Roar, Lion, Roar

Performed by the Empire City Six in 1957

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"Roar, Lion, Roar" is the primary fight song of Columbia University. It was originally titled "Bold Buccaneers" and was written with different lyrics for the 1923 Varsity Show Half Moon Inn by Columbia undergraduates Corey Ford and Morris W. Watkins, and alumnus Roy Webb. In order to compete in the Columbia Alumni Federation's contest to find a school fight song the same year, Ford wrote a new set of lyrics that would become "Roar, Lion, Roar". The title references Columbia's mascot, the Columbia Lion.

Lyrics

The original score for Roar, Lion, Roar from 1923, written by Corey Ford, Roy Webb, and Morris W. Watkins^[1]

The original lyrics are:^[2]

When the bold teams of old
Wore the Blue and White,
Deeds of fame made their name,
Here at old Columbia!
Nowadays we can praise
Fighting teams again!
Hear the Lion roar in pride,
While the men of Morningside
Follow the Blue and White to vict'ry.

Roar, Lion, Roar!
And wake the echoes of the Hudson Valley!
Fight on to vict'ry evermore,
While the sons of Knickerbocker rally 'round
Columbia! Columbia!
Shouting her name forever
Roar, Lion, Roar!
For Alma Mater on the Hudson Shore!

Today the song is almost always performed with only the second stanza.

"Bold Buccaneers"

The 1923 Varsity Show, Half Moon Inn, was based on characters from The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent. by Washington Irving, including Rip Van Winkle and Hendrick Hudson, the historical explorer for whom the Hudson River is named and who discovered Hudson Strait and Hudson Bay on his ship, the Halve Maen ("Half Moon").^[3] The play followed the misadventures of the Columbia crew team, to whom the title "Bold Buccaneers" referred to.^[4]

The lyrics for "Bold Buccaneers" are as follows:^[5]

Verse:
When the bold crews of old
Crossed the bounding main,
They would dare, anywhere,
Under Hendrik Hudson.
Nowadays we can praise
Hudson's crews again!
For the men of Morningside,
Sweep the Hudson far and wide,
Following Hudson's crew. (We hail you!)

Refrain:
Bold Buccaneers,
The crew of Hendrik Hudson found our Valley,
Down through the everlasting years
Crews of Blue and White will ever rally 'round
Columbia! Columbia!
Shouting her name forever,
Sound with our cheers
The praise of mighty Hendrik Hudson's fame.

Second Verse:
Nowadays when we race
By Poughkeepsie's shore,
You will find, close behind, the
Ghost of Hendrik Hudson!
Hear his shout ringing out:
"Pull, Columbia's oar!"
While from shady Kaatskill glen
Hendrik Hudson's sturdy men
Follow Columbia's Crew! (We hail you!)
(Repeat of refrain)

Performers

Johnny Long and his Orchestra – College Favorites (Volume 2) (1947)^[6]^[7]
Lang-Worth Feature Programs (1950?)^[6]^[8]
Walter Schumann – Songs of the Ivy League (1951)^[6]
Charles Henderson Band and Glee Club – Collegiana (1960)^[6]^[9]
The Kirby Stone Four – Get That Ball (1962)^[6]
Annette Funicello (with The Wellingtons) – Annette on Campus (1963)^[6]
Norman Luboff Choir – Go, Team, Go! (1964)^[6]
William Revelli – Kick Off, U.S.A. (1964)^[6]
The Mormon Tabernacle Choir – Hail to the Victors! (1978)^[6]

References

^ "Exhibition: Roar, Lion, Roar: A Celebration of Columbia Football". library.columbia.edu.
^ "Columbia University Libraries Online Exhibitions | The Varsity Show: A Columbia Tradition". exhibitions.library.columbia.edu. Retrieved 2021-05-04.
^ Bwog Staff (April 28, 2011). "The Varsity Show: A History Lesson". Bwog. Retrieved July 4, 2021.
^ "Old Dutch Scenes in Columbia Play". New York Times. March 18, 1923. Retrieved July 4, 2021.
^ "Columbia University Libraries Online Exhibitions | Roar, Lion, Roar: A Celebration of Columbia Football". exhibitions.library.columbia.edu. Retrieved 2021-07-04.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ "Search results for 'roar lion roar" at WorldCat. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
^ "Advance Record Releases". The Billboard. August 9, 1947. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
^ "New Stars Shine for Lang-Worth; The New Lang-Worth Program Service". Broadcasting - Telecasting. April 24, 1950. Retrieved May 9, 2020.
^ "Decca Debs Fall 'Rainbow' Release'; Decca 'Rainbow'". The Billboard. August 1, 1960. Retrieved May 9, 2020.

