Ten Thousand Men of Harvard
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"Ten Thousand Men of Harvard" is the most-frequently performed of Harvard University's numerous fight songs[1]. It was written by A. Putnam, class of 1918. Harvard College freshmen become acquainted with this song early in their college careers, as the Harvard marching band traditionally marches through Harvard Yard and performs this song one night early each fall. It is also among the songs performed by the Harvard Glee Club at its annual Football Concerts with Yale and Princeton.
The Harvard University Band generally plays the song after every score by the Harvard football team, after every goal scored by the Harvard men's ice hockey team, as well as at the beginning and end of every period of a Harvard men's ice hockey game.
When the Band plays its extended version of the song, it includes other verses with nonsense sounds and sexual allusions. The "Latin" verse, in fact, is dog Latin (a pun), as "illegitimum non carborundum" loosely means, "don't let the bastards grind you down."
Lyrics
First Verse
- Illegitimum Non Carborundum;
- Domine salvum fac.
- Illegitimum Non Carborundum;
- Domine salvum fac.
- Gaudeamus igitur!
- Veritas non sequitur?
- Illegitimum non Carborundum -- ipso facto!
Fourth Verse
- Ten thousand men of Harvard want vict'ry today,
- For they know that o'er old Eli
- Fair Harvard holds sway.
- So then we'll conquer all old Eli's men,
- And when the game ends, we'll sing again:
- Ten thousand men of Harvard gained vict'ry today!
