Minnesota Rouser

The "Minnesota Rouser" is the fight song of the University of Minnesota. It is played at all Minnesota Golden Gophers games.

History

It was the subject of a 1909 contest held by the Minnesota Daily and the Minneapolis Tribune to write a suitable song for Minnesota football games, to replace the hymnlike "Hail! Minnesota". The song was written by Floyd Hutsell, then the choir director of First Methodist Episcopal Church in Minneapolis. He originally included a verse, but only the refrain is sung today. Hutsell is best known outside Minnesota as "Robert LaMar," a prominent vaudeville and operetta actor and producer. The song was originally titled, "Minnesota, Hats Off To Thee," but eventually became known as simply the "Minnesota Rouser."

Ironically, another song written for the contest by William T. Purdy was "Minnesota, Minnesota." He withdrew it from the contest at the urging of his lyricist, Carl Beck, who wanted to offer the song to the University of Wisconsin–Madison, where it became "On Wisconsin".

Lyrics

Minnesota, hats off to thee!
To thy colors true we shall ever be,
Firm and strong, united are we.
Rah, rah, rah, for Ski-U-Mah,
Rah! Rah! Rah! Rah!
Rah for the U of M.

[Repeat]

M-I-N-N-E-S-O-T-A!
Minnesota, Minnesota!
Yay, Gophers!

(The phrase 'Ski-U-Mah' was part of an early cheer for the U of M.)

Gopher fans traditionally thrust their fists in the air during the spell-out, and make a circular motion with their fist during the yell.

Pop Culture

The Boston-based rock orchestra, The Wings of Fire Orchestra, uses a variation of the U. of Minnesota Rouser on the song Connorfool (from Bullfighter Ballet, 2006).

On Rocky and Bullwinkle, the lyrics are changed to "Wassamatta, Hats Off to U" ("Hail, Wassamatta, hail/Better we should land in jail.")

See also

• Ski-U-Mah

References

• University of Minnesota Band Alumni Society (1992). Minnesota, Hats Off To Thee. Taylor Publishing Company. pp. 191–192. ISBN 0-9629747-0-6. 
• "The Minnesota Rouser". Regents of the University of Minnesota. 2005-05-05. http://www.music.umn.edu/marchingband/history/rouser.html. Retrieved 2006-09-09. 
• "Ski-U-Mah". Regents of the University of Minnesota. 2005-05-05. http://www.music.umn.edu/marchingband/history/rouser.html. Retrieved 2006-09-09. 

External links

• The Minnesota Rouseras performed by the University of Minnesota Marching Band