band is the collegiate marching band organized by Vanderbilt University.-Membership:A unique feature of the Spirit of Gold is that membership in the marching band is open to all students enrolled at Vanderbilt or any students from colleges in the Nashville area...

coordinated with Vanderbilt's cheerleaders to develop a "dynamite plunger" prop for Mr. Commodore, the costumed mascot of the university, to use while the band prepared to play the fight song in the university's football pre-game show.

Mr. Commodore would, accompanied by an announcer on the public address system, wheel out the jumbo-sized "plunger" while the announcer said, "It looks like Mr. Commodore's got—yes! It's dynamite!" The mascot would push the "plunger" and the band would then play the fight song.

External links

• "Dynamite", in WAV format, performed by the Spirit of Gold
• "Dynamite", in AIFF format, performed by the Spirit of Gold
• History of the fight song, from Vanderbilt's Office of Student-Athletics
• Vanderbilt Cheerleading website for the fight song
• "Cheer for Old Vandy", the former fight song of Vanderbilt, ca. 1945-1960, in AIFF format and performed by the Spirit of Gold