External links

Lyrics to song
Lyrics, score, and audio from the Columbia University Library

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[1] "Exhibition: Roar, Lion, Roar: A Celebration of Columbia Football". library.columbia.edu.

[2] "Columbia University Libraries Online Exhibitions | The Varsity Show: A Columbia Tradition". exhibitions.library.columbia.edu. Retrieved 2021-05-04.

[3] Bwog Staff (April 28, 2011). "The Varsity Show: A History Lesson". Bwog. Retrieved July 4, 2021.

[4] "Old Dutch Scenes in Columbia Play". New York Times. March 18, 1923. Retrieved July 4, 2021.

[5] "Columbia University Libraries Online Exhibitions | Roar, Lion, Roar: A Celebration of Columbia Football". exhibitions.library.columbia.edu. Retrieved 2021-07-04.

[WCSR-6] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ "Search results for 'roar lion roar" at WorldCat. Retrieved May 9, 2020.

[7] "Advance Record Releases". The Billboard. August 9, 1947. Retrieved May 9, 2020.

[8] "New Stars Shine for Lang-Worth; The New Lang-Worth Program Service". Broadcasting - Telecasting. April 24, 1950. Retrieved May 9, 2020.

[9] "Decca Debs Fall 'Rainbow' Release'; Decca 'Rainbow'". The Billboard. August 1, 1960. Retrieved May 9, 2020.

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v t e Columbia Lions football
Venues	Polo Grounds (1880–1883, 1890, 1899, 1901–1903, 1920–1927, 1936) Berkeley Oval (1889) Columbia Grounds (1891) Columbia Field (1900) American League Park (1904–1905) South Field (1915–1923) Robert K. Kraft Field at Lawrence A. Wien Stadium (1923–1982, 1984–present) Giants Stadium (1983) Hofstra Stadium (1983)
Bowls & rivalries	1934 Rose Bowl Cornell Fordham: Liberty Cup
Culture & lore	Columbia University Marching Band Roaree the Lion "Roar, Lion, Roar" The Union Club
People	Head coaches NFL draftees
Seasons	1870 1871 1872 1873 1874 1875 1876 1877 1878 1879 1880 1881 1882 1883 1884 1885–1888 1889 1890 1891 1892–1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906–1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 1951 1952 1953 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
National championship seasons in bold

v t e Columbia Lions men's basketball
Venues	University Heights Gymnasium Levien Gymnasium (1974–present)
Culture & lore	Gambling scandal Roar, Lion, Roar
People	Head coaches Statistical leaders
Seasons	List of seasons 1900–01 1901–02 1902–03 1903–04 1904–05 1905–06 1906–07 1907–08 1908–09 1909–10 1910–11 1911–12 1912–13 1913–14 1914–15 1915–16 1916–17 1917–18 1918–19 1919–20 1920–21 1921–22 1922–23 1923–24 1924–25 1925–26 1926–27 1927–28 1928–29 1929–30 1930–31 1931–32 1932–33 1933–34 1934–35 1935–36 1936–37 1937–38 1938–39 1939–40 1940–41 1941–42 1943–44 1944–45 1945–46 1946–47 1947–48 1948–49 1949–50 1950–51 1951–52 1952–53 1953–54 1954–55 1955–56 1956–57 1957–58 1958–59 1959–60 1960–61 1961–62 1962–63 1963–64 1964–65 1965–66 1966–67 1967–68 1968–69 1969–70 1970–71 1971–72 1972–73 1973–74 1974–75 1975–76 1976–77 1977–78 1978–79 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–2000 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16 2016–17 2017–18 2018–19 2019–20 2020–21 2021–22 2022–23 2023–24 2024–25
Helms and Premo-Porretta national championships in bold